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New coach Kevin Wilson is bringing back a familiar name to Indiana football: Mallory.
Two weeks after accepting the Hoosiers job, Wilson hired Doug Mallory and Mike Ekeler as co-defensive coordinators. Mallory is the son of former Indiana coach Bill Mallory, who has the most wins of any coach in school history.
''We are excited to come back to Bloomington to be a part of the Indiana football program and get the opportunity to work with Coach Wilson,'' Mallory said Monday in a statement released by the school. ''The program is in great shape and is not far from being in a position to compete for the Big Ten title. We are anxious to get started.''
Mallory has worked in Bloomington twice before. He was a graduate assistant for his father in 1988 and coached Indiana's special teams and defensive backs from 1994 to 1996. His father also sat in the front row during Wilson's introductory news conference earlier this month.
The younger coach spent the last two seasons running New Mexico's defense after four seasons at LSU.
But like Wilson and Ekeler, Doug Mallory also has Big 12 ties. He spent four seasons at Oklahoma State coaching the defensive backs, and Mallory will be in charge of the safeties again at Indiana.
Ekeler joins the Hoosiers after coaching Nebraska's linebackers for the last three seasons. He also worked with Wilson at Oklahoma for two seasons, and was on the same LSU staff with Mallory for three seasons.
''I could not be more excited to come to Indiana,'' Ekeler said. ''I've had the opportunity to work with Coach Wilson at Oklahoma, and I think the world of him as a coach and a person. Coach Mallory is a great friend and coach. We are ready to build something really special.''
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini called Ekeler an outstanding coach who's also an ace on the recruiting trail.
Indiana signed Wilson to a seven-year, $8.4 million contract earlier this month. He replaces Bill Lynch, who was fired after a 5-7 season.
Mallory and Ekeler are the first hires Wilson has made since taking the job. They will not be the last and Purdue assistant Mark Hagen could be in the mix.
On Twitter, Purdue defensive end Ryan Kerrigan posted this: ''Sad to see Coach Hagen go but I wish him all the best! Thanks coach for getting me to Purdue.''
Indiana made no official announcement Monday.
Mallory has also coached at Western Kentucky, Army and Maryland and played college ball at Michigan from 1984-87. Ekeler graduated from Kansas State in 1995.
