Feb. 29, 2000

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland football coach Ron Vanderlinden has named Mike Mallory to replace former outside linebackers coach Danny Rocco, who left the program earlier this month to pursue a coaching position with the NFL New York Jets.

Mallory, a former All-American at Michigan, is re-united with brother Doug on the Maryland staff. Both are sons of former Miami-Ohio, Colorado, Northern Illinois and Indiana head coach Bill Mallory.

Said Vanderlinden, "Mike was an outstanding player at Michigan. In addition to being an outstanding position coach, he brings seven years of experience to us as a defensive coordinator which should add to our total package."

Most recently, Mike Mallory has been the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach at Northern Illinois for four seasons --- returning to his one-time home where he was an all-state star at DeKalb High School. In 1999, he helped guide the Huskies to a 5-6 record, their best finish since 1992, while posting the Mid-American Conference's third-best pass efficiency defense.

Mallory, 38, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under his father's tutelage at Indiana (1986-87) before becoming a full-time defensive aide at Kent State (1988-91). He then became the linebackers and special teams assistant at Eastern Illinois (1991-93) before joining the Rhode Island staff as defensive coordinator in 1993.

Joining the NIU staff for the 1996 season, the eldest of three coaching brothers followed his father's footsteps to Northern Illinois where Bill Mallory guided the Huskies to a 10-2 mark in 1983 and later was named to the school's athletic hall of fame. The youngest of the three brothers, Curt, is an assistant coach at Ball State.

Younger brother Doug, 35, has been the Terrapins' secondary coach since 1997. Mike, a linebacker, played with Doug, a defensive back, on three bowl teams at Michigan -- during the 1983, 1984 and 1985 seasons. Mike earned All-America honors as a senior and was a two-time team captain. A first-team All-Big Ten selection as a junior and a senior, he was a finalist for the 1985 Butkus Award and finished his career ranked third on Michigan's career tackle chart.

Mallory graduated from Michigan in 1985 with a bachelor of arts degree in education. He and his wife, Kim, have a daughter, Kathryn (3), and a son, William Michael (eight months).