Oct. 2, 2008

OXFORD, Ohio - Three members of Miami University's famed Cradle of Coaches--BILL MALLORY, RANDY WALKER and TERRY HOEPPNER--are being honored at Saturday's game vs. Temple, and another--DICK CRUM--will be in attendance.

Mallory, Miami's football coach from 1969 through 1973, is being honored as part of the athletic department's salute to its Cradle members. He will not only be featured on the game ticket and on the game program, but he and his wife, Ellie, will be introduced to the crowd in a special ceremony between the first and second quarters. Also in attendance will be more than 50 of Mallory's former players, including several from the 1973 team which compiled a perfect 11-0 record. Mallory was a three-year football letter winner (1954-56) at Miami. During his tenure, Mallory compiled a 39-12-0 mark, which included a 16-7 victory over Florida in the 1973 Tangerine Bowl. Mallory ranks seventh all-time at Miami in career winning percentage (.765) and all-time victories (39). He also coached at Colorado (1974-78), Northern Illinois (1980-83), and Indiana (1984-96).

In honor of Walker and Hoeppner's induction into the Cradle of Coaches Association, wives Tammy Walker and Jane Hoeppner will be honored in a ceremony at Yager Stadium between the third and fourth quarters. The late coaches are only the 50th and 51st members to be inducted.

A 1976 Miami graduate, Walker played on three straight Mid-American Conference championship teams (1973-75) that posted a 32-1-1 record and won three successive Tangerine Bowls. Walker was an assistant coach at Miami (1977) before spending 10 seasons as an assistant at North Carolina. Walker then became head coach at Miami in 1990, and over nine seasons (1990-98), he won 59 games, which is the most for a head coach in program history. Walker then went on to coach at Northwestern (1999-2006) before passing away on June 29, 2006. He is a member of the Miami Hall of Fame.

A member of the Miami football program for 19 seasons, which is the longest stay of any coach in program history, Hoeppner spent 13 seasons as an assistant coach (1986-98) before taking over as head coach in 1999. As head coach (1999-2004), Hoeppner led Miami to a pair of Mid-American Conference East Division titles and back-to-back bowl games (2003-04). Hoeppner's finest season was 2003 when Miami finished 13-1 overall, racked up a program-record 13 straight wins, and finished with a No. 10 ranking in the Associated Press Poll. Hoeppner was named the head football coach at Indiana on Dec. 17, 2004 and compiled a 9-14 record in two seasons before passing away on June 19, 2007.

Also attending Saturday's game in the salute to Bill Mallory is former Miami football coach Dick Crum. A 2001 inductee into Miami's "Cradle of Coaches Association," He served as both an assistant coach (1969-73) and head coach (1974-77) with the Red and White. Crum amassed a 34-10-1 record during four seasons and led Miami to three Mid-American Conference titles, three 10-win seasons, and two Tangerine Bowl victories. Crum's 34 wins rank ninth all-time at Miami, and his .767 winning percentage ranks sixth on Miami's all-time list. Crum went on to coach at North Carolina (1978-87) and Kent State (1988-90).

In other news, Miami University has learned of the recent death of JACK FAULKNER, a 1995 inductee into Miami's Cradle of Coaches Association. A Miami football letter winner in 1947 and '48, Faulkner died last Sunday night (Sept. 28) in Newport Beach, California at the age of 82. A native of Youngstown, Ohio, he served in the Marines during World War II, then played college football at Miami. He began his coaching career in 1949 at the University of Cincinnati under head coach Gillman. Faulkner joined Gillman's Rams in 1955 and was associated with the team for 43 of the 53 years he worked in pro football. Faulkner followed Gillman to the Los Angeles Chargers in the early 1960s on a coaching staff that also included future Raiders owner Al Davis and future Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll. When the team moved to San Diego, Faulkner went with them, coaching the defensive backs. Faulkner became the Denver Broncos' coach and general manager in 1962 and was honored as AFL coach of the year after leading the financially strapped franchise to a 7-7 record. He worked as an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints before rejoining the Rams in 1971 as a professional and college scout. Faulkner served as offensive backfield coach for the 1979 season, helping the Rams reach their first Super Bowl, which they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 1980, he was appointed assistant general manager of the Rams. Faulkner is survived by his wife, Debbie, three sons and a daughter.

--www.MURedHawks.com--

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