Avengers Put Trust in Brock

As Stan Brock’s NFL career was winding down in San Diego in 1995, the 16-year offensive tackle had an idea of what retirement might be like: Go back home to Beaverton, Ore,. and become a high school football coach.

“Just kinda kick back and have a good time,” Brock said.

Instead he got involved in the Arena Football League, first as a broadcaster for the Portland Forest Dragons, then as their coach.

Brock was introduced Tuesday as the coach of the fledging Los Angeles Avengers, who will begin arena league play in April at Staples Center. He will also serve as director of football operations.

“You only get one opportunity to pick your first coach,” owner and team President Casey Wasserman said. “You want a person you can trust your franchise to. We felt Brock was . . . the embodiment of how I expect the Avengers to perform on the field.”

Brock, 41, said he will spend the next few months putting together a coaching staff and finding players. He said there will be mini-camps in March and the team will hold tryouts in Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas. The league will also hold a dispersal draft for Los Angeles and Raleigh-Durham, the league’s other new franchise.

“It’s hard to start from scratch,” said Brock, who has already signed his first player, Ken Haslip, a former USC defensive back-wide receiver. “I’d like to have a 50-50 mix of experienced [arena league] players and new players. I think that’s how I’ll build the base.”

Wasserman also unveiled the team uniforms. The home uniform will consist of a red jersey with white pants, the road uniform of white jersey and blue pants with red stripes.

“We are the only red helmet in the league, so the quarterback can’t make the excuse of throwing an interception because he didn’t know the helmet,” Wasserman joked.