| Rod Sharpless |
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 | Hometown:
Jacksonville, N.C.
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| Position:
Inside Linebackers
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| Birthdate:
11/06/1949
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| Coaching Experience:
2nd Year at Maryland (26th overall)
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Rod Sharpless is in his eighth season overall at Maryland and his second year in his current stint as the Terrapins’ inside linebackers coach. Sharpless is a graduate of the University of Maryland and has coached twice previously in College Park.
Sharpless’ main area of concentration with the Terps is with middle and strongside linebackers. Under his guidance, middle linebacker E.J. Henderson flourished in 2001, becoming one of the top defensive players in the nation. Last year, Henderson became Maryland’s first consensus All-American since 1979, was named a finalist for the Dick Butkus Award, and earned recognition as the ACC Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
Prior to coming to Maryland, Sharpless was a member of the Rutgers football staff where he served as associate head coach from 1996-2000. In 1996 and ‘97, he was also the Scarlet Knights’ 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 football and track & field 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 3 1/2 years (1969-72) before enrolling at Maryland.
He is married to the former Linda DiColo, an assistant coach for Maryland's field hockey and women's lacrosse teams in the early '90s who also earned a graduate degree from the University. The 1991 lacrosse team she helped coach was runner-up in that year's NCAA Championships.
The couple has an 11-year-old daughter, Victoria.
The Sharpless File
Personal
Date of Birth: November 6, 1949
Hometown: Jacksonville, N.C.
Alma Mater: Maryland, ‘75
Coaching Experience
Maryland
2001- Assistant Coach - Inside Linebackers
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)
Recruiting Areas
Baltimore County (Maryland), Southern New Jersey, Massachussetts, Rhode Island
