Mark Michaels returns for his second season as a member of the Fordham University coaching staff and will again be responsible for the defensive line as well as serving as the co-special teams coordinator in 2008. Last year, Michaels helped the Rams improve both defensively and on special teams. The 2007 Rams led all of the NCAA Division I in net punting, averaging 40.52 yards/punt, while defensively, Fordham was the 13th-ranked team in the NCAA FCS in tackles for loss, averaging 7.75/game. The Fordham punting game was led by consensus All-American Ben Dato, who signed a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens, while the defense was led by defensive lineman Ryan Mehra, a Second Team All-Patriot League selection last fall. Michaels arrived at Rose Hill after serving as the assistant special teams coach of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005 and 2006, helping the Jaguars' special teams move from 16th in the NFL in 2004 to eighth in 2005. Jacksonville finished with a 12-4 record, earning an AFC wild card berth, with the Jaguars' special teams leading the NFL in overall offensive and defensive drive start points. In 2006, Jacksonville was one of two teams to block two punts while Maurice Jones-Drew ranked third in the league in kickoff returns. Prior to his two years in Jacksonville, Michaels coached for four years with the Seattle Seahawks, joining the organization as the assistant special teams coach in 2001 before being promoted to special teams coordinator in 2004. In 2004, he coached placekicker Josh Brown, who finished second in the league converting 23 of 25 field goal attempts (92.0 percent), and his squad had the fourth-fewest special teams penalties in the league. In 2003, the Seattle special teams units featured Pro Bowl player Alex Bannister, who helped contribute to 29 punts downed inside the 20, third best in the NFL. The Seahawks also led the league in lowest opponents punt return average (4.8). Michaels received his start in the NFL as the Cleveland Browns quality control coach in 1999 before being promoted to special teams coordinator for the 2000 season. Under his guidance, the Browns were second in the NFL in 2000 with four special teams takeaways, and were one of five teams without a punt or placekick blocked. Before joining the professional ranks, Michaels spent nine seasons coaching on the collegiate level. He was a member of the 1998 staff at the University of Massachusetts, serving as the linebackers and special teams coach on the 1998 NCAA I-AA National championship team, after serving in the same capacity at Brown University for four years (1994-97). Michaels broke into coaching at the University of New Haven in 1987 until he left the school in 1991 to serve as the head coach of the Helsinki (Finland) Roosters, guiding them to the 1991 Finnish National Championship. He then went on to coach the linebackers for the Utah Pioneers of the Professional Spring Football League in 1992-93. A 1986 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Michaels was a two-time First Team All-New England selection and the Yankee Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. He stills holds the career sack record at Connecticut with 27.