1/17/2019 football Edit

Former Indiana Quarterback Antwaan Randle El Joins Buccaneers Staff

Stu Jackson • TheHoosier

Staff Writer

Stu Jackson covers Indiana University basketball, football and recruiting for TheHoosier.com. He also hosts Heard on The Hoosier, the site's official podcast.

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Former Indiana wide receiver Antwaan Randle El talks with host Dave Revsine during an appearance on BTN Tailgate in the 2016 season. Randle El recently was hired to Bruce Arians' NFL coaching staff in Tampa Bay. (Big Ten Network / YouTube)

Former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El on Wednesday was officially hired as an offensive assistant on Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians' staff, the NFL franchise announced Wednesday.

According to a January 2011 Q&A from then-Denver Post Broncos beat writer Jeff Legwold, an offensive assistant is akin to a quality control coach in college football - the NFL's version of an entry-level position. The primary responsibilities are centered around around game preparation, specifically statistical analysis and the first film review of upcoming opponents.

Randle El, who also played basketball and baseball during his time at IU (1998-2001), was the first player in NCAA history to score 40 touchdowns (45) and throw for 40 touchdowns (42), first to record over 2,500 total yards of offense in four seasons, first to pass for over 6,000 yards and first to rush for over 3,000 yards. He won Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 1998, a recognition which was later named renamed in his honor in 2011 as the Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award.

A three-time All-Big Ten selection, the Riverdale, Ill. native took home Big Ten MVP honors, was a first team All-American choice and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 2001.

Following his IU career, Randle El was chosen in the second round with the 62nd overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2002 NFL Draft. He tallied 370 receptions for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns in professional nine seasons - five with Pittsburgh and four with the Washington Redskins - highlighted by winning Super Bowl XL with the Steelers in 2005.

Randle El most recently served as the athletic director at Virginia Academy, a private Christian school in Ashburn, Va. He was inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.