Norm Chow is a well-known name in Utah football circles, as well as at the college football and NFL levels.
Now, he’s going to be known in Switzerland, too.
The 76-year-old Chow, who’s made a name for himself as a successful coach — including more than two decades at BYU and a stint at Utah — is the new head coach of the Helvetic Guards, an expansion franchise in the European League of Football, or ELF for short.
The club made the announcement Friday, saying the club has “hit the bull’s-eye” in hiring a coaching legend.
Chow, who played college football at Utah, was on LaVell Edwards’ staff at BYU for more than two decades and was often recognized for his innovative work as an offensive coach.
He later was an assistant at NC State, USC, UCLA and Utah — sandwiched around three seasons as the Tennessee Titans’ offensive coordinator in the mid-2000s — before taking over as the University of Hawaii’s head coach in 2012.
Following four seasons as the Rainbow Warriors’ coach, he’s also spent time as a high school coach and in the XFL with the Los Angeles Wildcats.
Among the players that have been coached by Chow are quarterbacks Steve Young, Carson Palmer and Philip Rivers, as well as running back Reggie Bush.
“We wanted to sign a head coach who brings experience from the NFL and NCAA … to the table” Guards CEO Toni Zöller said in a press release. “... We are very pleased to have convinced coach Chow to join our franchise.”
The Guards will play their first season in 2023.