Meet Your Hit Squad Academy Coaches
Desmond Bland (pictured right) and Jamezz Kimbrough (left), both Homewood-Flossmoor High School alum, are back home for the next couple months and want to pour into the youth in their communities. They come with collegiate and professional football experience, and will be sharing all their tips and tricks for offensive lineman who attend this program.
Coach
Desmond Bland
Coach Desmond is a native of Homewood, Illinois and attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School where he was a 3-star rated recruit by 247 Sports. He then played on scholarship at Arizona Western College. During his time in Yuma, the Matadors posted a 20-2 record and played in back-to-back NJCAA national championship games, and he was twice voted an NJCAA All American. Finishing his career at Arizona Western as a 4-star rated recruit by Rivals, he received scholarship offers from Florida State University, University of Arizona, Iowa State University, University of Louisville, and University of Missouri before ultimately committing to the University of Nebraska. Desmond finished his collegiate playing career at University of West Florida. Now playing professionally, Desmond spent last season with the San Diego Strike Force of the Indoor Football League, and is now signed to the AFL (Arena Football League) to play with the Southwest Kansas Storm this spring.
Coach
Jamezz Kimbrough
Coach Jamezz, a native of Homewood, also attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School where he was a three-year starter, achieving a Chicago Tribune all-state honorable mention. He helped his team to Class 8A state runner-up finish in 2014, were South Suburban Conference championships and state quarterfinal playoff berths in 2015 and 2016. His high school team went a combined 31-6 during his three-year career as a three-year Varsity starter. He then continued his academic and athletic career, starting in 43 college games for a D1 program at Central Michigan University on the offensive line. 31 consecutive starts at the center position. He was voted by his peers to a leadership council as a freshman, as well as offensive newcomer of the year. After suffering an injury taking away his sophomore year, he earned honorable mention All Conference his junior year. Senior year earned him second team All Conference honors, and earned first team All Conference from Phil Steel Magazine. He was chosen as captain for 8/13 games of his junior year and for 10/12 games during senior year. Coach Jamezz graduated with his Bachelor’s in Sports Management with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He also stayed at Central Michigan University and continued his education, earning his Master's Degree in Entrepreneurial Ventures. He's now signed with the AFL (Arena Football League) and will be playing professionally this upcoming season with the Billings Outlaws, out of Billings, Montana.
