http://journalstar.com/sports/local...cle_be601aca-ce73-52c6-8e69-19d853a172e3.html
Leaving football was never in John Parrella’s plans.
Nebraska's former All-Big Eight and second-team All-America defensive tackle was a second-round NFL draft pick, spent 12 years in the league, was on three Super Bowl teams, coached high school, then junior college and now is coaching the defensive line at Northern Michigan.
“When you get the game in your blood, you keep playing, which I can’t do at my age, or you coach and teach the game,” he said. “It’s still blocking and tackling. But there is always something new, somebody new, and that keeps me in the game.”
Parrella also was never going to give up the dream of graduating from Nebraska.
While he played in 1992 with Trev Alberts, Mike Anderson, Tyrone Byrd and freshman quarterback Tommie Frazier, he graduated with Rex Burkhead, Cole Pensick and Kyler Reed in December 2012.
“I knew all along I only needed one class to graduate, but you get to playing pro ball and put it off and put it off and finally, I was given a window to get it done to keep teaching and coaching at a high school, so I finished off my psychology class and got the diploma,” said Parrella, who grew up in Grand Island and is a member of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame and the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.
Parrella transferred to Nebraska from Colorado, where he accepted a scholarship, but the scholarship was yanked at the last minute.
“We were glad to get him,” said former Husker defensive line coach Charlie McBride. “He was one of the best ever.”
Parrella made his name through the 1992 season and was a second-round pick of the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Later, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers and was a standout there until he finished his career with the Oakland Raiders.
In his career at San Diego, he played for Bobby Ross and eventually Mike Riley, the new Nebraska coach.
“Great guy, with great football knowledge and a great approach, is what I can tell you about Mike Riley,” Parrella said. “He’s a gentleman and he’s a great coach and a real motivator and a people-oriented person.” Parrella also played for former Husker coach Bill Callahan when he coached the Raiders to the Super Bowl.
After the pros, Parrella coached at Valley Christian High School in San Jose, California.
“I was coaching football and teaching P.E., but I wanted more football than I was getting,” he said. He moved to Chabot Junior College in Hayward, California, where he coached sons Zach, 21, and Cal, 18.
“Zach is getting some recruiting looks and I think Cal will, too,” said Parrella, who has been married to Leigh for 22 years. They have two other sons: Alex, 16, and Jake, 12, and adopted daughter Grace, 4. “Christmas morning was interesting, with the college-age boys wanting to sleep in and Grace wanting everybody to get up at 6:30 to open presents.”
Last spring, Marcus Wright, Parrella's former Raiders teammate and the new receivers coach at Northern Michigan, called and said the Wildcats were looking for a defensive line coach. Parrella jumped at the chance and is now coaching full-time, recruiting and doing all the duties that go with a college job.
“We’re building something here,” he said of the Wildcats. “We would have been 9-2 if our games were 4 minutes shorter. We didn’t win those, but we’re learning and we’re teaching and we’re going to be good.”
He recruits in Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and California.
“You try to get the point across that you can play football, but we’re going to make sure you learn to learn in school, learn to grow as a man and be prepared for life after college,” Parrella said. “I had great coaches. Charlie McBride is the closest thing to my dad. Milt Tenopir is one of the people who taught me a lot. I call Charlie whenever I have a question and I spend time with Mike Waufle, the defensive line coach with the St. Louis Rams, studying the new techniques and the changes in the game.
“I was working a camp last summer and we were running drills. I hear a voice behind me, ‘That’s the way to hit,’ and I turn around and it’s Buck Nystrom, the legendary Michigan State offensive line coach, who is still good friends with Charlie McBride.
“Those guys and the young guys I get the privilege to coach make this all worthwhile. Every day is better. Just as every day with five kids is pretty interesting, too.”
Leaving football was never in John Parrella’s plans.
Nebraska's former All-Big Eight and second-team All-America defensive tackle was a second-round NFL draft pick, spent 12 years in the league, was on three Super Bowl teams, coached high school, then junior college and now is coaching the defensive line at Northern Michigan.
“When you get the game in your blood, you keep playing, which I can’t do at my age, or you coach and teach the game,” he said. “It’s still blocking and tackling. But there is always something new, somebody new, and that keeps me in the game.”
Parrella also was never going to give up the dream of graduating from Nebraska.
While he played in 1992 with Trev Alberts, Mike Anderson, Tyrone Byrd and freshman quarterback Tommie Frazier, he graduated with Rex Burkhead, Cole Pensick and Kyler Reed in December 2012.
“I knew all along I only needed one class to graduate, but you get to playing pro ball and put it off and put it off and finally, I was given a window to get it done to keep teaching and coaching at a high school, so I finished off my psychology class and got the diploma,” said Parrella, who grew up in Grand Island and is a member of the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame and the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.
Parrella transferred to Nebraska from Colorado, where he accepted a scholarship, but the scholarship was yanked at the last minute.
“We were glad to get him,” said former Husker defensive line coach Charlie McBride. “He was one of the best ever.”
Parrella made his name through the 1992 season and was a second-round pick of the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Later, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers and was a standout there until he finished his career with the Oakland Raiders.
In his career at San Diego, he played for Bobby Ross and eventually Mike Riley, the new Nebraska coach.
“Great guy, with great football knowledge and a great approach, is what I can tell you about Mike Riley,” Parrella said. “He’s a gentleman and he’s a great coach and a real motivator and a people-oriented person.” Parrella also played for former Husker coach Bill Callahan when he coached the Raiders to the Super Bowl.
After the pros, Parrella coached at Valley Christian High School in San Jose, California.
“I was coaching football and teaching P.E., but I wanted more football than I was getting,” he said. He moved to Chabot Junior College in Hayward, California, where he coached sons Zach, 21, and Cal, 18.
“Zach is getting some recruiting looks and I think Cal will, too,” said Parrella, who has been married to Leigh for 22 years. They have two other sons: Alex, 16, and Jake, 12, and adopted daughter Grace, 4. “Christmas morning was interesting, with the college-age boys wanting to sleep in and Grace wanting everybody to get up at 6:30 to open presents.”
Last spring, Marcus Wright, Parrella's former Raiders teammate and the new receivers coach at Northern Michigan, called and said the Wildcats were looking for a defensive line coach. Parrella jumped at the chance and is now coaching full-time, recruiting and doing all the duties that go with a college job.
“We’re building something here,” he said of the Wildcats. “We would have been 9-2 if our games were 4 minutes shorter. We didn’t win those, but we’re learning and we’re teaching and we’re going to be good.”
He recruits in Michigan, Wisconsin, New Jersey and California.
“You try to get the point across that you can play football, but we’re going to make sure you learn to learn in school, learn to grow as a man and be prepared for life after college,” Parrella said. “I had great coaches. Charlie McBride is the closest thing to my dad. Milt Tenopir is one of the people who taught me a lot. I call Charlie whenever I have a question and I spend time with Mike Waufle, the defensive line coach with the St. Louis Rams, studying the new techniques and the changes in the game.
“I was working a camp last summer and we were running drills. I hear a voice behind me, ‘That’s the way to hit,’ and I turn around and it’s Buck Nystrom, the legendary Michigan State offensive line coach, who is still good friends with Charlie McBride.
“Those guys and the young guys I get the privilege to coach make this all worthwhile. Every day is better. Just as every day with five kids is pretty interesting, too.”
