Arizona Cardinals hire new strength and conditioning coach, add several new positions to training staff

The change that Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon are having on the Arizona Cardinals is massive, and we have not even seen a thing on the field yet.

One of the things that Gannon allegedly wanted when he came in as head coach was to change things that were “wrong” or not as up-to-date as other teams.

That included the strength and conditioning staff.

Jess and I got wind a month or so ago that Buddy Morris was being reassigned and that Evan Marcus would be coming in.

A little background on Marcus from the team:

Marcus comes to Arizona from Cleveland where he spent the past seven seasons on the Browns strength & conditioning staff. Prior to working in Cleveland, Marcus served as the head strength and conditioning coach with Minnesota (2014-15), Miami (2008-10) and Atlanta (2007) while also working as an assistant with New Orleans (2000-02). He started his coaching career at Arizona State in 1991-92 where he also earned a master’s degree and has worked in strength & conditioning field for 32 years, including at the collegiate level at the University of Virginia (2011-13; ’03-06), Louisville (1998-99), Texas (1995-97), Maryland (1994) and Rutgers (1993).

However, a change to just Marcus is not noteworthy.

No, it is the fact that the Arizona Cardinals have expanded a two-man operation, Buddy Morris who is now the teams Senior Reconditioning Coordinator, and Mark Naylor who remains the teams Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach.

Adding to that they have hired Jason Benguche (Assistant Strength & Conditioning), Everrett Gathron (Assistant Strength & Conditioning) and Kyle Sammons (Sports Science Coordinator/Assistant Strength & Conditioning).

That also includes Shea Thompson who is the Director, Football Performance.

Congratulations to all the new hires, but more importantly way to go Michael Bidwill on making the changes that have been necessary for years.

A team of two, now is a department of eight, not to shabby.