Miami University's head football coach Mike Haywood added two more assistant coaches to his already experienced staff Saturday.
Bill Mottola, former offensive coordinator at the University of Findlay, will serve as the offensive line coach for the RedHawks while Lance Guidry, former defensive back coach at McNeese State University, will coach the secondary.
"Mike (Haywood) is connected to an amazing network of people," athletic director Brad Bates said. "People have a great deal of respect for him. They want to work for him."
Mottola spent two years coaching at Findley. Prior to that job, he also coached at Maine Maritime Academy (1989-90, quarterbacks and wide receivers), Vanderbilt University (1991-93, offensive line and tight ends), University of the South (1994, quarterbacks and running backs), the United States Military Academy (1995-99, tight ends and offensive line), Western Kentucky University (2000, offensive coordinator, offensive line and tight ends), Kent State University (2001-05, offensive line) and a nine-month stint at Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples,Florida (2006).
Haywood first met Mottola while coaching at Louisiana State University. Mottola was at Vanderbilt then, and coach Bob Sutton mentioned his high level of organization and work on the field to Haywood.
"God works in different ways because I didn't remember Bill until I bumped into him earlier this month at the coaches convention," Haywood said. "We were in the process of interviewing offensive line coaches. As I sat and watched Bill and his wife interact with different coaches, I knew that I needed to talk to him."
Haywood said he watched Mottola's technique and fundamentals and the way he presented his information. This convinced him that Mottola would be a great fit on his staff in terms of his personality and his knowledge of the game.
Guidry, a 1995 graduate of McNeese State (La.), will coach Miami's defensive backs. Last season he was the defensive secondary coach at McNeese.
A veteran coach in Louisiana football's high school ranks, Guidry served as secondary coach at Leesville High 1995 and '96, helping lead the Wampus Cats to the state championship game. He also coached defensive backs at Carencro (La.) High School for three seasons (1997-99), then returned years later to serve as the Golden Bears' head coach (2005-07).
In between his stints at Carencro, Guidry served as defensive coordinator and coached the secondary at McNeese State (2000-04). The Cowboys won three straight SLC crowns during that stretch, making it to the finals in the FCS Championship Series.
"I met Lance back in 1997 and developed a relationship with him," Haywood said. "Prior to the conclusion of that meeting, he said to me, 'One day you'll hire me because I know that you're going to become a head coach.' He caught my interest because of the confidence he had."
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Haywood said that Guidry is a young man who has an extreme amount of passion and energy on the field and in recruiting.
The additions of Mottola and Guidry bring Haywood's staff up to eight total members. Highlights from the staff include defensive coordinator Carl Reese, the former defensive coordinator at the University of Texas (1998-2003), LSU (1995-1997) and Vanderbilt (1991-1994), and quarterback coach Morris Watts, former offensive coordinator at Mississippi State University (2003), Michigan State University (1986-1990, 1992-1994, 1999-2002), LSU (1995-1998) and the University of Kansas (1982). Watts was also quarterback coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991 where he tutored Vinny Testaverde.
"I'm very impressed with the depth of experience and wisdom Mike (Haywood) has surrounded himself with," Bates said. "He's put together not only the most experienced staff in our league but one of the most experienced staffs in the country."
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