The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Rick Mallory Named Offensive Line Coach At UAB
2/11/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 11, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- Rick Mallory, a veteran coach who spent five seasons as a player in the NFL before beginning his coaching career, has been named the offensive line coach at UAB, according to an announcement by Blazers' head coach Neil Callaway.
Mallory, 50, will bring 17 years of college coaching experience with him to UAB.
Mallory, who takes over the Blazers' offensive line position left vacant with the departure of Will Friend to Georgia earlier this week, served 10 years as the offensive line coach at the University of Memphis before spending last season as the director of football operations at the University of Wyoming.
Prior to going to Memphis, Mallory was the tight ends coach at the University of Washington, his alma mater, from 1993-98.
"Rick's experience speaks for itself," said Callaway. "He was an outstanding player in college and played professionally in the NFL. Watching his offensive lines play when he was at Memphis, I was always impressed. He has an outstanding reputation and we are excited to have him on our staff."
From 2000-09 when Mallory was on the staff at Memphis, the Tigers earned five bowl berths in those 10 seasons.
In 2009, Mallory's offensive line helped pave the way for senior running back Curtis Steele to earn first-team All-Conference USA honors as Steele finished No. 7 in the NCAA in rushing and scoring. Memphis ranked No. 3 in Conference USA in rushing offense in 2009, gaining an average of 158.8 yards per game on the ground. Mallory's '09 offensive line allowed an average of only 1.42 sacks per game to rank No. 35 in the NCAA.
The 2008 Tiger offense ranked 22nd in the nation in rushing offense and 26th in total offense, while ranking 21st in fewest sacks allowed. The year prior in '07, Memphis ranked No. 13 in the NCAA in passing offense, No. 23 in total offense and No. 10 in fewest sacks given up.
From 2002-05, Mallory's offensive line unit blocked for running back DeAngelo Williams, who earned All-America honors in both 2004 and 2005. The 2005 Tiger offense ranked fifth in the nation in rushing offense, and the 2004 edition ranked ninth in total offense. In four of his last six seasons at Memphis, Mallory's offensive line led Conference USA in fewest sacks allowed.
During his time at Memphis, he coached six first-team All-Conference USA offensive linemen, one second-team selection, four third-team honorees and five Conference USA All-Freshman team choices.
Prior to Memphis, Mallory coached at Washington for seven seasons, beginning as a graduate assistant coach in 1992. He became a full-time assistant in `93, coaching the tight ends and special teams from 1993-98. The Huskies earned five bowl berths over that seven-year period
Mallory was a three-year letterman at Washington from 1981-83. As a freshman and sophomore, Mallory played tight end. His junior year, Mallory was converted to offensive guard, and he went on to earn All-Pacific 10 Conference honors his senior season of 1983.
Following his college playing career, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Mallory in the ninth round of the 1984 NFL Draft. He played for the Buccaneers for five seasons from 1984-88.
He and his wife Shannon have three grown sons: Ryan, Adam and Cameron; and two daughters, Naomi and Fiona. Mallory earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Washington in 1983.
