SAINTS-CHARGERS CONNECTIONS
*Head coach Sean Payton, running backs coach Bret Ingalls and wide receivers coach Curtis Johnson served on the staff at San Diego State.
*QB Drew Brees was a second round draft pick of the Chargers in 2001 (32nd overall) and played San Diego from 2001-05, serving as their starter his last four seasons, being selected to the Pro Bowl for his banner 2004 campaign.
*As a rookie, Brees was tutored by Chargers head coach Norv Turner, who served as offensive coordinator that season. Brees and Chargers LB Shaun Phillips were also college teammates at Purdue.
*Offensive line/running game coach Aaron Kromer served on Turner's staff in Oakland in 2004. FB Zak Keasey played for Turner in San Francisco in 2006, when he served as offensive coordinator...RB Reggie Bush prepped at Helix (La Mesa, Calif.) High School and starred at the University of Southern California from 2003-05, where was a Heisman Trophy winner.
*LB Anthony Waters was a third round draft choice of San Diego in 2007 and was a member of the Chargers from 2007-08.
*Chargers WR Buster Davis prepped at O Perry Walker High School and played at LSU and WR Josh Reed prepped at Rayne High School and starred for the Tigers and won the Biletnikoff Award in 2001, where both were teammates of CB Randall Gay and WR Devery Henderson.Reed played for New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams,when he served as head coach in Buffalo from 2002-03.
*Reed, CB Jabari Greer, DL Anthony Hargrove and S Pierson Prioleau were teammates with the Bills.
*San Diego senior executive Randy Mueller served as general manager of the Saints from 2000-02. Executive VP/General Manager Mickey Loomis, area scout Mike Baugh and Mueller worked in the same front offices in Seattle. Baugh served as assistant director of player personnel under Mueller in Miami from 2005-07.
*Offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. served on the San Diego coaching staff from 2002-05 beginning his tenure as an offensive assistant/quality control, before being promoted to assistant wide receivers coach his final two seasons.
*QB Sean Canfield prepped at Carlsbad (Calif.) High School...Secondary coach Dennis Allen, defensive line coach Bill Johnson, quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi and Chargers running backs coach Ollie Wilson served on the same staff in Atlanta.
*LB Scott Shanle and San Diego DE/DT Ryon Bingham were college teammates at the University of Nebraska.
*Shanle and San Diego LB Kevin Burnett were teammates in Dallas in 2005. Burnett and DT Remi Ayodele were later teammates with the Cowboys in 2007.
Burnett and San Diego QB Jonathan Crompton played with Greer, WR Robert Meachem and LB Marvin Mitchell at the University of Tennessee.
*Chargers Offensive line coach Hal Hunter coached at LSU from 1995-99, serving as interim coach for part of his final season in Baton Rouge.
*Chargers wide receivers coach Charlie Joiner is a Many, La. native who starred at Grambling State.
*Asst. head coach/linebackers Joe Vitt and Joiner served on the same staff in Kansas City from 2001-03.
*Vitt and Chargers quarterbacks coach John Ramsdell served on the same staff in St. Louis from 2004-05...WR Mark Bradley, DE Alex Brown, FB Jason McKie, G Terrence Metcalf, San Diego DE Alfonso Boone, DT Antonio Garay and CB Nathan Vasher were teammates in Chicago.
*DL Jimmy Wilkerson, Boone and Chargers TE Kris Wilson were teammates in Kansas City in 2007. TE David Thomas and Vasher were teammates at the University of Texas.
*Brown was tutored by San Diego defensive line coach Don Johnson and defensive coordinator Ron Rivera in Chicago.
*Chargers outside linebackers coach John Pagano served as a Saints assistant coach from 1996-97 and on the staff at Louisiana Tech in 1994.
*T Zach Striefand San Diego DE Luis Castillo were college teammates at Northwestern University.Chargers P Mike Scifres prepped at Destrehan HS.
*Chargers FB Jacob Hester, who attended Evangel Christian (Shreveport) Academy and
*LB Darry Beckwith, who prepped at Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge) High School, where they were teammates of LB Harry Coleman and DT Al Woods.
*RB Ladell Betts and San Diego K Nate Kaeding were college teammates at the University of Iowa...WR Courtney Roby and Chargers G Kris Dielman were teammates at the University of Indiana. Roby and San Diego QB Billy Volek were teammates with the Tennessee Titans from 2005-06...LB Stanley Arnoux, S Chip Vaughn and San Diego *LB Jyles Tucker were college teammates at Wake Forest.
*G Brandon Carter and Chargers G Louis Vasquez were college teammates at Texas Tech.
*T Jon Stinchcomb and San Diego TE Randy McMichael were college teammates at the University of Georgia.
*FB Heath Evans and McMichael were teammates in Miami in 2005.
TE Jimmy Graham and Chargers TE Dedrick Epps formed the Hurricanes' duo of tight ends at the University of Miami (Fla.) in 2009.
*RB Pierre Thomas and San Diego C Ryan McDonald were college teammates at the University of Illinois in 2006.
*P Thomas Morsteadand Chargers RB Shawnbrey McNeal were college teammates at Southern Methodist University.
San Diego WR Jeremy Williams starred at Tulane University from 2006-09.
*TE Jeremy Shockey was tutored by San Diego tight ends assistant head coach Rob Chudzinskiat the University of Miami (Fla.) from 2000-01.
San Diego offensive coordinator Clarence Shelmon is a Bossier City native. *Coaching assistant Marcus Ungaroplayed baseball at Southwestern University (Chula Vista).
