COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Ralph Friedgen, architect of Georgia Tech's high-powered offense for nine of the past 14 years and the offensive coordinator for Bobby Ross at Maryland when the Terps won three consecutive ACC titles in the mid-`80s, is returning to his alma mater as head football coach, director of athletics Deborah A. Yow announced today.

Friedgen signed a six-year contract that pays a salary of $175,000 per year.

Friedgen, who was named the winner of the Frank Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country a year ago, brings 32 years of coaching experience - including 21 as an offensive coordinator either in college or the NFL - with him in his return to College Park. Over the course of the past three seasons, he has directed a Georgia Tech offensive unit that has averaged 36.7 points and 444 yards of total offense per game while posting a cumulative record of 27-8 (.771). The '99 Yellow Jackets, led by Heisman runner-up Joe Hamilton, finished No. 1 nationally in total offense (a school record 509 yards per game) and ranked second nationally in scoring (40.7 points per game). This season's Tech team currently ranks in the top 20 statistically in three major NCAA offensive categories, including scoring (33.8 ppg) and total offense (435.4 ypg).

"Coach Friedgen is an experienced and consistently successful football coach who also has a passion for Maryland," said Yow. "He understands the ACC, embraces Maryland's philosophy of the student-athlete and has a clear and compelling vision for returning Maryland to national prominence. Most importantly, Coach Friedgen cares deeply about his players and their success on the field, in the classroom and in life. This combination of qualities makes him a tremendous fit for our position. The search committee was unanimous in its enthusiasm to bring Ralph home to College Park to lead the resurgence of our football program."

Said Friedgen, "I am extremely excited to have this opportunity. I have waited a long time for it, and I am more than ready. It makes it extra special to come back to my roots because I care very deeply about the University of Maryland. I want this to be a uniting force for all Maryland people and return the program to where we feel it should be -- as one of the outstanding programs in the country."

The 53-year-old Friedgen (pronounced FREE-jun) owns the rare distinction of coordinating the offense for both a collegiate national champion and a Super Bowl team. A 1969 graduate of the University of Maryland, where he earned a degree in physical education and played football for the Terps, Friedgen launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1969 and later served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Maryland under Bobby Ross from 1982-86. During that stretch, the Terps captured three consecutive ACC championships (1983-85) and played in four bowl games. All told, the Terps were 39-15-1 from 1982-86 and won the Sun Bowl in 1984 and the Cherry Bowl in 1985.

During his five-year stay at Maryland under Ross, Friedgen was responsible for developing future pro quarterbacks Boomer Esiason, Frank Reich and Stan Gelbaugh, all of whom spent at least 10 seasons in the National Football League. Esiason played professionally from 1984-97, Reich from 1985-98 and Gelbaugh from 1986-95.

The Ross-Friedgen connection began in 1973, when Ross hired the former Maryland offensive lineman as defensive line coach at The Citadel. Friedgen spent seven seasons at The Citadel, the last three as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Friedgen then worked one season (1980) as offensive coordinator at William & Mary and one season (1981) as assistant head coach at Murray State before Ross tapped him to be his offensive coordinator at Maryland in 1982.

Friedgen followed Ross to Georgia Tech in 1987, becoming the Yellow Jackets' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the next five seasons, including the 1990 campaign when Tech, unranked in the preseason, captured the national championship with an 11-0-1 record. The national title came just two years after the Jackets had posted back-to-back seasons of three wins or less. When Ross was named head coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1992, he tapped Friedgen to serve as running game coordinator for two seasons (1992-93) before elevating him to offensive coordinator in 1994, when the Chargers advanced to Super Bowl XXIX for the first time in franchise history. During his time with the Chargers, Friedgen helped a club that had not made the playoffs in a decade reach postseason play three times in five seasons.

Friedgen spent 20 seasons with Ross in coaching stops at The Citadel, Maryland, Georgia Tech and the San Diego Chargers.

Friedgen returned to Tech in 1997, where he has served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for George O'Leary.

Known for developing balanced offensive attacks, Tech was one of only two teams in the country in 1999 to average at least 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing. Tech also accomplished the feat under Friedgen's guidance in 1990, '91 and '98. The 1999 team, with Hamilton calling the signals at quarterback, set 59 school records, rewriting many marks established by the 1990 national championship team, which was led by another Friedgen pupil, signal-caller Shawn Jones (1989-92). Friedgen was a finalist for the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach in 1998 when the Rambling Wreck set a then-school record with 50 touchdowns.

Friedgen, who also earned his master's degree from the University of Maryland, is the first Maryland alum since Bob Ward (1967-68) to serve as the Terps' head football coach. Friedgen originally came to Maryland as a quarterback in the mid-`60s and spent most of his career as an offensive lineman, lettering in 1968 and capturing Academic All-ACC honors the same season. He was a two-time winner of the George C. Cook Memorial Award (1968-69) for having the highest academic average on the football team.

With the hiring of Friedgen, Maryland now joins West Virginia as the only Division I school to have coaches in football, men's basketball and women's basketball running programs at their alma mater.

A native of Harrison, N.Y., Friedgen and his wife, the former Gloria Spina, have three daughters: Kelley, 23, Kristina, 14, and Katherine, 12.

RALPH FRIEDGEN FACTS
Full Name: Ralph Harry Friedgen
Date of Birth: April 4, 1947
Hometown: Harrison, N.Y.
Alma Mater: Maryland '69
Family: Wife, Gloria, daughters, Kelley (23), Kristina (14), Katherine (12)
Playing Experience: Guard, one letter at Maryland (1968)
Years in Coaching (College): 32 (27)

COACHING EXPERIENCE
2000- Maryland (Head Coach)
1997-2000 Georgia Tech (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
1992-96 San Diego Chargers (1994-96, Offensive Coordinator, 1992-93, Running Game Coordinator/H-Backs/Tight Ends)
1987-91 Georgia Tech (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
1982-86 Maryland (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
1981 Murray State (Assistant Head Coach)
1980 William & Mary (Offensive Coordinator)
1973-79 The Citadel (1977-79, Offensive Coordinator/Line, 1973-76, Defensive Line)
1969-72 Maryland (Graduate Assistant)

What Others Are Saying:

"I am delighted. Maryland is getting a great football coach and a great man. Ralph Friedgen was one of the finest assistants a head coach could ask for. He's been deserving of this opportunity for a long time. He has a great football mind and a great understanding of the game on both sides of the ball. He is an outstanding recruiter who has been able to recruit anywhere. There is no element of what a head coach needs to do that Ralph Friedgen doesn't have. He'll be an outstanding head coach in the ACC."

--Bobby Ross, former NFL and college head coach

"Maryland has gained a great football coach and Georgia Tech is losing a great friend of the Tech program."

--George O'Leary, Georgia Tech head coach