MARYLAND FOOTBALL COACHES TO LEAD TWO U.S. NATIONAL TEAMS AT INTERNATIONAL BOWL X AT DALLAS COWBOYS’ AT&T STADIUM
INDIANAPOLIS – USA Football announced today two Maryland college football coaches will serve as head coaches for a pair of U.S. National Teams competing at the 10th annual International Bowl Series on Jan. 11 and 18 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Ryan Larsen, the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks’ coach at Stevenson University, will lead the U.S. Under-18 Select Team against the Panama National Team on Friday, Jan. 11 at 5:30 p.m. EST. Joe Battaglia, defensive analyst at Navy, will lead the U.S. Under-16 National Team against Instituto Politécnico Nacional, a public university in Mexico City, Mexico, on Friday, Jan. 18 at 10:30 a.m. EST.
All International Bowl X games will be played on Jan. 11 and Jan. 18 at AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and college football’s Goodyear Cotton Bowl, and webcast live on ESPN3.
“The U.S. National Team program has always benefitted from the expertise and leadership of its coaches, and we’re excited to have these two exceptional coaches lead our student-athletes at this year’s International Bowl,” said AARON INGRAM, senior manager of U.S. National Teams for USA Football. “With years of experience as educators, they will have their teams ready to compete and proudly represent our country against strong global competition.”
Battaglia enters his second year as a defensive analyst for the Midshipmen. He arrived in Annapolis after spending two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Bethany College (W.Va.). He’s held defensive coaching positions at Brevard College (N.C.), Midwestern State University (Texas), Stevenson University and Juniata College (Pa.).
Larsen enters his fourth season at Stevenson University, serving as the Mustangs’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks’ coach. Last season, Larsen helped the Mustangs set or equal 14 offensive team records and eight individual school records while averaging more than 28 points and 400 yards per game. The Mustangs finished the year ranked 11th nationally among Division III schools in total passing yards.
Established in 2010, the International Bowl is the longest-running annual series of high school-aged international football teams. Age divisions of competing are Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-19 with two games played within each age division. This year’s event – International Bowl X – will convene 16 teams from three continents across four age divisions for two gamedays of global competition. The 10th annual event will feature 12 days of team activities, skill development and practices. U.S. National Teams are managed by USA Football, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the sport’s national governing body.
Former U.S. National Team head coaches include CHUCK KYLE (Cleveland St. Ignatius H.S.), CHRIS MERRITT (Miami Christopher Columbus H.S.), STEVE SPECHT (Cincinnati St. Xavier H.S.) and TOM WESTERBERG (Barbers Hill [Texas] H.S.).
U.S. National Team alumni include DT MALCOM BROWN (New England Patriots/University of Texas), LB SHAQUEM GRIFFIN (Seattle Seahawks/University of Central Florida), QB DWAYNE HASKINS (Ohio State University), RB TODD GURLEY (Los Angeles Rams/Georgia University), DB TYRANN MATHIEU (Houston Texans/LSU), RB JONATHAN TAYLOR (University of Wisconsin) and DE STEPHON TUITT (Pittsburgh Steelers/University of Notre Dame).
About USA Football: USA Football designs and delivers premier educational, developmental and competitive programs to advance and grow the sport. As the sport’s national governing body, member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and organizer of the U.S. National Team for international competition, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.