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Doug Meacham is back!
The former TCU co-OC, who left after three seasons in Fort Worth to join David Beatty’s Kansas staff, is back in the game, having been hired to captain the yet-unnamed St. Louis XFL franchise, slated to begin play in 2020.
Meacham was part of a dynamic duo with current TCU OC Sonny Cumbie, who arrived in 2014 and completely changed the Horned Frogs’ offensive fortunes. Behind the play-calling of the pair, Trevone Boykin developed into a Heisman contender, and the Frogs’ offense set all kinds of records on their way to a 12-1 season in 2014. Production dipped somewhat in 2015, as TCU Football was plagued with an unholy wrath of injuries, and took a big step back the following season as guys like Boykin, Josh Doctson, and Aaron Green graduated and moved on from the program.
With the heat turned up, and Gary Patterson fending off the likes of Texas for Cumbie’s services, Meacham left Fort Worth for Lawrence to serve as OC for good friend David Beatty.
It did not go well.
Beatty was relieved of his duties halfway through the 2017 season, and with him, Meach as well. That led to spotting the former Oklahoma State offensive lineman around Fort Worth, as he observed the program in an unofficial capacity in the later parts of last season.
Now, the innovative mind and member of the Air Raid Family Tree will run a professional offense, joining a staff in St. Louis headed up by Jonathan Hayes, a former NFL tight end who has had coaching stints under Bob Stoops and Marvin Lewis, and is also the father to former Texas Basketball standout - and current Kenrich Williams Pelicans teammate - Jaxson. Also on staff is former Greatest Show on Turf wide receiver AzZhir Hakeem, who will coach the wide outs, Charles Long, Nicholas Siciliano, Matt Raich, and Tim Lewis.
The eight-team league is being rebooted by Vince McMahon, the eccentric personality and pocketbook behind the WWE, with former WVU Athletic Director and father of Colts QB Andrew. In addition to St. Louis, franchises are planned in New York, Washington DC, Tampa Bay, Houston, Dallas, Seattle, and Los Angeles. The season is slated to begin one week after the Super Bowl, on Saturday, February 8th.