George Yarno
Encyclopedia
George Anthony Yarno is a former professional football
player, a guard
with the NFL's
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
, Atlanta Falcons
, and Houston Oilers
. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold
of the USFL
. Yarno is currently an assistant coach in the NFL, the offensive line coach of the Detroit Lions
.
, the younger brother of John Yarno
. He attended Ferris High School
as a freshman, then spent two years in Alaska
with his father and went to East Anchorage High School
. He returned to Ferris for his senior year and graduated in 1975, then played four years at Washington State University
under head coaches Jim Sweeney
and Jim Walden
, as a nose tackle on defense. Unselected in the 1979 NFL Draft
, Yarno was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
as a rookie free agent in 1979
and made the team on the other side of the ball, as a reserve offensive lineman. He was a starting offensive lineman a majority of his career, including starts at tackle, guard
, and center
.
Despite being an offensive lineman, Yarno scored one point in his NFL career, a (left-footed) extra point at Detroit on Dec. 18, 1983. Yarno, the team's emergency kicker, entered the game after head coach John McKay removed the regular kicker.
; he coached the offensive line under head coach Mike Price
from 1991 to 1994. He moved eight miles (13 km) east to Idaho
in 1995 as offensive coordinator
and line coach under first-year head coach Chris Tormey
. After three seasons in Moscow
, Yarno left for Houston
in 1998 to become the assistant head coach (and offensive line coach) under head coach Kim Helton
. In 2000, he was the offensive line coach for Arizona State
for a season, Bruce Snyder
's last as head coach, then spent two seasons at LSU
under head coach Nick Saban
, again as offensive line coach. In 2003, Yarno returned to Washingon State to coach the offensive line under first-year head coach Bill Doba
. Following Doba's dismissal after the 2007 season, Yarno became a coach at the professional level.
in 2009
as offensive line coach. He was recommended by offensive coordinator
Scott Linehan
, whom Yarno had been recommended to by Nick Saban.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player, a guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
with the NFL's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
, Atlanta Falcons
1988 Atlanta Falcons season
-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-External links:* *...
, and Houston Oilers
1989 Houston Oilers season
-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-AFC Wildcard Game:Steelers defensive back Rod Woodson recovered a fumble to set up Gary Anderson's winning 51-yard field goal in overtime to give Pittsburgh the win. The Steelers scored first with running back Tim Worley's 1-yard rushing touchdown. But from that...
. He also played two seasons with the Denver Gold
Denver Gold
The Denver Gold was a franchise in the United States Football League, an attempt to establish a second major professional football league in the United States, playing a springtime season, from 1983 to 1985...
of the USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
. Yarno is currently an assistant coach in the NFL, the offensive line coach of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Playing career
Yarno was born and raised in Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, the younger brother of John Yarno
John Yarno
John Richard Yarno is a former professional football player, an offensive lineman with the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL...
. He attended Ferris High School
Joel E. Ferris High School
Joel E. Ferris High School is a public high school located in Spokane, Washington, USA. The school educates in grades 9–12 and is part of Spokane Public Schools...
as a freshman, then spent two years in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
with his father and went to East Anchorage High School
East Anchorage High School
East Anchorage High School is a public high school in Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is attended by approximately 2300 students...
. He returned to Ferris for his senior year and graduated in 1975, then played four years at Washington State University
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
under head coaches Jim Sweeney
Jim Sweeney (coach)
Jim Sweeney is a former American football coach. He served as the head coach at Montana State University , Washington State University , and California State University, Fresno . Sweeney's 143 wins as the head coach at Fresno State are the most in the history of the program...
and Jim Walden
Jim Walden
Jim "Jimmy" Walden is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Washington State University from 1978 to 1986 and at Iowa State University from 1987 to 1994, compiling a career college football record of 72–109–7.-Playing career:Walden played...
, as a nose tackle on defense. Unselected in the 1979 NFL Draft
1979 NFL Draft
The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 3–4, 1979...
, Yarno was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
as a rookie free agent in 1979
1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season saw the team make a dramatic leap from being a winless expansion franchise, perceived as mistake-prone and ridiculed by the rest of the league, to becoming a serious contender for the National Football League championship...
and made the team on the other side of the ball, as a reserve offensive lineman. He was a starting offensive lineman a majority of his career, including starts at tackle, guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
, and center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
.
Despite being an offensive lineman, Yarno scored one point in his NFL career, a (left-footed) extra point at Detroit on Dec. 18, 1983. Yarno, the team's emergency kicker, entered the game after head coach John McKay removed the regular kicker.
College assistant
Following his career as a player, Yarno entered the coaching ranks as a collegiate assistant at his alma mater, Washington StateWashington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
; he coached the offensive line under head coach Mike Price
Mike Price
Mike Price is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso , a position he has held since 2004...
from 1991 to 1994. He moved eight miles (13 km) east to Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
in 1995 as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and line coach under first-year head coach Chris Tormey
Chris Tormey
Chris Tormey is an American football coach. Formerly the head coach at Idaho and Nevada, he is currently an assistant at Washington State, coaching the linebackers...
. After three seasons in Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
, Yarno left for Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
in 1998 to become the assistant head coach (and offensive line coach) under head coach Kim Helton
Kim Helton
Charles Kimberlin "Kim" Helton is an American college and professional football coach. He currently serves as the offensive coordinator for the University of Alabama at Birmingham football program. Helton was formerly the head football coach of the University of Houston from 1993 to 1999.-...
. In 2000, he was the offensive line coach for Arizona State
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
for a season, Bruce Snyder
Bruce Snyder
Bruce Snyder was an American football player and coach. After playing for Oregon in the early 1960s as a fullback, Snyder embarked on a coaching career...
's last as head coach, then spent two seasons at LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
under head coach Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
, again as offensive line coach. In 2003, Yarno returned to Washingon State to coach the offensive line under first-year head coach Bill Doba
Bill Doba
-External links:*...
. Following Doba's dismissal after the 2007 season, Yarno became a coach at the professional level.
NFL assistant
In 2008, he became an NFL assistant coach as the assistant offensive line coach with Tampa Bay, his first professional team as a player. After a season in Tampa, Yarno joined the coaching staff of the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in 2009
2009 Detroit Lions season
The 2009 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 80th season overall in the National Football League. The Lions spent the whole season at the bottom of their division and finished at 2–14. The 2009 season was the first season with the Lions for new head coach Jim Schwartz, and most of his new...
as offensive line coach. He was recommended by offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Scott Linehan
Scott Linehan
Scott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach, currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the St...
, whom Yarno had been recommended to by Nick Saban.