Abell Adds Three to Coaching Staff
1/21/2025 3:32:00 PM | Football
Lineburg, Warren, and Wilson join Owls
Houston--Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Scott Abell officially announced on Tuesday the addition of Wayne Lineburg, Ty Warren, and Johnathan Wilson to his inaugural coaching staff.
Lineburg has been named assistant head coach and will coach the Owls' tight ends. Warren will serve as defensive run game coordinator and coach the defensive line, while Wilson will guide the Owls' running backs.
"I am excited to announce the addition of these three coaches to our Rice Owl football staff. Each one brings a different background that will only add to our already strong coaching staff," Abell stated. "The Rice Owl family will be proud of who they are as men and the impact they will have on our student-athletes on and off the field for the Owls."
Lineburg comes to Houston after coaching tight ends and coordinating special teams at Wake Forest for the last eight seasons. He had four players earn first-team All-ACC honors in his eight years as the Deacons, including tight end Cam Serigne, who earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2017 and set the conference record for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches by a tight end in a career. He tutored kicker Nick Sciba during his NCAA-record streak of converting 34 consecutive field goal tries over the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Sciba concluded his career as the Deacons' all-time leading scorer.
Warren and Wilson come to South Main after coaching last season at SFA.
Warren was the Lumberjacks' assistant head coach, defensive run game coordinator and defensive line assistant last year as SFA had one of the top defenses in the FCS. SFA ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss and was fifth in third down conversion defense while allowing only 118 yards per game on the ground.
Willson coached the Lumberjacks' running backs last season, led by Qualan Jones, who was fourth in the Southland with 779 yards and averaged 5.3 per carry. Jones' rushing total was the most for a Lumberjack since 2014.
Lineburg brings nearly 30 years of college coaching experience to South Main. After graduating from Virginia in 1996, where he was a quarterback on three bowl teams and one AAC championship squad, he began his career as an assistant at William and Mary in the fall of 1996. He has been a part of eight bowl teams and a pair of runs to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
A native of Bryan, Texas, Warren was an All-Big 12 defensive lineman at Texas A&M and was drafted 13th overall by New England in the 2003 NFL Draft. He won two Super Bowls with the Patriots (the first at NRG Stadium in Houston) and was named first-team All-Pro selection in 2007. He was named to the Patriots' All-Decade team for the 2000s. He began his coaching career in 2019 as a volunteer assistant with the Detroit Lions and had stints in Tampa Bay and New Orleans. He coached the defensive line with USFL's Houston Gamblers in 2022 and was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL in 2023.
Willson was a four-year letterman as a wide receiver at Kansas from 2007-10, where he caught 119 passes for 1,641 yards in his career. He began coaching at Klein Oaks High School in 2012 as an assistant coach before moving to his alma mater, Klein Forest, as head coach from 2020-23.
Lineburg, Warren, and Wilson round our Abell's inaugural coaching staff, which also includes Vince Munch (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line), Jon Kay (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers), Porter Abell (Pass Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Austin Eisenhofer (Run Game Coordinator/Inside Receivers), Kerry Cooks (Safeties), Mark Hogan (Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator), Jeremy Modkins (Cornerbacks) and Lew Caralla (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach).
Lineburg has been named assistant head coach and will coach the Owls' tight ends. Warren will serve as defensive run game coordinator and coach the defensive line, while Wilson will guide the Owls' running backs.
"I am excited to announce the addition of these three coaches to our Rice Owl football staff. Each one brings a different background that will only add to our already strong coaching staff," Abell stated. "The Rice Owl family will be proud of who they are as men and the impact they will have on our student-athletes on and off the field for the Owls."
Lineburg comes to Houston after coaching tight ends and coordinating special teams at Wake Forest for the last eight seasons. He had four players earn first-team All-ACC honors in his eight years as the Deacons, including tight end Cam Serigne, who earned first-team All-ACC honors in 2017 and set the conference record for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown catches by a tight end in a career. He tutored kicker Nick Sciba during his NCAA-record streak of converting 34 consecutive field goal tries over the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Sciba concluded his career as the Deacons' all-time leading scorer.
Warren and Wilson come to South Main after coaching last season at SFA.
Warren was the Lumberjacks' assistant head coach, defensive run game coordinator and defensive line assistant last year as SFA had one of the top defenses in the FCS. SFA ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss and was fifth in third down conversion defense while allowing only 118 yards per game on the ground.
Willson coached the Lumberjacks' running backs last season, led by Qualan Jones, who was fourth in the Southland with 779 yards and averaged 5.3 per carry. Jones' rushing total was the most for a Lumberjack since 2014.
Lineburg brings nearly 30 years of college coaching experience to South Main. After graduating from Virginia in 1996, where he was a quarterback on three bowl teams and one AAC championship squad, he began his career as an assistant at William and Mary in the fall of 1996. He has been a part of eight bowl teams and a pair of runs to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
A native of Bryan, Texas, Warren was an All-Big 12 defensive lineman at Texas A&M and was drafted 13th overall by New England in the 2003 NFL Draft. He won two Super Bowls with the Patriots (the first at NRG Stadium in Houston) and was named first-team All-Pro selection in 2007. He was named to the Patriots' All-Decade team for the 2000s. He began his coaching career in 2019 as a volunteer assistant with the Detroit Lions and had stints in Tampa Bay and New Orleans. He coached the defensive line with USFL's Houston Gamblers in 2022 and was the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for the Orlando Guardians of the XFL in 2023.
Willson was a four-year letterman as a wide receiver at Kansas from 2007-10, where he caught 119 passes for 1,641 yards in his career. He began coaching at Klein Oaks High School in 2012 as an assistant coach before moving to his alma mater, Klein Forest, as head coach from 2020-23.
Lineburg, Warren, and Wilson round our Abell's inaugural coaching staff, which also includes Vince Munch (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line), Jon Kay (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers), Porter Abell (Pass Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Austin Eisenhofer (Run Game Coordinator/Inside Receivers), Kerry Cooks (Safeties), Mark Hogan (Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator), Jeremy Modkins (Cornerbacks) and Lew Caralla (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach).
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