Trainers

Mike Defee worked 5 years in the Southland Conference and 14 years in the Big 12 retiring from the field after the 2019 season. He worked 5 Big 12 Championship Games. He worked numerous Bowl games including the Rose, Cotton, Fiesta, Sugar, Capital One and Outback. He worked the CFP Semi-Final in 2015 and was the Referee in the 2017 CFP National Championship Game. He works as a Coach/Trainer for the NFL’s Officiating Department and is Coordinator of Football Officials for Conference USA.

Derek Anderson began officiating in 2010 at the HS/JH level working in the College Station TASO Chapter.  During his career as an official, Derek worked in the Lone Star Conference, Southland Conference and Mountain West Conference before being hired in the Big 12 in 2016.  He worked the majority of his career as a Line Judge before moving to Referee for the 2021 season.  Derek has worked two Mountain West Championship Games, two Big 12 Championship games, 2015 Bahamas Bowl, 2017 Fiesta Bowl, 2018 Peach Bowl, 2019 Orange Bowl and the 2021 CFP National Championship Game.

Robert Richeson 10 years officiating in the Big 12 and still currently. He has worked 10 straight Bowl games including the  2017 CFP National Championship, 2016 Rose Bowl, 2018 Fiesta Bowl, 2020 Semi Final Sugar Bowl and 2021 Semi Final Orange Bowl. Currently in the NFL ODP. 

Ruben Fowler worked 2 years in the Southland and 3 years in CUSA then spent 15 years in the NFL before retiring after the 2020 season. He has spent the last 12 years as a position trainer with CFO West where he continues to give back.

Michael Cooper is a retired 19 year Division 1 College Umpire with SWAC,CUSA and Big 12. He worked the 2005 SWAC Championship, 2008 (Alternate) & 2010 Big 12 Championship and 13 straight bowl games including the 2009 Sugar Bowl, 2012 BCS National Championship, 2015 CFP Simi Final Cotton Bowl and the 2018 Peach Bowl. Currently working with the NFL as a scout.

Dan Scanlan began his officiating career in 2004 working high school and youth games. In 2010 began working D2 and D3 football. He worked a D3 playoff game and a D2 semifinal playoff game. Dan just finished his eighth season with the Big 12 conference. Dan has worked several bowl games including the 2016 and 2020 Rose Bowl, 2019 Big 12  Championship and the 2017 & 2021 CFP National Championship games. Currently in the NFL ODP.

Jerod Phillips has officiated football for 28 years.  He started officiating High School and worked his way into the College ranks in 2009.  He officiated football in the MIAA for two years before being hired in the Southland Conference.  Jerod worked for two years in the Southland officiating in the playoffs his last year before moving to the Mountain West in 2013 where he worked a Bowl Game each of his two years.  In 2014 Jerod was hired by the Big 12 conference.  His last year in the Big 12 he worked the College Playoff Semi-Final game in the Cotton Bowl.  Jerod worked Bowl Games in each of his three years at the Division I level.  Jerod was hired by the NFL in 2016 where he still continues to officiate today.  Jerod has worked a playoff game each year he has been eligible including, two Conference Championships and an alternate position in Super Bowl LIV. 

Frank LeBlanc started his collegiate career working in the SWAC from 2001 – 2006. He’s worked an FCS Playoff game, 10 straight bowl games and Back to Back Big XII Championships  2018 & 2019. Currently Frank is working in the NFL in 2020 as a Down Judge and the SWAC as Trainer/Evaluator. He worked the 2021 AFC Wild Card Playoff.

Al Green 36 years Division 1, Big 8, and Big 12. Worked 25 bowl games, 6 Big 12 Championship games. Bowls included Sugar, Rose, Fiesta , Cotton, Orange.

Terry Jones began his College officiating career began in the Lone Star Conference as  a Side Judge (1997-1999), Southland Conference Back Judge (2000-2007) 8 – 1AA playoff games and the 2007 1AA National Championship game. He has been working as a Big 12 Back Judge since 2008 with 13 bowl games, 2010 Rose Bowl, 2015 FBS National Semi-Final and the 2017 Big 12 Championship.

Anthony Flemming 15 year D1 College SJ with SWAC, Sun Belt and Big XII. Worked 11 bowl games including 2020 Rose bowl and 2017 National Championship. Currently working with the NFL as a SJ since 2020. 

Scott Gaines began his football officiating career in 1979 at the JH/HS level. He’s been working in the Big 12 since 1996 as a FJ/SJ. Over his career Scott has worked 22 postseason assignments, 3 Rose Bowls (1998, 2013 & 2015), 3 Big 12 Conference Championships (2001, 2003 & 2019), 2020 MWC Championship, 2012 BCS National Championship, 2020 CFP National Championship and NFL Europe 2001-2005.

Eugene Hall 8 year Division 1 College SJ worked 2010 Rose Bowl and 2010 Big 12 Championship Game. Currently working in the NFL as a side judge/field judge since 2014.  Worked 11 post-season assignments including 3 Conference Championship games and 2 Super Bowls (SB 53 & 55)  as a side judge.

I live in Beaumont Texas with my wife of 51 years. We have a son, Chris Ford, and a grandson, Layne Ford. I started officiating Texas High School Football in 1989, where I worked numerous Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and ended my high school career with a Texas High School State Championship game in Dallas at Old Texas Stadium in 2004. I got hired in the SWAC Football Conference in 2003 and worked for supervisor George Coleman until 2006 when I was asked by Jim Harvey to come over to Southland Conference and I started working there in 2006. In 2014 I was asked by Byron Boston to come and help start a Replay Program in the Southland so I went in as a Replay Communicator in the Southland Conference. In 2015 I was moved to Replay Official for Southland and worked there until 2017, where I was moved to a communicator in the Big 12 where I worked until 2019. In 2019 I was advanced to the Mountain West as Replay Official where I worked for Greg Burks until he promoted me in 2021 to Replay Official for the Big 12 where I still work today. I have earned a Bowl game every year I have been a Replay Official, 2018 Redbox Bowl, 2020 Frisco Bowl, 2021 New Orleans Bowl, 2022 MWC Championship, and 2022 Cheese-it Bowl. In 2020 I was hired as Supervisor of Replay for Conference USA by Coordinator of Officials, Mike Defee and still hold that position today.

Richard Jordan spent 20 years officiating in the Big XII. The last 12 in replay. Worked 14 Bowl games and two Big 12 Championship games. Bowl games include Cotton, Sugar, Orange and Peach. Currently working in the Replay Operations Center for the Big12.

After a rewarding 13 year Division 1 on-field career, Bill moved to the Replay booth in 2017. He has worked as a Replay Official and Communicator in the Southland Conference, CUSA, Big12, Mountain West and is currently a Replay Official in the ACC. He was also honored by being assigned the 2022 NAIA National Championship and the 2023 Mountain West Championship game as the Replay Official. His Bowl experiences include the Celebration, Frisco, and Myrtle Beach Bowls.

Bill’s past experience on the field, and in the replay booth, along with his earlier career as a corporate trainer for AT&T, combines to a skillset allowing him to present the Replay process in a logical, informative and entertaining method.

Bill is a graduate of UT Arlington, is married, has two sons, two grandkids, lives in North Richland Hills, Texas and is a real estate broker by profession.