The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros football team announced on Thursday that wide receivers and player development coach Chris Brasfield will work with the Minnesota Vikings coaching staff during training camp from July 20 through Aug. 4 in Eagan, Minn., as part of the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
This is the fourth time Brasfield has been selected for the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coach Fellowship, after previously taking part with the Buffalo Bills in 2012, Tennessee Titans in 2009, and Oakland Raiders in 2000.
“I’m excited to have been selected by the Minnesota Vikings for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship,” Brasfield said. “The Vikings organization has earned the reputation of operating with high standards and values. From the ownership to the front office, coaches and staff members, there is a winning culture being established. I look forward to being a part of that environment through this internship. I hope to bring back some knowledge that offers some additional tools to the players I’ll be coaching at UTRGV.”
This is the second-straight year in which a UTRGV coach is participating in the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship program, as pass game coordinator/safeties coach/recruiting coordinator Adrian McDonald worked with the Atlanta Falcons during training camp last year. Additionally, running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Marco Regalado participated in the program with the Jacksonville Jaguars last year.
“I’m excited for Coach Brasfield to get this opportunity and glad the calendars aligned,” UTRGV head coach Travis Bush said. “This internship will benefit our program the same as last year when Coaches Regalado and McDonald had the opportunity. To be around and work at the highest level of training, and to be able to bring ideas and techniques back that will help our young men is invaluable.”
For more than 30 years, the NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship has helped outstanding coaches gain exposure to NFL training camps and offseason workout programs.
The program’s objective is to use NFL clubs’ training camps, offseason workout programs and minicamps to give talented coaches opportunities to observe, participate, and gain experience.
Brasfield has nearly 20 years of coaching experience and additional high level recruiting experience.
Brasfield previously served in roles including running backs coach, assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, and senior analyst and special assistant to the head coach at SMU (2018-20), associate athletics director of student-athlete recruitment & experience (2015-17) and director of high school relations for football (2014) at Nebraska, running backs coach at Oregon State (2011-13), defensive graduate assistant at Oregon (2010), running backs coach at Samford (2007-09), Chicago Hope Academy head coach (2005-06), Fort Worth County Day School head coach (2002-04), offensive graduate assistant at TCU (spring 2001), assistant coach at All Saints Episcopal School (2000), assistant wide receivers coach at Texas State (1999), and wide receivers coach at Midwestern State (1996).
