Mike Mallory enters his fifth season as part of the Jaguars special teams coaching unit in 2017. He has 31 years of coaching experience, including 22 years at the collegiate level.

Mike Mallory enters his fifth season as part of the Jaguars special teams coaching unit in 2017. He has 31 years of coaching experience, including 22 years at the collegiate level.

The 2015 special teams unit was ranked third 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. Jacksonville finished with 295 points and was ranked third in 2015, trailing only Baltimore (231) and N.Y. Giants (271.5). The Jaguars jumped from 27th place in 2014 to third place in 2015 in Gosselin’s rankings, the highest increase by any team this past season.

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), ranked sixth in opponent gross punting average (43.9) and finished 10th in gross punting average (46.3). The club was also fifth in the AFC and 12th in the NFL with an 86.7 percent (26 of 30) made field goal percentage.

Mallory’s unit also had an impressive season returning punts. Rookie WR Rashad Greene, who was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a punt 73 yards for a touchdown in the Jaguars’ 51-16 victory in Week 14 vs. Indianapolis, returned 18 punts for 301 yards (16.7 punt return average) in 2015. Greene’s 73-yard punt return was the fourth-longest in Jaguars history and the first-ever punt return for touchdown by a Jaguars rookie. Greene’s 16.7 punt return average ranked first among NFL players with at least 15 punt returns in 2015. 
 
In 2015, Mallory also tutored first-year kicker Jason Myers, who converted 86.7 pct. of his field goal attempts, the best career mark by a Jaguars kicker (min. 30 attempts). Myers capped the season making each of his final 13 field goals, as well as 19 of his last 20 (95 pct.) overall dating back to Week 5. In Week 2 vs. Miami, Myers connected on a career-long 58-yard field goal, the second-longest in franchise history. Myers’ 58-yarder tied with Kyle Bridgza for the third-longest made field goal by an NFL kicker in 2015. In addition, Myers made two game-winning field goals: in Week 10 at Baltimore, he nailed a 53-yarder with no time on the clock to give the Jaguars a 22-20 road victory; and in Week 2 vs. Miami, he kicked a 28-yarder that gave Jacksonville a 23-20 advantage with 40 seconds remaining in the game. 

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).  Kicker Josh Scobee led the team with 83 points, his seventh consecutive season with 80-plus points, and was successful on 10 field goals of 40-plus yards and two onside kicks.    
 
The Jaguars’ special teams unit in 2013 ranked among the best in the NFL. The Jaguars improved from 20th in the NFL to 2nd in opponents average starting field position (19.6), 27th to 3rd in kickoff return average (25.9) and 27th to 9th in average starting field position after kickoff (22.5). The Jaguars led the NFL in highest percentage (85.4) of kickoff returns of 20-plus yards and allowed the fewest opponent kickoff returns of 20-plus yards (12). Scobee produced one of the best statistical seasons of his 10-year NFL career, leading the team with 91 points and connecting on 23 of 25 field goals (92.0). The 92 percent tied for the second-best of his career. Anger led the NFL with 95 punts for 4,338 yards, surpassing the previous franchise records he set as a rookie. Jordan Todman finished with a 27.4-yard kickoff return average, the second-highest in franchise history for a season. The Jaguars blocked two kicks and forced one fumble on special teams.

Mallory previously spent five seasons (2008-12) with the New Orleans Saints, four as assistant special teams coach and one season as assistant secondary coach. From 2008-10 and in 2012, Mallory worked solely with the Saints special teams. He assisted in the development of kicker Garrett Hartley and punter Thomas Morstead. Hartley has converted 84.5 percent of his field goals since entering the NFL in 2008. Morstead, a 2009 fifth-round draft pick, has a 47.1-yard career average on 64 punts with a 40.3 net. He ranked second in the NFL in 2012 with a career-best 50.1-yard average and 43.2-yard net average.Thomas 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.

As assistant secondary coach in 2011, Mallory helped tutor a unit where safeties Roman Harper (116) and Malcolm Jenkins (97) ranked among the team’s top two leaders in tackles, while Harper’s 7.5 sacks were a team-high and the second-highest total by an NFL defensive back since sacks were recognized as an official statistic in 1982. Cornerback Jabari Greer posted a career-high 83 tackles and 23 passes defensed, while Patrick Robinson led the club with four interceptions in his second season.

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.

COACHING BACKGROUND: Indiana 1986-87, Kent State 1988-90, Eastern Illinois 1991-92, Rhode Island 1993-95, Northern Illinois 1996-1999, Maryland 2000, Illinois 2001-05, Kansas 2006, Louisville 2007, New Orleans Saints 2008-12, Jacksonville Jaguars 2013-16.