Ex-MU coach to lead indoor football team

ST. LOUIS -- Eighteen years after he was fired at Missouri, Warren Powers is returning to the sidelines.

Powers, now 60, will be introduced Monday as head coach of the Show Me Believers, a National Indoor Football League team that plays its games at the Family Arena in St. Charles, about 20 miles west of St. Louis. A news conference was scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday.

Powers coached at Missouri for seven seasons, starting in 1978. He was 46-33-3 and led the Tigers to five bowl appearances and three top-20 finishes. But just a few years removed from Missouri's glory days under Dan Devine, Powers' record seemed to come up short. He was fired after his only losing season, a 3-7-1 mark in 1984.

In the 17 seasons since then, Missouri has had winning records twice -- 7-5 in 1997 and 8-4 in 1998. Meanwhile, Powers has never coached again.

Until now.

"We're obviously excited because he pretty much walked away from football, and he's looked better every year," said Ed Watkins, who along with St. Louis Cardinals Hall-of-Famer Lou Brock purchased the indoor league team earlier this year.