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  • Bryant Vincent Announces Six Big Time Additions To The ULM Warhawks Football Staff

Bryant Vincent Announces Six Big Time Additions To The ULM Warhawks Football Staff

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Football

ULM head football coach Bryant Vincent announced six new hires to join the ULM Football staff.

  • Jesse Montalto, Offensive Coordinator / Receivers Coach
  • Chris Jones, Pass Game Coordinator / Safeties Coach
  • Marc Yellock, Run Game Coordinator / Defensive Line Coach
  • Tony McClain, Special Teams Coordinator / Assistant Defensive Line Coach
  • Shawn Simmons, Running Back Coach
  • Gavin Blomberg, Assistant Tight Ends Coach

ULM's newest offensive coordinator, Jesse Montalto, makes the trip to Monroe after eight seasons at the helm of Iowa Central Community College. After his arrival in 2018, the Tritons had the biggest turnaround in the NJCAA, winning eight games and ranking 13th in the final NJCAA rankings. Montalto and Iowa Central were able to capture the Region XI title in 2019, also named ICCAC Coach of the Year with his standout quarterback, Demarcus Irons, earning ICCAC Offensive Player of the Year.

In the following four seasons, Montalto continued to make the Tritons a force to be reckoned with, winning multiple bowl games and finishing each season ranked in the NJCAA. Prior to his time at Iowa Central, Montalto served as the head coach at Ellsworth CC from 2014 to 2017, leading the team to four-consecutive Graphic Edge Bowl games. Before taking the helm at Ellsworth, he spent nine seasons at Upper Iowa University, serving as the receivers coach (2005-06), offensive coordinator (2008-08) and quarterbacks coach (2009-13).

Chris Jones arrives in Monroe from North Carolina, after a season under Bill Belichick as the Senior Associate Director of Player Personnel. Prior to his time with the Tar Heels, Jones was a coach in the CFL, winning three Grey Cups as a defensive coordinator–one as head coach–and was named CFL Coach of the Year in 2018.

His most notable time was with Edmonton, claiming a 12-6 record in 2014 and winning the Grey Cup in 2015. In 2019, the South Pittsburg, Tenn., native joined the Cleveland Browns as a defensive assistant. Before his 22-year tenure in the CFL, Jones was the defensive line coach at Tennessee Tech from 1999-2001 and at UT Martin in 1998. Jones also worked as a graduate assistant at Tennessee Tech from 1995-96, along with time at Alabama in 1997.

Shawn Simmons comes from Iowa Central Community College, where he worked as the running backs coach for two seasons. In his time at Iowa Central, the team recorded 2,385 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

Prior to his time with the Tritons, Simmons spent two seasons as a graduate assistant with Central Methodist University. He extended his time as an Eagle in 2023 and 2024, after spending three seasons on the team at running back. Simmons rushed for 429 yards at CMU, the leading rusher in 2020. Before his time as an Eagle, he also played two seasons at Missouri Valley College.

Marc Yellock arrives as the defensive line coach, after serving the same role at Hampton most recently. Yellock shows up to Malone Stadium with over 20 years of experience at East Carolina, North Texas and the New Orleans Saints. He created a defensive line at Hampton that led the CAA in passing defense (166.5).

Before his time at Hampton, Yellock spent five seasons at Valdosta State in the same role, the Blazers posting a 42-11 record and advancing to the Division II title game twice. The Roxboro, N.C., native worked as the defensive line coach at North Texas from 2017 to 2020, coaching All-Conference USA First Team member LaDarius Hamilton. Yellock also spent the 2016 preseason with the New Orleans Saints, along with two different stints at East Carolina (2004-05, 2010-15), along with time at Elon (2006-09). He played for the Pirates from 1997 to 2000, appearing in 26 games across four seasons.

Tony McClain assists Yellock as the assistant defensive line coach. He arrives in Monroe from East Texas A&M, where he spent two seasons as the defensive line coach and was additionally the special teams coordinator in 2025. He held both positions at Saint Augustine's in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2023 as well. McClain also carries experience from a season with Southwestern Oklahoma State, where he was the defensive line coach and defensive coordinator.

Prior to his experience in the collegiate ranks, McClain spent time in the USFL with the Houston Gamblers as the running backs coach. He also was selected for the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship, working with the Dallas Cowboys. From 2019 to 2022, McClain worked at Texas Wesleyan as the special teams coordinator and defensive line coach, coaching a top-ranked defense in the state of Texas. Before his coaching career, he played in the Area Football League for the Kansas City Brigade and Rio Grande Valley Dorados. McClain played collegiate football at Auburn and Southern Illinois.

Gavin Blomberg enters ULM after time at Iowa Central as part of an offensive staff that was ranked No. 6 in the nation in total yards. He also coached Trey Winters, who became ICCAC all- region in 2019. Before making his way to Iowa Central, Blomberg started at right guard and center on the offensive line at Ellsworth Community College in 2017.

Blomberg, a native of Minneapolis, MN., started his collegiate football career at Ellsworth before transferring to Iowa Central Community College to pursue a career in coaching. He graduated from Providence High School in Minneapolis where he was a dominant offensive lineman, becoming a Blue-Grey All-American and an All-State first-team honoree his senior year.