Phil Zacharias is in his second season coaching running backs at Maryland.
The college and professional coaching veteran oversees one of the deepest and most talented positions on the team.
Last season, Zacharias tutored the running backs units with great success, as Lance Ball and Keon Lattimore provided a steady one-two punch at tailback. That duo rushed for over 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the fullback tandem of Tim Cesa and Cory Jackson was effective in blocking, as well as the rushing and catching the ball out of the backfield.
Ball and Lattimore are back to lead this year's unit, but Zacharias is grooming youngsters Da'Rel Scott and Morgan Green.
Zacharias possesses a wealth of experience, his resume dotted with successful stints at both the professional and collegiate levels. He spent the 2005 season working with the defensive line at Temple.
Zacharias, 48, has spent his coaching career prior to Maryland on the defensive side of the ball while also working with special teams.
He joined the Baltimore Ravens in 2002 as a defensive line assistant and coached outside linebackers in 2003 before serving as a defensive assistant in 2004 when the team reached the NFL Divisional playoffs. In 2003, linebacker Terrell Suggs was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and fellow linebackers Peter Boulware and Adalius Thomas were both selected to the Pro Bowl. Thomas was the conference's special teams selection. In 2004, the Ravens ranked sixth in the National Football League in total defense and had four defensive players selected to the Pro Bowl (Suggs, safety Ed Reed, linebacker Ray Lewis and cornerback Chris McAlister).
Prior to his move into the NFL ranks, Zacharias spent seven years at Stanford (1995-2001), directing defensive ends and special teams under Tyrone Willingham. In four of his seven seasons, he coached a Pac-10 leader in sacks. Under his tutelage, the Cardinal ranked second nationally in punt returns (2001) and kickoff returns (1995). In addition, Zacharias tutored first team All-America kick returner Luke Powell and Lombardi Award finalist Kailee Wong, a second-round selection of the Minnesota Vikings.
No stranger to success at the college level, Zacharias' stops have included trips to the Rose, Sun, Liberty and Seattle bowl games.
Zacharias began his coaching career at Georgetown (Ky.) College in 1981 as a secondary coach before moving to Saint Paul College in Virginia, where he mentored defensive backs from 1982-84.
The Sewickley, Pa., native also served as an assistant at North Carolina (graduate assistant, 1985), Morehead State (defensive coordinator, 1988; outside linebackers and special teams, 1987; strength coach and outside linebackers, 1986), Eastern Michigan (outside linebackers, 1989-90), Rutgers (outside linebackers, 1991-93) and Asbury Park (N.J.) HS (defensive coordinator, 1994).
A four-year letterwinner at Salem College (W.Va.), Zacharias earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and health in 1981 before receiving his master's in education at Georgetown College in 1982. He attended Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, Pa., where he played football, baseball and ran track. Zacharias and his wife, Linda, have a 16-year-old son Jameson.
The Zacharias File
Personal
Date of Birth: February 12, 1959
Hometown: Sewickley, Pa.
Alma Mater: Salem College, `81
Coaching Experience
Maryland 2006-pr.: Assistant Coach - Running Backs
Temple 2005: Assistant Coach - Defensive Line
Baltimore Ravens 2002-04: Defensive Assistant/Outside Linebackers
Notre Dame 2002: Assistant Coach - Linebackers/Special Teams
Stanford 1995-01: Assistant Coach - Defensive Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
Los Angeles Rams 1994: Intern
Rutgers 1991-93: Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
Eastern Michigan 1989-90: Assistant Coach - Outside Linebackers
Morehead State 1986-88 Assistant Coach - Linebackers/Special Teams and Defensive Coordinator
North Carolina 1985: Graduate Assistant Coach - Defense
St. Paul's College (Va.) 1982-84: Assistant Coach - Secondary
Georgetown College (Ky.) 1981 Assistant Coach - Linebackers
Playing Experience
The Citadel 1977-80 Running Back/Linebacker
Recruiting Areas
Maryland (Baltimore and Baltimore county), western Pennsylvania, central Georgia
