FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES COACHING STAFF ADDITIONS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In his second month on the job, Avila head football coach Ed Warinner is rounding out his initial coaching staff.
Mark Rhea joins Warinner’s staff as the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator, Erick Burzanko is the program’s new offensive coordinator and Pat Perles will be the program’s new offensive line coach.
“We have completed the hiring of our full-time staff for the 2026 season,” said Warinner. “We are excited to announce these three outstanding men, leaders and coaches. They have tremendous track records of success along with extensive experience developing student-athletes at all levels. We know their impact will be felt immediately as they get to know Avila and our current players. We will continue to add other coaches in part-time and graduate assistant roles in the coming weeks.”
Mark Rhea joins Warinner’s staff as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
Bringing more than 20 years of Division I coaching experience, Rhea was most recently the Assistant Head Coach and defensive line coach at Portland State University.
Rhea’s specialty comes in coaching the defensive line, spending nearly 30 years in various defensive line rooms across the country, coaching three NCAA FCS All-Americans, a Buck Buchannan Award winner and 28 All-Conference players during his career.
Rhea spent the 2000-06 seasons as the DL coach at Idaho State, where he mentored future Pro Football Hall of Famer Jared Allen prior to his illustrious NFL career.
Playing collegiately at the University of Toledo, Rhea was the MAC’s 1991 Outstanding Defensive Lineman Award winner.
Coming with Warinner from St. Thomas University is Erick Burzanko, who will be the program’s new offensive coordinator. Burzanko spent the previous seven seasons with St. Thomas, his final four as the running backs coach and Director of Player Personnel, where he coached three all-conference members and an All-American performer with the Bobcats.
Burzanko made an indelible mark with the Bobcats’ ground game, coaching Rontavious Farmer, who ended his collegiate career second in NAIA history in career rushing yards. Farmer also wrapped up his time as the state of Florida’s all-time collegiate rushing leader.
The St. Thomas rushing attack produced at least 1,600 rushing yards in each of Burzanko’s four seasons – including two seasons with more than 2,300 ground yards.
Additionally, Burzanko led the St. Thomas women’s flag football program for five seasons, leading a nationally-ranked program to two Final Four appearances.
Pat Perles also joins Warinner’s initial staff as the Eagles’ offensive line coach.
Perles comes to Kansas City after spending two years as the offensive line coach at Syracuse.
Bringing five years of NFL and six years of CFL experience, Perles is one of the country’s top offensive line minds. No stranger to the metro area, Perles spent the 2009-11 seasons as an assistant coach with the Kansas City Chiefs, helping the Chiefs to the 2010 AFC West title.
Prior to his NFL time, Perles was the offensive coordinator for three seasons at North Dakota State, the architect among one of the top FCS offenses in the country.
