Temple University Athletics
Randy Melvin Joins Temple Football Staff
3.5.09 | Football
March 5, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Randy Melvin has joined the Temple football coaching staff as the defensive line coach, head coach Al Golden announced on Thursday.
"Temple University, our student-athletes, and our football program are blessed to have a coach of Randy Melvin's character, experience, and professionalism joining the Owls," Golden said. "Coach Melvin's background is exceptional with stops in the Big East, Big Ten, the Cleveland Browns, and of course, earning a World Championship in 2001 with the New England Patriots. We are thrilled to have Randy and his wife Karen join the Temple football family."
"I am extremely excited about joining the Temple football and University family," Melvin said. "I look forward to working with these young men."
Jared Backus, who has coached the Owls' defensive line for the last two seasons, will take over the linebackers, replacing Curtis Bray who went to Iowa State as the defensive line coach.
A native of Aurora, Ill., Melvin spent the last four seasons as the defensive line coach for the NFL Cleveland Browns.
After the Patriots' defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was hired as the Browns' head coach in 2005, Melvin rejoined the NFL coaching ranks as the Browns' defensive line coach.
Melvin served for two seasons as defensive line coach with the New England Patriots, including the 2001 Super Bowl Champion season.
For the 1995 training camp, Melvin worked with the Denver Broncos as part of the NFL's minority coaching fellowship program. He participated in this program for the next two years with the New York Jets, the second of which, 1997, was spent while Bill Belichick was the Jets' assistant head coach. When Belichick left the Jets in 2000 to serve as the New England Patriots' head coach, Melvin was hired as the Patriots' defensive line coach. In his second and final season with the team in 2001, Melvin earned his first Super Bowl ring by winning Super Bowl XXXVI.
In 1988, Melvin entered the collegiate coaching ranks at his alma mater Eastern Illinois as the defensive line coach. After seven seasons with Eastern Illinois, he left for Wyoming to be the defensive tackles coach for the 1995 and 1996 seasons. The Cowboys were impressive under Melvin's tutelage, recording a Western Athletic Conference best 33 sacks in 1995, and following it up with another league best 46 sacks in 1996.
From 1997 through 1999, Melvin served as Purdue's defensive ends coach. He returned to college coaching in 2002 as the defensive line coach at Rutgers. After two seasons with the team, he spent the 2004 season with Illinois as the defensive line coach before returning to the professional ranks.
A 1982 graduate of Eastern Illinois, Melvin was a starter on the defensive line for Panthers for three seasons and received AP All-America recognition (Division II) in 1979 and 1980. He also earned his master's degree from the school in 1993. He was inducted to the Halls of Fame at both Eastern Illinois University (1995) and Aurora West High School (1994).
Melvin and his wife Karen are the proud parents of two children, Lance and Malia.
"Randy has developed several very good defensive linemen," said former Browns head coach Romeo Crennel. "He brings a very structured and organized approach and is an excellent teacher.
Temple opens spring practice on Tuesday, March 17. The Owls host Villanova in the inaugural Mayor's Cup in the 2009 season opener on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Lincoln Financial Field.
MELVIN'S COACHING FILE
Temple
[2009-present]
2009 - Defensive Line
Cleveland Browns [2005-08] 2005-08 - Defensive Line
Illinois [2004] 2004 - Defensive Line
Rutgers [2002-03] 2002-03 - Defensive Line
New England Patriots [2000-01] 2000-01 - Defensive Line
Purdue [1997-99] 1997-99 - Defensive Ends
NFL Coaching Fellowship [1995-97] 1996-97 - New York Jets 1995 - Denver Broncos
Wyoming [1995-95] 1995-96 - Defensive Tackles
Eastern Illinois [1988-94] 1988-94 - Defensive Line
