COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland head football coach DJ Durkin announced the additions of Mike London as associate head coach/defensive line coach, Scott Shafer as defensive coordinator, Aazaar Abdul-Rahim as defensive backs coach and Rick Court as strength and conditioning coach on Wednesday afternoon.
London and Shafer have a combined 52 years of coaching experience, including 11 years as head coaches. Abdul-Rahim joins the Terps after working at the University of Alabama for two years, and Court is a 14-year veteran in strength and conditioning, who most recently served as the head strength coach at Mississippi State.
“I'm thrilled to announce four high quality additions to the coaching staff,” said Durkin. “We're adding a pair of coaches with head coaching experience and a group of guys with track records of being great teachers and recruiters. Their overall body of work speaks for itself as experienced leaders that have a tremendous knowledge of the game.”
London comes to College Park after serving as a head coach at Virginia and Richmond for the past eight seasons. A highly regarded recruiter, London helped bring in four top-35 classes during in tenure in Charlottesville and brought in two Virginia bred five-star recruits in 2014 (247Sports).
London produced draft picks in all of his seasons, including four on the defensive side of the ball. He developed 33 All-ACC selections, including seven this season, and 2015 All-American safety Quin Blanding. Blanding and linebacker Micah Kiser, a fellow first-team All-ACC selection, ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the ACC in tackles, the only set of teammates in the FBS to achieve that feat.
London led Virginia to an 8-5 season in 2011 and was named ACC Coach of the Year.
As the head coach at Richmond (2008-09), London nabbed 24 wins and led the Spiders to the FCS Championship in his first season. He helped 28 Spiders achieve all-conference honors in just two seasons.
London arrived in Richmond after two seasons at Virginia as defensive coordinator/defensive line coach. He helped the Cavaliers produce two top-25 defensive seasons. Notably, London's line produced the sixth-best total sacks mark in the nation in 2007, highlighted by future NFL first round pick and first-team All-American Chris Long.
As the defensive line coach for the Houston Texans in 2005, London tutored a unit that ranked tied for 14th in sacks. Prior to that stop, London coached the defensive line at Virginia (2001-2004), Boston College (1997-2000) and William & Mary (1991-1994). He was also the recruiting coordinator for three seasons during his first stint in Charlottesville.
London played defensive back at Richmond (1979-1982) before playing one season for the Dallas Cowboys.
Regarded as one of foremost defensive minds in the nation, Shafer has spent the last seven seasons at Syracuse, including the last three as head coach. He led the Orange to a victory in the Texas Bowl in 2013.
As defensive coordinator under head coach Doug Marrone, Shafer helped raise the level of the Orange defense. In 2008, its final season pre-Shafer, the Orange ranked 101st in total and scoring defense. In 2010, Shafer's unit was the seventh-best nationally in total defense, allowing only 301.1 yards per game, and 17th in scoring defense giving up just 19.3 points per game. As a result, Shafer was a 2010 AFCA National Assistant Coach of the Year nominee.
A proponent of an attacking defense, Shafer's 2012 squad ranked sixth nationally and topped the BIG EAST in tackles for loss at 7.7 per game. That team claimed a share of the BIG EAST Championship and defeated West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Shafer has earned a reputation as an excellent defensive teacher during his 25 years as a coach, developing 44 all-conference performers, including four All-Americans. He helped tutor defensive lineman Chandler Jones, who became the first Syracuse player selected in the first round in 10 years in 2012.
In 2009, Shafer mentored fifth-round NFL draft pick Arthur Jones, who went on to win a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens.
Prior to Syracuse, Shafer had stops at Michigan and Stanford. He was the defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2008.
As assistant head coach/defensive coordinator at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh in 2007, Shafer's defense improved in every NCAA statistical category. Durkin was also on that Stanford coaching staff with Harbaugh and Shafer.
Prior to his time in Palo Alto, Shafer oversaw the defense at Western Michigan and in 2006 helped the unit lead the nation in interceptions (24) and sacks (46), while finishing sixth in run defense and seventh in turnover margin. As a result, Shafer was nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach.
Shafer served as the defensive backs coach at Illinois in 2004 and as the defensive coordinator at Northern Illinois from 2000-2003. In 2003, the Northern Illinois defense ranked third nationally in interceptions.
Shafer also served as the defensive backs coach at Northern Illinois and had stints at Rhode Island and Indiana. He started his playing career as a quarterback for Ohio before transferring to Baldwin-Wallace.
Abdul-Rahim comes to Maryland after a two-year stint at Alabama where he most recently served as the assistant director of player personnel. He was initially hired as a defensive analyst.
Abdul-Rahim made his name as the head coach of Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington D.C. After founding the school's football program in 2004, he turned it into a national power, accumulating 62 wins and leading the team to a District of Columbia State Athletic Association championship in 2012. He helped over 100 players earn scholarships to play college football.
Abdul-Rahim also founded “Cover One”, a defensive back training academy that has worked with 25 NFL players.
The Washington D.C. native played two seasons at San Diego State (1997-1998) after a stint at Mesa Community College. After college, the Dunbar High School standout, played for the San Diego Riptide of the Arena Football League.
A 14-year veteran of the strength and conditioning profession, Court comes to Maryland after serving as the head strength coach at Mississippi State. He coordinated strength and conditioning for all 15 of the Bulldogs' varsity sports, with a focus on football.
In Court's first season in Starkville, Mississippi State reached No. 1 in the country for the first time in school history and won 10 games. Court arrived after two years as the associate director of football strength and conditioning at Ohio State. The Buckeyes won 24 games during Court's tenure, including a perfect 12-0 record in 2012.
Court was football's head strength coach at San Diego State (2011), Toledo (2009-2010) and Bowling Green (2008). He also served as an assistant strength coach at Bowling Green (2003-2007). Court served alongside Durkin at Bowling Green from 2005-06.
He received a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Michigan State in 2002 before earning a masters in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2003.
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