Hampton native Bobby Blizzard is in his first season as running backs coach at Norfolk State.
Blizzard joins the NSU staff with experience at both the professional and collegiate levels. Most recently, Blizzard was running backs coach for the Dallas Renegades in the XFL from 2019-20. He was promoted to co-coordinator and assumed play-calling duties after the team’s fifth game of the season. Running back Cameron Artis-Payne was graded as the top running back in the XFL and Austin Walter signed a contract with the San Francisco 49ers.
From 2018-19, Blizzard served as offensive coordinator and receivers coach for the Memphis Express of the Alliance of American Football.
Blizzard’s professional stints came on the heels of seven years as a collegiate coach. In 2018, Blizzard coached the receivers at Hampton University. The Pirates produced more than 2,000 passing yards and 27 touchdown receptions that year, with Byron Barney ranking in the top 30 in the FCS in TD catches.
Prior to Hampton, Blizzard was offensive coordinator for four years at Division III Bellhaven University in Mississippi. He also coached the receivers and quarterbacks there. In his last two seasons, Bellhaven ranked in the top three in the country in passing offense, including the No. 1 ranking in 2016. The Blazers passed for 421 yards per game that year.
During his four years at Bellhaven, nine Blazers earned All-American honors.
Blizzard also coached the receivers for two seasons at Division III McMurry University. Receiver Greg Livingston earned All-America honors both seasons and another wideout, Jeret Smith, signed with Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs after setting the school record for career receiving yards.
A standout tight end himself, Blizzard spent parts of four seasons in the professional ranks. He had stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL and with the Hamburg Sea Devils and Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe. He was a member of the NFL Europe all-star teams in 2005 and 2007.
Blizzard played collegiately for both the University of Kentucky and University of North Carolina. He ended his college career with 78 receptions for 876 yards and six touchdowns.
A member of the NFL Players Association and American Football Coaches Association, Blizzard also was selected to attend the 2017 NCAA/NFL Coaches Academy. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from UNC in 2003.
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