Coaching Candidate Profile: Terry Malone
According to multiple sources, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has begun formal interviews for the vacant offensive assistant position after Chip Long's departure in December.
Bowling Green offensive line/offensive coordinator Terry Malone was on campus this week as part of that process.
According to a source, Malone met with a number of players while on campus, which is customary. The interesting part of that is he met with tight ends and offensive tackles. That could be nothing more than tackles like Robert Hainsey and Liam Eichenberg are team leaders and Malone will only coach tight ends, or it could mean Kelly is considering hiring a tight ends/offensive tackles coach, which is something both Nick Saban and Urban Meyer have done at times.
Let's take a look at the Malone resume:
Malone was with the Falcons for one season after coming over from Western Michigan, where he spent two seasons as the running backs coach/director of player development for the Broncos. It was his second stint at Bowling Green, having served as the offensive line coach, tight ends coach and offensive coordinator at times during a stretch from 1986 to 1995.
He was the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Purdue in 2015-16, his first stint back in college after spending the previous nine seasons as the tight ends coach with the New Orleans Saints. Purdue averaged just 24.8 points and 113.8 rushing yards per game (3.5 YPC) in his two seasons running the offense in West Lafayette.
Malone was part of the Saints Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts. During his tenure in New Orleans he coached both Jimmy Graham and Jeremy Shockey. The duo combined for four Pro Bowl selections during Malone's nine seasons. New Orleans went 87-57 in the regular season during his nine seasons on staff and 6-4 in the playoffs.
Malone was the offensive line coach at Michigan from 1997 to 2005. He took over the offensive coordinator role in 2002, and the Wolverines finished ranked in the Top 10 in his first two seasons at the helm. Michigan won a split national championship in 1997, which was Malone's first season as the offensive line coach.
The Wolverines won five Big Ten championships during Malone's nine seasons on staff, including the 2003 and 2004 conference titles with Malone as the offensive coordinator. Michigan ranked 12th nationally in scoring offense in 2003 and 24th in 2004, but ranked between No. 38 and 61 in rushing offense in those four seasons.
Michigan produced seven drafted offensive linemen during Malone's tenure, including a pair of first round picks (Steve Hutchinson, Jeff Backus) and two second round picks (Jon Jansen, Maurice Williams). Michigan produced five 1,000-yard rushers and a 2,000-yard rusher during Malone's tenure.
Malone played tight end at Holy Cross, graduating in 1983.
This was the first formal interview for the position, but more are expected, so stay locked into Irish Breakdown for more.
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