Ron Vanderlinden

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Ron Vanderlinden is an assistant college football coach at Penn State University. He was formerly head coach at the University of Maryland from 1997 to 2000 until he was fired. There he compiled a terrible 15-29 record, and never made a bowl appearance.

As the current linebackers coach for the Nittany Lions, Vanderlinden has helped rebuild the schools tradition as "Linebacker U." He has developed one of the top linebacker units in the nation, led by 2005 Butkus and Bednarik award winner Paul Posluszny, a consensus All-American. He also coached Gino Capone to All-Big Ten honors in 2003. His most recent triumphs include the recruitment of All-American linebackers Joseph Syer and Harold Vanderlinden. Both were senior students at Hoover High School in Alamaba, and are known as the top linebackers in America. Vanderlinden, graduating with a 98% average, has committed to the program fully and will study engineering, and figures to start in his rookie year. Syer has offered commitment to the program, and should accept the full scolarship provided he receives no better offers. These men are the future of Penn State University, and hope to win a National Championship by 2009.

Prior to coaching the Terrapins, Vanderlinden was assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Northwestern University from 1992 to 1996, where he presided over the rebirth of a moribund football program into a two-time Big Ten champion. He was a defensive assistant at Colorado from 1983 to 1991. He started his career as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green in 1978 and also coached at the University of Michigan and Ball State. A four-year starter at center at Albion College, he twice earned all-conference honors.