As teams around the NFL begin training camp, several young coaches are getting the opportunity to teach at the NFL level thanks to a program originally introduced by former San Francisco 49ers head coach Bill Walsh.
One of those just happens to be Robert Morris University assistant football coach Myles Russ, who is helping the Buffalo Bills’ running backs during their camp at St. John Fisher College.
Russ is currently the running backs coach for the Colonials and is one of three coaches recently selected by the Bills to participate in this year’s Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship program.
The Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship program was designed to expose minority college coaches to the methods and philosophies of summer NFL training camps. Walsh originally came up with the idea in 1987 with the Niners and now every NFL team participates in the program.
As for Russ, he will get the opportunity to work with a group of running backs that finished second in the NFL in rushing yards last season and includes Pro Bowl back C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson.
Russ is in his third year on the Robert Morris staff and is one of the most decorated players in school history, finishing his career as the program’s all-time leading rusher by compiling 4,271 yards from 2007-10. He owns the RMU record for all-purpose yards and finished his career ranked fourth all-time in rushing in Northeast Conference history.
As a coach he helped running back Deontae Howard and fullback Ryan Thermil both rush for career highs during the 2013 season.
At least for a short time he will be given the opportunity to work among some of the NFL greats and hopefully leave an impression that may one day lead to an NFL coaching job.
Photo Credit: SidneyDavis/ Tribune Review
