If experience really is the best teacher, the San Diego Chargers will have a terrific mentor for their young wide receiver corps in 2002, with the team on Wednesday hiring former NFL star James Lofton as an assistant coach.

It will mark the first coaching assignment at any level for Lofton, who had a brilliant 16-season career in the league, and who still ranks No. 10 on the all-time receptions list (764) and is second in receiving yards (14,004). Lofton, 45, scored 75 touchdowns with five different teams.

The club also made official what has been known for days, that former Indiana University coach Cam Cameron has been hired as offensive coordinator, with head coach Marty Schottenheimer choosing him over other finalists Ted Tollner and Tom Clements.

"I'm looking forward to this challenge," said Lofton, a Hall of Fame finalist this year. "It's been something I've been thinking about for some time now, getting into the coaching end of things, and I'm really excited about it."

Lofton has more catches than the combined receptions of the youthful wide receiver corps with which he will work in San Diego. His appointment by Schottenheimer is a big surprise, given his absence of experience, but the veteran head coach has been urged by general manager John Butler to consider some fresh blood for his staff.

The former Stanford star has spent the past eight years in broadcasting, serving as an analyst both in the studio and for games as well.

He entered the league in 1978 as the first-round choice of the Green Bay Packers and played there through the 1986 campaign. Lofton also spent time with the Los Angeles Raiders (1987-88), the Buffalo Bills (1989-92), Los Angeles Rams (1993) and Philadelphia Eagles (1993).

Lofton appeared in 233 games and averaged more than 22 yards per catch in 1983-84.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.