Recently promoted, Greg McMahon enters his third season with the Saints and first as special teams coordinator. By stressing consistency and opportunistic play, the experienced coach has played a key role in the club’s improvement on special teams over the last two years.

McMahon served as assistant special teams coach for his previous two seasons, a stint where the Saints have blocked a punt, a pair of field goals and scored three touchdowns on special teams – including a game-winning punt return.

McMahon joined the Saints after a one-year stop as tight ends/special teams coach at East Carolina. In 2005, the Pirates finished in the top 20 in the nation in field goal accuracy and had a pair of solid return men. As tight ends coach, McMahon was part of an staff that directed East Carolina to the fourth-highest passing total in school history.

He spent 13 years at the University of Illinois (1992-2004), working primarily with the special teams, tight ends and wide receivers. In 1997, McMahon took on the additional responsibility of overseeing the special teams. His efforts were integral in Illinois making four bowl appearances and twice appearing in the final national rankings, and in 2001 the school finished 10-2 and captured the Big Ten title.

Based on the records his units established, the play of the special teams during McMahon’s years at Illinois are unmatched in school history. Illinois blocked 16 kicks from 2001-04 and accounted for nine touchdowns. K Neil Rackers, now with the Arizona Cardinals, and punt return yardage leader Eugene Wilson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) both benefited from McMahon’s guidance. Players under his direction included the school leaders in career punting average, single-season scoring and all-time punt return yardage.

McMahon, 47, came to Illinois in 1992 from Nevada-Las Vegas, where he spent two years as special teams coordinator as well as coaching offensive tackles and tight ends. He has also had stints with Valdosta (Ga.) State, Southern Illinois, North Alabama and Minnesota.

As a defensive back at Eastern Illinois, he was a member of two teams that played for the NCAA Division II National Championship. The Panthers won the title in 1978 and went to the championship game again two years later. McMahon earned a degree in psychology from EIU in 1983.

McMahon and wife, Linda, are the parents of sons Drew and Sam and daughter Lisa.