Assistant Coaches
CRAIG BOLLER DEFENSIVE LINE
THE BOLLER FILE Personal Born: Belmond, Iowa Birthdate: 1-29-48 College: Iowa State University (1970) Athletics: 3 year football letterman at defensive tackle Wife: Jane Children: Valerie, Kimberly
Coaching Experience University of Memphis (2002-) Memphis Maniax (2000) Dallas Cowboys (1995-97) Iowa State University (1987-94) Oregon State University (1980-86) Memphis State University (1978-79) University of Tennessee (1977) William Penn College (1974-76) Craig Boller, who coached the defensive line at The University of Memphis in 1978-79 and went on to coach the defensive line for the 1996 world champion Dallas Cowboys, has been hired by head coach Tommy West to again coach the Tiger defensive front. Boller replaces Joe Cullen, who left Memphis in January of 2002. No stranger to the Mid-South area, Boller left a two year stint in private business and returned to Memphis in 2000 to coach the defensive line for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL with former Tiger player and coach Kippy Brown. A native of Belmond, Iowa, Boller coached the Cowboys defensive front from 1995 through 1997. Working with such noted players as Leon Lett and Charles Haley, Boller helped improve the Dallas
rush defense from 16th in the NFL in 1995 to ninth in mark and a Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1996. The Cowboys were able to hold seven op- title in 1976 when he served as head coach for ponents to under 100 yards rushing, including four WPC. teams under 65 yards. The improved run defense A three year letterman at Iowa State as a dehelped the Cowboys’ defense maintain the top fensive tackle, Boller was a prep standout at defensive ranking in the NFL throughout much Belmond High School. He was an allof 1996 before finishing the year as the third state fullback at Belmond High, where ranked defense in the league. he played on three consecutive unIn 1995, Boller started the season as beaten teams. He earned four letters a defensive assistant, working closely with each in football, basketball and track, defensive coordinator Dave Campo. while earning five letters in baseball. He took over the defensive line Boller, who has two daughters, duties in the postseason as the Valerie and Kimberly, is married to the Cowboys marched to the former Jane Lobenstein. Super Bowl XXX title. Dallas’ defensive line accounted for 12 sacks during those three games, the most sacks over a three game span for Dallas since the first three games of the 1994 season. Before joining the staff at Dallas in 1995, Boller spent eight years as the defensive line coach at Iowa State. Prior to coaching the Cyclones, Boller was an assistant at Oregon State from 1980-86. He was on the same Beaver’s staff with Cowboy defensive coordinator Dave Campo, special teams coach Joe Avezzano and tight ends coach Robert Ford. Boller was a member of the U of M (then Memphis State University) staff under Richard Williamson for two seasons, 1978-79. During that period of time he coached such Tiger linemen as Keith Clark, Rick Ackerman and Stanley Adams, all of whom played in the NFL. Prior to his arrival in Memphis, Boller worked as a part-time assistant at Tennessee under head coach Johnny Majors. The Iowa State graduate began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Knoxville High School, 1971-73. He moved to William Penn College (Iowa) in 1974. The Statesmen posted a 30-3 record during the time Boller was a mem- THEBOLLERFAMILY ber of the coaching staff, including an 8-2 32