The Buffalo Bills have named Travis Bush, Gabriel Franklin, Ernie Gutierrez, Elvis Joseph, Chris McAlister, Andre Reed and Kenechi Udeze as the 2015 Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship participants. Bush, Franklin, Gutierrez, Joseph, McAlister, Reed and Udeze will assist the Bills' coaching staff during mandatory minicamp in Orchard Park and at Buffalo Bills Training Camp presented by Connors & Ferris at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY.
Bush will work with the Bills' running backs. After playing four years at wide receiver for Texas State, Bush made the jump to coaching as a graduate assistant with TCU. From there, Bush eventually moved on to his current position with the University of Houston where he currently serves as the Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach.
Franklin will assist with the Bills' defensive backs. Due to his exceptional play while at Boise State, Franklin ranks near the top of school history with 18 career interceptions. After a brief professional playing career, Franklin returned to his high school alma mater to get his coaching start. He then moved on to the University of California and University of San Diego before ending up at UTEP. He has been the Defensive Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator since July of 2011.
Gutierrez will work with the Bills' special teamers. A high school coach at La Mirada High School in La Mirada, California, he previously was a minority coaching fellow with the New York Jets in 2013.
Joseph will assist with the Bills' tight ends. After a three-year playing career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Joseph returned to his alma mater of Southern University to coach. In his sixth year with Southern, he is currently the Senior Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Coach.
McAlister will work with the Bills' defensive backs for the second year in a row. After a standout collegiate career at the University of Arizona, McAlister played 11 seasons in the NFL, including stints Baltimore and New Orleans. A two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowl selection, McAlister also was a member of the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XXXV. He finished his career with 339 tackles, 26 interceptions and five touchdowns. McAlister played under current Bills defensive backs coach, Donnie Henderson, from 1999-2003.
Reed will assist with the Bills' wide receivers. A 2014 Hall of Fame inductee, Reed put together an illustrious 16-year NFL career, with 15 of those seasons coming in Buffalo. After retiring as the Bills all-time career leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, he has his eyes set on coaching in the NFL. Reed was previously a Bill Walsh Minority Fellow with Kansas City in 2013.
Udeze will work with the Bills' defensive linemen. He was a three year started at the University of Southern California and was a first round selection by the Minnesota Vikings in 2004. After being forced to retire due to a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2008, Udeze turned to coaching. He currently serves as the assistant Strength and Conditioning coach at USC.
The Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship is designed to expose talented minority college coaches to the methods and philosophies of summer NFL training camps. Walsh introduced the idea to the league in 1987 when he brought in a group of such coaches into his San Francisco 49ers training camp. Eventually every NFL team became a participant in the program.
The Buffalo Bills have participated in the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship program since 1989.
