It was a few months before the United Football League officially began its inaugural season and Dennis Green, with decades and decades of NFL experience, wanted to make sure his California Redwoods would be as ready to go as possible, so, in June of 2009, he flew his entire coaching staff out to San Diego for preseason meetings. The coaches came from all different backgrounds and he wanted them to spend some time together.
There were longtime college coaches in the mix, like legendary Miami Hurricanes offensive line coach Art Kehoe and former UCF Knights head coach Mike Kruczek. There were established NFL position coaches trying to extend their careers, like defensive coordinator Ricky Hunley and special teams coordinator Gary Zauner. They were almost all at least in their 30s or 40s and those who weren’t yet NFL lifers were at least accomplished college players.
And then there was Mike McDaniel, 5-foot-9 and 26, decked out in loafers and thick-rimmed glasses, eager to take on his biggest coaching job yet. He had been working various jobs in the NFL for nearly a decade by then and, after one season as an intern with the Denver Broncos and three as an offensive assistant for the Houston Texans, he found himself in California as the running backs coach in an upstart league.
