Player Bio: Phil Zacharias

Phil Zacharias Position: Defensive Ends/ Special Teams Coach

Phil Zacharias was named to Willingham's staff on March 6, 1995. He is in his seventh season as Stanford's defensive ends and special teams coach.

Zacharias came to Stanford after a three-year stint as outside linebackers coach at Rutgers (1991-93) and a two-year stay at Eastern Michigan (1989-90), also as the outside linebackers coach.

In 1999 Zacharias led a special teams unit that included a First-Team All-Pac-10 place-kicker and a kickoff return specialist who ranked 10th in the country. PK Mike Biselli made 14-of-17 field goals, 49-of-52 PATs and scored 91 points, fifth best single season in school history, while KOR Ryan Wells was among the nation's best with a 27.47 kickoff return average.

In 1995, Zacharias helped the Cardinal put together an impressive group of special teams, including the kickoff return team which ranked #1 in the Pac-10 and #2 in the nation, and the punt return team, which set a school record by blocking four punts during the season. In 1996 and `97, one of his pupils, Kailee Wong, was named First-Team All-Pac-10 each year after finishing among the league leaders in the Pac-10 in sacks and tackles-for-loss. He led the league in both categories in 1997, was named First-Team All-American and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. Wong went on to be selected in the third round of the NFL Draft and currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings.

Zacharias (born 2/12/59) began his coaching career in 1981 after completing an impressive college football career at Salem College in West Virginia. Zacharias earned his bachelor's degree in physical education and health from Salem College in '81. He was a four-year letterman in football, one as a running back and three as an inside linebacker. Zacharias received his master's degree in education from Georgetown College in Kentucky.

Following his playing days, Zacharias began his coaching career at Georgetown College as the defensive secondary coach in 1981.

From 1982-84, he was again the defensive secondary coach at St. Paul College in Virginia. While at St. Paul, he served as the head baseball coach in 1983. Zacharias was a part-time coach at the University of North Carolina in 1985 before moving on to Morehead State University in Kentucky, where he remained for three seasons (1986-88). There, he coached outside linebackers and was the strength coach in '86, the outside linebackers and special teams coach in '87, and in 1988 he was promoted to defensive coordinator.

In 1989-90, Zacharias coached outside linebackers at Eastern Michigan University. He then moved on to Rutgers, where he also coached outside linebackers, from 1991-93. During the summer of '94 he served an internship with the Los Angeles Rams before becoming the defensive coordinator for Asbury Park High School in New Jersey.

At Rutgers, Zacharias was part of the Scarlett Knights program that made its debut as a member of the Big East Conference. In their first season in the Big East, Rutgers finished 6-5 overall in 1991. The following season, the Knights improved to 7-4 overall and 4-2 in the Big East, but fell to 4-7 in '93. Zacharias was on the same staff as current Cardinal receivers coach Mose Rison.

Prior to playing football at Salem College, Zacharias played football, baseball and ran track at Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania.

Zacharias and his wife, Linda, have one son: Jameson (born 4/10/91).

Coaching Assignments

Bowl Experience

Prominent Players Coached

The Zacharias File

• Full Name: Philip Keith Zacharias
• Hometown: Sewickley, Penn.
• High School: Quaker Valley
• College: Salem College, 1981
• Graduate Degree: Georgetown College, 1982
• Wife: Linda
• Children: Jameson
• Playing Experience: RB/ILB, Salem College, 1977-80