Maryland Athletics - University of Maryland Official Athletic Site - Football
Feb. 21, 1997
Vanderlinden Names Heffner Tight Ends Coach
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland football coach Ron Vanderlinden completed his first staff today by naming Bob Heffner as the Terps' tight ends coach. Heffner replaces Terry Malone who left Maryland earlier this month to accept a similar position at Michigan.
Bob Heffner's roots runs deep at Maryland. His father, Fred, was a member of the Terps' 1953 national championship team.
Heffner begins his tenure at College Park after coaching Northern Illinois University's offensive line in 1996. The Huskies faced Maryland in the Terps victorious 1996 season opener.
He coached Lafayette College for a total of five years on two separate occasions prior to NIU; he was Lafayette's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1993 to 1995 and the offensive line coach in 1988 and 1989. The Leopards captured the Patriot League title in 1994 under his leadership.
He spent four years in the professional ranks between his stops at Lafayette. He served as the director of player personnel and offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League for the 1993 season. The Storm captured the 1993 Arena League Championship.
Heffner also spent three years (1990-93) with the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League. While serving as the offensive coordinator, offensive line, and running backs coach, the Lions' Doug Flute was voted CFL's MVP after setting league records for passing yards in a season. B.C.'s Jim Mills also won the League's Most Valuable Offensive Lineman award in 1990 and 1991.
He began his collegiate coaching career with Illinois State University as the interior defensive line coach in 1981. He then coached ISU's offensive line from 1982 to 1988. Under his tutelage, ISU placed Joe Spivak, Jim Meyer and Mark Rodenhasuser in the National Football League.
Heffner served as a graduate assistant at Temple, his alma mater, in 1979. He earned three letters as an offensive guard for the Owls and led them to consecutive Mirage Bowl (Tokyo) appearances in 1977 and 1978. He earned his BS in secondary education in 1979.
Heffner, 41, and his wife, Nancy, have three daughters, Katie (10), Molly (8) and Shelby (5).
