Assistant Coaches of numerous Tiger football greats. Brooke will graduate magna cum JOHN FLOWERS Flowers is responsible for the movement laude in December of 2004 from the U of DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS of the Tiger football team at both home games M. She was recently presented the and road contests. He works hand-in-hand award for the top senior student in the with hotel management in arranging player department of education. and staff rooms, as well as team meals. During Tiger home games, he can be found setting up and hosting the Memphis football recruiting area and welcoming visitors to Liberty Bowl Me- morial Stadium. Flowers serves as a guest speaker for Tiger football around the Mid-South and often fills in when head coach Tommy West is unavailable. Flowers came to Memphis after serving in the high school coaching ranks for seven years in the state of Illinois. A graduate of Southern Illinois Uni- THE FLOWERS FILE versity, Flowers played for the Salukis Personal in the 1970s and received his degree from SIU in 1976. Born: Fillmore, Illinois As a player, Flowers was Birthdate: 12-7-54 nominated for UPI Lineman College: Southern Illinois (1976) of the Week after register- Athletics: 4 year football letterman at ing 18 tackles, six defensive end & linebacker sacks, one pass break up and a Wife: LuAnn Flowers blocked punt against Children: Brittany & Brooke the University of North- ern Illinois. He lettered Experience for four years for the South- ern Illinois defense. Univ. of Memphis (1985-present) He entered the coaching pro- Lincoln High School (1978-84) fession as an assistant coach at Lin- coln High School (IL) and became the head coach in 1983. His 1984 squad posted a 9-2-0 record and John Flowers, who came to Memphis in 1985, appeared in the state playoffs. is in his 20th season as a member of the football staff. A graduate of Nokomis High He serves as Tommy West's director of football op- School, Flowers signed with SIU in erations and oversees the day-to-day running of 1973. He lettered for four years as a the football office as well as the coordination of all linebacker and received the Star Line- team travel. man Award as a senior. Flowers was Since his arrival in Memphis, Flowers has selected to the Tri-State (Illinois, Ken- worked under head coaches Rey Dempsey (1984- tucky, Indiana) first team. 85), Charlie Bailey (1986-88), Chuck Stobart (1989- Flowers spends his free time 94), Rip Scherer (1995-2000) and Tommy West with his family and also enjoys hunt- (2001-present). ing, fishing and playing golf. Most recently, Flowers has been involved with John and his wife, LuAnn, have the renovation of Murphy Athletic Complex and the two daughters, Brittany and Brooke. new addition to the complex which includes football Brittany and her husband, Judd locker rooms, coaches locker rooms and meeting Rhodes, have two children, daugh- rooms, video rooms, media interview rooms, as well ter, Olivia, age 21 months and Gracie, as training rooms, equipments rooms and locker who was born in May of 2004. rooms for other sports. The new addition, which began construction in January of 2002, also has a large Hall of Fame area that will highlight the careers 48 SupportSupport StaffStaff MEMPHIS ate degree from the University of Memphis, taught in MIKE STARK LEE YERTY the Math Department at the U of M for 12 years. The couple have two children, sons, Andrew, age 16, HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH and Michael, age 15. Cantler is in his third year as the director of Music Mike Stark, who let- Lee Yerty is begin- ning his sixth season as a full- Ministries at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mem- tered for the Tigers for three time assistant strength and phis. He served in the same capacity at Underwood years under former head Methodist Church in Memphis for several years. coach Billy J. Murphy dur- conditioning coach for the ing the late 1960s and early University of Memphis athletic 1970s, is entering his fifth department. year with the Tiger athletic Yerty, who works with MARC HOHORST all sports, had served one department. HEAD EQUIPMENT MANAGER A native Memphian, year as an administrative as- sistant for women's athletics before he was appointed Stark came to he University of Memphis after serv- Marc Hohorst joined the ing as defensive coordinator and head strength to his current position as assistant strength and condi- tioning coach. athletic department the sum- coach at Cordova High School for two years (1998- mer of 2001 and is entering 99). In addition, he worked as the head wrestling Yerty, a 1986 graduate of Washington State Uni- versity, was the assistant strength coach at WSU from his fourth season with the U coach for the Wolfpack. of M. Prior to joining the staff at Cordova High, Stark 1985-90, before accepting the job of marketing direc- tor at Eastern Washington in 1991. He was elevated Hohorst is responsible for spent 10 years as the defensive coordinator and purchasing, issuing, and strength coach at Bartlett High School. During his to assistant athletic director in 1993 before becoming the recruiting coordinator for volleyball in 1995. maintaining all athletic equip- tenure at Bartlett, the Panthers posted an 87-39 ment, as well as supervis- record, made seven appearances in the state play- Yerty is the husband of Carrie Yerty, Memphis' head volleyball coach. They have two sons, Weslee, ing several student managers. He also oversees offs and reached the quarterfinals four times. As the the day-to-day operations of the equipment room strength coach, his teams won eight City Weightlifting who is six years old and Jace, who is 22 months. Championships and three Tennessee Weightlifting at South Campus, which services football, base- Championships. ball, soccer, track and golf. Stark began his coaching and strength career During the fall of 2002, the Athletic Department at Trezevant High School in Memphis. From 1983- ED CANTLER suffered a major loss when a fire on Halloween 89, the Bears posted a 42-8 record, made the state morning destroyed the turfroom and most of the playoffs three times and won a state championship. Asst. AD/Support Services Tigers' football equipment. Hohorst received high A 1972 graduate of the University of Memphis Eddie Cantler, who marks and praise for gathering game day equip- (then Memphis State University), Stark played foot- was promoted to Assistant ment from other universities in the area and pre- ball for the Tigers for four years serving as an offen- AD/Support Services in July, paring the football team for its next contest. sive lineman. He was selected to the All-Missouri is beginning his 35th season A native of Lafayette, La., Hohorst joined the U Valley Conference Freshman Team in 1968 and at the University of Memphis. of M staff from Arkansas State where he was the received All-MVC honors for the next The former head trainer supervisor of equipment for the last three years. three seasons. Stark received All- (1980-2003), Cantler is now Prior to his duties at Arkansas State, Hohorst Midlands honors as a junior and se- responsible for game man- worked for one year at his college alma mater, the nior and was named All-Ameri- agement, facilities, strength University of Louisiana-Lafayette, in a game man- can by Associated Press, UPI and conditioning, equipment, videography, as well agement capacity. He worked various ULL events, and Kickoff Magazine as a se- as the baseball and soccer programs. serving as the visiting team host and organizing nior. He received his Cantler, a native of Bowling Green, KY, came to ticket sales and records. bachelor's degree in educa- Memphis in 1970 and received his undergraduate Hohorst graduated from the University of South- tion from the U of M in 1982. degree from the U of M in 1974. western Louisiana (now called ULL) in 1997 with a Stark and his wife, Cantler, the host of cable TV's Trainer's Corner degree in physical education. He received his the former Cindy for 11 years, was inducted into the Tennessee Athletic Louisiana teaching certification that same year and Whitworth, have two Trainer's Hall of Fame in 1996. He was the state's children, daugh- served as a substitute teacher in 1997 and 1998 at Trainer of the Year in 1994 and received the NATA Youngsville Middle School. ter, Keelie, Athletic Trainer Service Award in May of 1998. He While at USL, Hohorst also assisted in the equip- age 17, and was also inducted into the All-American Football ment room as a student and worked both the NCAA son, Cody, Foundation Hall of Fame in 2001. age 9. Cantler, who enjoys singing, received his master's softball regional tournament and the Sunbelt Con- degree in health education from the U of M in August ference baseball tournament as a tournament offi- of 1977. cial. He spent one year with the Lafayette Swamp Cantler's wife Jenina, who received her doctor- Cats as the head equipment manager before the team disbanded. 49 Support Staff GEORGE CLAIBORNE Football Support Staff VIDEOGRAPHER George Claiborne, who joined the athletic de- partment staff at the Univer- sity of Memphis in August of 2002 as the video coordina- tor, is in his third full football Carol Reeves Sherri Schwartz Ryan Mallory Casey Winn Talia Palacio season with the Tigers. Admin. Recruiting Student Student Student Claiborne, a native Secretary Secretary Assistant Assistant Assistant of Nashville, Tennessee, at- tended Father Ryan High School in Nashville, be- fore enrolling at Auburn University in 1987.