Mike Mallory is in his seventh season as part of the Jaguars special teams coaching unit in 2019. He has 33 years of coaching experience, including 22 years at the collegiate level.
Last season, Mallory assisted Special Teams Coordinator Joe DeCamillis with coaching a special teams unit that finished first in the NFL in opposing KR avg. (17.8) and second in opposing PR avg. (5.0). The 2018 special teams unit was ranked seventh in the NFL in the Dallas Morning News’ annual special teams rankings. Dallas Morning News columnist Rick Gosselin uses a points system based on 22 categories to rank each of the 32 NFL teams’ special teams units at the end of each season. K Josh Lambo converted 19 of 20 PATs and 19 of 21 FGs before finishing the season on the reserve/injured list. Lambo, who finished with a 90.5 FG percentage in 2018, became the first kicker in franchise history to post back-to-back seasons with a field goal percentage of at least 90.0. Rookie P Logan Cooke recorded a franchise-record 37 punts inside the 20, the third-most in the NFL and the most among rookies. His 41.3 net punting avg. was the highest for a single season in franchise history. WR Dede Westbrook scored a TD on a 74-yard punt return, marking the third-longest punt return in franchise history, and finished the season with a 14.0 punt return avg., fifth in the NFL among players with at least 10 punt returns. Westbrook joined Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill as the only two players in the NFL last season to record as least 500 receiving yards and one punt return TD.
In 2017, Mallory assisted a unit that underwent a midseason kicking change as Lambo was acquired and finished the season 19 of 20 on FGs (95.0 percent), including 12 of 12 at TIAA Bank Field. Lambo’s 95.0 field goal percentage was the best mark in Jaguars single-season history among kickers with at least 10 FG attempts.
Mallory’s special teams unit led the NFL in 2015 in yards per punt return (11.7), ranked second in opponent net punting average (36.4), sixth in opponent gross punting average (43.9) and 10th in gross punting average (46.3). Mallory’s unit also had an impressive season returning punts. Rookie WR Rashad Greene, who returned a punt 73 yards for a TD, returned 18 punts for 301 yards (16.7 average) in 2015. Greene’s 73-yard punt return was the fourth-longest in Jaguars history and the first-ever punt return for TD by a Jaguars rookie.
In 2014, the Jaguars ranked 10th in opponents average starting field position after a kickoff (21.2 avg.) and 13th in average starting position after kickoff (21.9 avg.). Punter Bryan Anger ranked among NFL leaders in gross punting average (2nd, 47.4), punts of 50-plus yards (1st, 39) and punts of 60-plus yards (1st, 12).
The Jaguars’ special teams unit in 2013 ranked among the best in the NFL. The Jaguars improved to 2nd in opponents average starting field position (19.6), 3rd in kickoff return average (25.9) and 9th in average starting field position after kickoff (22.5).
Mallory previously spent five seasons (2008-12) with the New Orleans Saints, four as assistant special teams coach and one as assistant secondary coach. From 2008-10 and in 2012, Mallory worked solely with the Saints’ special teams unit. He assisted in the development of kicker Garrett Hartley and punter Thomas Morstead. Morstead and safety, Chris Reis, played an important role in its Super Bowl XLIV victory with the successful execution of “Ambush” at the beginning of the second half with the surprise onside kick.
Mallory spent the 2007 season at Louisville where he served as secondary coach. He served as linebackers coach at Kansas in 2006 after five seasons (2001-05) as an assistant at Illinois including his final two seasons as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach. He was promoted to linebackers in 2003 after spending his previous two years working with the safeties.
Mallory began his coaching career at Indiana from 1986-87 and also had stints at Kent State (1988-90), Eastern Illinois (1991-92), Rhode Island (1993-95), Northern Illinois (1996-99) and Maryland (2000). He had a standout career as a linebacker at Michigan, twice earning All-Big Ten honors and was a two-year captain. He was a finalist for the 1985 Butkus Award, given to the nation’s premier linebacker. During his collegiate career, he played in four bowl games and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sports administration.
A native of Bowling Green, Ohio, Mallory is from a distinguished football family. He is the son of Bill Mallory, who has served as a head coach at Indiana, Colorado, Northern Illinois and Miami University (Ohio). His brother, Doug, is currently the defensive assistant/secondary coach for the Atlanta Falcons. His youngest brother, Curt, is currently the secondary/pass game coordinator for the University of Wyoming.
Mallory and his wife, Kim, have a daughter, Kathryn, and a son, William.
