Bill Mallory
Former Northern Illinois and Miami (Ohio) head football coach Bill Mallory, who led the Huskies to their first Mid-American Conference title, has been selected for induction into the MAC Hall of Fame, the league announced Thursday.
The head coach at Northern Illinois from 1980 to 1983, Mallory posted a 25-19 record, and led the Huskies to the 1983 MAC title and a victory in the 1983 California Bowl in four seasons in DeKalb.
Mallory amassed an overall record of 166-120-4 (.579) and led three different teams to conference titles in 27 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
He began his head coaching career at his alma mater, Miami University, in 1969 where he coached for five seasons. Mallory posted a 39-12 record, won the 1973 MAC championship and defeated Florida in the Tangerine Bowl at Miami.
Mallory spent five years at Colorado (1974-78) where he went 35-21-1, won a Big Eight Conference title and made two bowl appearances.
Following his success at NIU, Mallory spent 13 seasons as head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers (1984-96). His IU teams compiled a 69-77-3 record, and he led the Hoosiers to six bowl appearances. Mallory earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1986 and 1987, and coached current NIU head coach Rod Carey during his playing days at Indiana.
Coach Rod Carey
“I always say, there are three men in my life that were very influential on me,” Carey said. “My dad; my high school football coach, Roger LaPelt; and Bill Mallory.
“The impact he had on me and my life and other players that played for him set the course for our lives in a way that would not have been the same had he not been in our lives. He was a tough, hard-nosed, get the job done type of guy. But, at the same time he knew when to have a soft hand with you.”
Mallory was inducted into the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame (1980), the NIU Athletic Hall of Fame (1999), the Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame (1993), the Indiana Football Hall of Fame (1993) and Miami University’s “Cradle of Coaches” Association (1995).
One of seven new inductees into the MAC Hall of Fame for 2013, Mallory is joined by Dave Keilitz (Central Michigan, baseball), Kim Knuth (Toledo, women’s basketball), Brad Maynard (Ball State, football), John Offerdahl (Western Michigan, football), Christi Smith (Akron, track and field) and Gary Trent (Ohio, men’s basketball). The group will be inducted Thursday, May 30, at the MAC Honor’s Dinner at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel.
“It’s only appropriate for our conference to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our former student-athletes and coaches, specifically these seven individuals, and their achievements during their time competing in the Mid-American Conference,” said Jon Steinbrecher, MAC Commissioner. “We are honored to welcome them to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame.”
For more information on NIU football and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.
