Friedgen Hires Another Coach with Terrapin Ties
12/13/2000 7:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 13, 2000
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland head football coach Ralph Friedgen announced today the hiring of Rod Sharpless as linebackers coach. Sharpless is the seventh addition to the Terrapin staff since Friedgen's appointment. The other hirees are offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe, secondary coach Gary Blackney, special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski and defensive tackles coach Dave Sollazzo. Running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Mike Locksley and wide receivers coach James Franklin were retained from the previous staff.
Sharpless comes to Maryland by way of Rutgers where he served as associate head coach for five years, four of which were spent working with inside linebackers (1996-99) and one (2000) with the defensive line.
A standout linebacker for the Terrapins in the mid-'70s, Sharpless graduated from Maryland in 1975. This will mark his third coaching stint in College Park. Sharpless was an outside linebackers coach for the Terps from 1977-80, then returned for a two-year stint (1990-91) as a wide receivers coach.
"I've known Rod a long time, since he was a player here in the mid-'70s," said Friedgen. "He did a great job at Virginia Tech and has recently been the defensive coordinator at Rutgers. I feel very fortunate to be able to bring him back home to the University of Maryland."
The following is an updated bio on the latest addition to the Terrapin coaching staff:
Rod SHARPLESS
(Maryland, `75)
Linebackers
Rod Sharpless returns to Maryland -- for the third time -- as linebackers coach under Ralph Friedgen. Sharpless is a graduate of the university and twice coached in College Park.
Most recently a member of the Rutgers football staff, Sharpless was an associate head coach from 1996-2000. For his first four years with the Scarlet Knights, he served as inside linebackers coach, last season, he coached the defensive line. In 1996 and `97, he was also Rutgers' defensive coordinator.
Sharpless came to Rutgers by way of Virginia Tech where he was a co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach for three years (1993-95). Under his guidance, the Hokie defensive unit was one of the best in the country in 1995. That season, the Tech defense ranked first nationally against the run, fifth in scoring defense and was 10th in total defense. Virginia Tech also went to three bowls in his three years as a coach in Blacksburg, winning the 1996 Sugar Bowl and the 1993 Independence Bowl. In his career as a coach and a player, Sharpless has participated in 11 bowl games.
Prior to his successful tenure at Virginia Tech, Sharpless coached at Cornell (1992), Maryland (1990-91, 1977-80), Kentucky (1982-89) and Richmond (1981). Like Friedgen, his time with the Terrapins was marked with success as Maryland went to four bowls in his six years as a coach, including the Terps' last bowl appearance, the 1990 Independence Bowl.
Sharpless' success at Maryland is not limited to his time spent in College Park as a coach, however. As a player, Sharpless was a starting linebacker on the 1974 ACC championship team that went to the Liberty Bowl and on the `73 team that played in the Peach Bowl. In 1974, he had 67 tackles and tied for third on the team with four sacks.
Sharpless got his first taste in coaching in the prep ranks as he was a track coach at Willingboro (N.J.) High School from 1975-77. Notably, he worked with eventual Olympic medalist Carl Lewis while at Willingboro.
A native of Jacksonville, N.C., Sharpless earned his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Maryland in 1975 and went on to earn his master's from Bowie (Md.) State in education in 1981. He served in the United States Air Force for two years (1971-72) before enrolling at Maryland.
He is married to the former Linda DiColo, a former assistant coach on the 1991 NCAA runner-up Terrapin women's lacrosse team. The couple has a 10-year-old daughter, Victoria.
The Sharpless File
Personal
Date of Birth: November 6, 1949
Hometown: Jacksonville, N.C.
Alma Mater: Maryland, `75
Coaching Experience
Rutgers
2000 Associate Head Coach - Defensive Line
1996-99 Associate Head Coach - Defensive Coordinator (1996-97)/Inside Linebackers
Virginia Tech
1993-95 Assistant Coach - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebacker
Cornell
1992 Assistant Coach - Defensive Line
Maryland
1990-91 Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers
Kentucky
1982-89 Assistant Coach - Defensive Line
Richmond
1981 Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
Maryland
1977-80 Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
Playing Experience
Maryland
1972-74 Linebacker (1974 ACC Champs, 1974 Liberty Bowl, 1973 Peach Bowl)
Transactions
College
Maryland - Hired Rod Sharpless, former Rutgers associate head coach, as linebackers coach.
