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Former Hawai‘i head coach Fred von Appen was hired yesterday as special teams coach by the New York Giants.
Von Appen was fired as defensive line coach by Minnesota two months ago. His final game with the Vikings was a 41-0 loss to the Giants in the NFC championship game on Jan. 14.
Ironically, von Appen replaces Larry MacDuff, who also previously coached at UH. MacDuff resigned after four seasons to become defensive coordinator at the University of Arizona, taking over for Duane Akina, yet another former UH assistant.
Von Appen, who coached at Hawai‘i from 1996-98 before joining the Vikings last season, also coached special teams for the San Francisco 49ers when they won five NFC titles and two Super Bowls in the 1980s.
Giants coach Jim Fassel and von Appen were assistants at Stanford in 1982 during one of the most memorable kickoff returns in college history. They were part of Paul Wiggin’s staff when California beat Stanford on a 57-yard, last-play, five-lateral return for a touchdown, with Kevin Moen having to run through the Cardinal band, which had marched into the end zone.
RAVENS
 Building blocks: Baltimore signed free-agent offensive tackle Leon Searcy to a six-year contract yesterday.
The Ravens did not disclose financial terms, but Searcy’s agent said the contract is valued at $31.5 million.
Searcy, 31, was cut by Jacksonville last month to create more room under the league’s salary cap.
The 6-foot-4, 320-pound tackle started 111 of 112 games from 1993 through 1999 with Pittsburgh and Jacksonville.
He was voted to his first Pro Bowl in 1999, though he missed all of last season with a torn quadriceps.
FOOTNOTES
Broncos: Quarterback Gus Frerotte, who turned down an offer from Cincinnati last week, agreed to a one-year contract with Denver yesterday. Financial terms were not released, but Frerotte rejected the Bengals’ four-year deal that included a $2 million signing bonus. Frerotte will likely be the backup to Brian Griese.
Browns: Running back Curtis Enis, who failed to live up to expectations during three disappointing seasons with Chicago, signed a one-year contract with Cleveland yesterday. Enis, the fifth overall pick in the 1998 draft, signed an incentive-laden deal that his agent said could escalate to $1.5 million.
Cardinals: Free-agent guard Pete Kendall, who started his last 73 games for Seattle, agreed to terms on a five-year, $18 million contract with Arizona yesterday. The deal includes a $5 million signing bonus, unusual for a historically tight-fisted franchise.
Packers: Guard Marco Rivera yesterday signed a four-year contract extension reportedly worth $10 million, including a $2 million signing bonus.
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