Al Luginbill

Al Luginbill owns the best winning percentage of any coach in the NFLE from 1995 onwards (26-14, .650), yet a championship still eludes him. Each year however the Admirals have been one of the toughest teams to beat, especially at home where they are an amazing 17-3 in the regular season. It's only a matter of time before Al gets his ring, and his 99 squad will be one of the favourites with without a doubt.

Al's previous head coaching experience was at San Diego State where he led the Aztecs to a 31-25-3 record in five seasons between 1989 and 1993, producing first-round NFL talent such as QB Dan McGwire and RB Marshall Faulk. His best season was in 1991, when behind the sensational running of freshman Faulk (who led the nation in rushing), the Aztecs went 8-4-1 and made the Freedom Bowl.

Al joined the re-vamped World League in 1995, and his best chance at winning the World Bowl may have been during the Admirals inaugural season. His 95 team dominated most of the early going, winning their first 6 game before falling to Frankfurt. Injuries had taken their toll and they were without the likes of standouts Jamie Martin and Ralph Dawkins down the stretch, including the World Bowl in Amsterdam, which they lost to a streaking Frankfurt 26-23. Last year's team was a strong outfit too (it had the number one ranked offense and defense), but it's failure to beat Frankfurt at home behind back-up QB Jake Delhomme (who is now a member of the Galaxy) cost them dearly in the end of season tie-breaker when 3 teams finished at 7-3.

However it's just not the winning that Al's has become famous for. His animated explosive coaching style on the sidelines must make NFL Films envious! The "Sounds of the League" segment is never dull when the mike is anywhere near the dull! (See Great Al moments below).

Football runs in the Luginbill family too. His wife Susan ("Suzy"), is a devoted hard-core Admirals fan, often to be spotted in among the Admirals away support at games. And Tom Luginbill, his son, played QB collegially at Georgia Tech before transferring to Eastern Kentucky for his senior year. He played in the Arena league for a couple of seasons, before following his dad into coaching with the New York CityHawks at the age of 24 in 1997.

If the Claymores can't win the World Bowl in 99 then we'll be pulling for Al to get his long deserved ring!

• 96 Week 9 Amsterdam vs. Scotland. Al does his first Al. Gets down on his knees and scream profanities at his defensive lineman, imploring them to compete. Sample soundbytes were - "It's bullshit and you know it is! PLAY the damn defense and it WORKS! Then later, "They went out there and fucking quit ... and you did the GODDAM same! Why doesn't somebody stand up and compete? HUH? FOX's 'Sounds of the league' was never the same again.
• 98 Week 5 Amsterdam vs. England. In the closing seconds of a thrilling 25-24 comeback win, a fired up Al goes round to every player, assistant coach (in fact anybody on the sideline) and slaps them in the shoulders screaming "Good job, Great job!"
• 98 World Bowl Party. The Cheddarheads mission at the official party the night before was to cheddar Al, and that we did. Upon approaching him, Al just explodes into enthusiasm, "You guys are the greatest! Thanks for looking after my wife in London!." Al is getting so excited at this point that the Cheddars are starting to worry he may repeat his Monarchs feat (see above) and knock us over!

"YOU GUYS!" Shuggie, Al, Mrs. Susan Luginbill and Preston

Career Statistics

Year

W

L

%

Postseason

98

7

3

.700

97

5

5

.500

96

5

5

.500

95

9

1

.900

0-1

Totals

26

14

.650

0-1

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