May 31, 2006

Champaign, Ill. - University of Illinois head football coach Ron Zook announced today the hiring of former Akron offensive coordinator Jim Pry to serve as offensive assistant and tight ends coach. Pry brings more than 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, including over 14 seasons as an offensive coordinator, to the Illini staff.

"I am thrilled to have Jim (Pry) join our staff," Zook said. "The experience he will bring to Illinois is invaluable. He knows how to win and has been highly successful at many different levels of collegiate football. We have a very similar philosophy in offensive scheme, developing players and recruiting. Jim will be a perfect fit to our already close-knit staff."

In his two seasons at Akron, Pry has tutored many successful offensive skill players. In 2005, Pry tutored junior quarterback Luke Getsy as his 3,000 passing yards ranked third on the Akron single-season passing yards list. Running back Brett Biggs earned his second-consecutive second-team All-MAC honor, rushing for 1,230 yards and 10 touchdowns. WR Domenik Hixon posted 1,210 receiving yards, making the Zips the 31st team in NCAA Division I-A history to possess a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver.

In his first year on the Zips' staff, Pry served as mentor to record setting QB and MAC Player-of-the-Year Charlie Frye. Frye's 2,623 yards through the air in 2004 ranks fourth on the Akron single-season passing yardage list. The Heisman Trophy candidate finished his career No. 11 on the NCAA career total offense chart (11,478) and No. 16 on the NCAA career passing yards list (11,049).

Pry went to Akron following three seasons at Duke, where he served as the quarterbacks coach for two years (2000-01) before being elevated to offensive coordinator prior to the 2002 campaign. In 2003, running back Chris Douglas was named first team All-ACC and became just the fourth player in Duke football history to rush for 1,000+ yards in a season.

Before his stretch at Duke, Pry spent 11 seasons (1990-00) as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) University. A native of Altoona, Pa., Pry and his offense helped lead the Warriors to the 1991 Division II playoffs. His offense also ranked No. 1 nationally in total offense in 1996, (509 yards-per-game) and passing offense (404 ypg), and broke or reset 54 school, conference and NCAA records. Under his guidance the Warriors averaged 25 or more points per game in all but one of his 11 seasons.

Pry spent the 1989 season as the offensive coordinator at the University at Buffalo and four seasons (1985-88) as the offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks and receivers coach at VMI. In 1985 his offense set 13 school and one NCAA record.

During the 1981 season he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks/receivers coach at West Liberty State before moving to assistant head coach/defensive coordinator for the 1982-84 seasons. Pry also served as offensive and defensive coordinator at West Virginia Tech (1975-76) after spending the 1973-74 seasons as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Marshall. Pry moved on to become head coach at Lewis County High School from 1977-80.

Pry is a 1974 graduate of Marshall with a degree in physical education, and went on to earn a master's degree in physical education from the school in 1975. He and his wife Kathy have three adult sons, Brent (defensive coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette), Nathan and Jon (QB coach at South Carolina State).

THE PRY FILE
2004-05    Akron (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
2002-03    Duke (offensive coordinator)
2001       Duke (quarterbacks)
1990-2000  East Stroudsburg (PA) (offensive coordinator/offensive line)
1989       Buffalo (offensive coordinator)
1985-88    Virginia Military Institute (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks)
1982-84    West Liberty State (asst. head coach/defensive coordinator)
1981       West Liberty State (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/
           receivers)
1977-80    Lewis County High School (head coach)
1975-76    West Virginia Tech (offensive and defensive coordinator)
1973-74    Marshall (graduate assistant)