PHILADELPHIA - Zack Mills, a four-year starter at quarterback for Penn State from 2001-04 under Joe Paterno, has been named offensive graduate assistant coach at Temple by head coach Al Golden. Mills becomes the fourth former Nittany Lion letterwinner on the Owl staff, joining Golden (TE, 1989-91), defensive coordinator Mark D'Onofrio (LB, 1989-91) and running backs coach Jeff Nixon (RB, 1996).
"I knew when I got the head coaching job at Temple University I would be hiring Zack Mills as our offensive graduate assistant," said Golden. "Zack had contacted me long before that and expressed a strong interest in entering the coaching profession. I met Zack when I was coaching at Penn State and obviously, he went on to have a great career for the Nittany Lions. Zack is a winner in every sense of the word. He was not a heralded recruit out of high school but willed himself into the starting role and was elected team captain. Zack is excited about the opportunity to learn from someone as knowledgeable as Coach DeLeone and thrilled to be back in Pennsylvania. I get the sense that Zack will apply the same leadership and work ethic to his coaching endeavor that he did as a player. He will be a great role model and asset to our players."
Mills was presented the Hall Foundation Award as Penn State's outstanding senior player in 2004, when he served as team captain. The Ijamsville, Md. standout concluded his career owning or sharing 18 school passing and total offense records. His 41 career touchdown passes and sixteen 200-yard passing games are tied for the PSU lead. His 7,796 career total offense yards are a school record and good for ninth place all-time in the Big Ten rankings.
Mills, who played in the 2005 Las Vegas All-American Classic, became the first player under Paterno to throw, catch and run for a touchdown in a game when he achieved the scoring trio in the 2004 season opener versus Akron. In 2002, he was a semifinalist for the coveted Davy O'Brien Award, presented to the nation's top quarterback.
Mills, born May 1, 1982, received a bachelors of science degree in kinesiology in December 2004. Cited on the Dean's List as a junior and senior, he received the 2004 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for outstanding sportsmanship and community service.
