Shackleford will join Genuser’s staff as the run game coordinator and director of scouting. He brings over 25 years of experience and an overall record of 149-47 as a head coach during his time between the indoor football league and af2.
Following his playing career at Anderson University in Indianapolis, Indiana, Shackleford stepped into his first coaching role as an offensive assistant for his alma mater. He started working with tight ends and then was the team’s offensive line coach from 1999 to 2006.
His first experience in the indoor came with the af2’s Cincinnati Swarm in 2003 when he joined the team as the offensive line coach and director of football operations. In 2004, he went to the Louisville Fire where he was the offensive coordinator and the assistant head coach until 2006.
Shackleford made his way west in 2007 and became the head coach of the af2’s Spokane Shock. Over his three seasons with the team, they went 50-7 with three playoff appearances, two conference championship wins, and a 2009 Arena Cup Championship.
In 2010, Shackleford became the head coach of the Tri-Cities Fever of the Indoor Football League, just a few hours south of Spokane. He continued his winning ways as he led the Fever to six consecutive playoff appearances, two conference titles, and two United Bowl Championship appearances. In 2013, he recorded his 100th career win.
He returned to Spokane in 2016 as the former Shock transitioned to the Indoor Football League as the re-branded Empire. In his first two seasons, he led the team to a Western Conference Championship and a United Bowl championship appearance.
After the Spokane franchise went into dormancy, Shackleford joined the Nebraska Danger in 2018 before taking a break from coaching to focus on family and begin his career as a co-host and analyst for SWX-TV in Spokane covering high school while continuing to collaborate with active indoor coaches and franchises in player personnel and coaching development.
Shackleford made his return to the indoor game in 2022-23 as the director of player personnel for the IFL’s Frisco Figthers where he helped the franchise to a 30-6 record and two conference championship appearances.
In 2024, he joined the Nashville Kats as the assistant head coach and director of player personnel in the reboot of the Arena Football League.
During the offseason, Shackleford continues to serve as a college football TV analyst for SWX-TV and ESPN3 broadcasts covering Eastern Washington University and the University of Idaho in the Big Sky Conference. He is also the owner of Gridiron Enterprises LLC. a company that advises high school football players through the college recruiting process and NIL opportunities.
Shackleford resides in Spokane, WA with his wife Migalia and his two sons, Elijah (16) and Caleb (15).
