Meet Mike Mallory, The Jaguars’ New ST Coordinator

Greg McMahon (pictured) has taught Mallory everything he knows about special teams coaching.  Let’s hope it pays off for the Jaguars.  Source:  Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

With the offensive and defensive coordinator position filled by Jedd Fisch and Bob Babich, respectively, the Jacksonville Jaguars now turn to filling the void at the special teams coordinator position.  Meet Mike Mallory, the new ST coordinator.

Mallory comes to the Jags from the New Orleans Saints.  His work is cut out for him in Jacksonville.  The Jaguar special teams units flubbed kick and punt returns all season long before having the entire season of special teams miscues encapsulated in the Week 17 game against the Tennessee Titans.  Mallory will hope to fix that.

During his tenure as assistant special teams coordinator for the Saints from 2008-2012, Mallory has managed to field a competitive special teams unit.  The Saints website praises Mallory as “an experienced coach who has built a reputation for attention to detail, preparation, and intensity throughout his career…”  Most of Mallory’s time in New Orleans was spent under coordinator Greg McMahon while he learned how to coach special teams, having focused most his coaching career in college on linebackers.

Mallory’s special teams units have been good but not spectacular.  The Saints had 20 missed tackles on special teams (five less than the Jaguars) in 2012 to go along with 20 penalties (eight more than the Jaguars).  The return game did not have a return touchdown all season in 2012 and have only had five since 2008 (Reggie Bush had three that season).  The Jaguars have had problems covering kickoff and punt returns over the past couple of seasons and have failed to field a legitimate return threat since Maurice Jones-Drew’s rookie and sophomore seasons.  The Jaguars have only had one return touchdown since 2008.

Mallory’s tenure with the Jaguars will be his first as a special teams coordinator and his first as a coordinator in the NFL.  He was the defensive coordinator/linebackers coach for Rhode Island and Northern Illinois from 1993-1999 before moving back to linebackers coach with Maryland and Illinois before returning to DC for the Fighting Illini 2004-2005.

– Luke N. Sims

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