Tar Heels overcome mid-season injury run and stout Louisville defense for win No. 5.
A former four-year letterwinner at North Carolina, Allen Mogridge returned to his alma mater in 2009 as the Tar Heels' tight ends coach after working seven seasons at the University at Buffalo.
Under Mogridge's tutelage, tight ends Zack Pianalto and Ryan Taylor developed into two of the Tar Heels' top offensive weapons. An honorable-mention All-ACC pick in 2009, Pianalto established the UNC single-season mark for catches by a tight end with 33 despite missing five games in 2010, only to see Taylor surpass that total with 36 by year's end. Pianalto set the career mark for catches by a UNC tight end with 94 before suffering a season-ending injury at Virginia.
No team in the ACC had as many receptions by a tight end (85) as the Tar Heels in 2010 - Taylor (36), Pianalto (30), Ed Barham (13), Christian Wilson (5) and Nelson Hurst (1). Taylor was selected in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
Before returning to Chapel Hill, Mogridge coached the offensive line for two seasons with the Bulls and was the team's running backs coach for three seasons. He also served as recruiting coordinator for head coach Turner Gill. In 2008, Buffalo won the MAC championship with a victory over heavily-favored Ball State and earned the school's second-ever bowl berth.
In his first season as Buffalo's offensive line coach in 2007, Mogridge mentored the Bulls' first ever All-MAC offensive linemen in center Jamey Richard and guard Jeff Niedermier. His offensive line paved the way for an offense that scored a school Division I-A-record 291 points, produced the Bulls' first 1,000-yard rusher in the Division I-A era (James Starks) and protected a quarterback that completed a school-record 258 passes (Drew Willy). Richard was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
In 2006, he coached freshman running back James Starks to a second-team All-MAC selection - the first time a UB freshman earned all-league honors.
Mogridge had an excellent career at North Carolina where he lettered from 1996-99. He played four different positions - tight end, fullback, offensive tackle and defensive end - during his career and earned the Kenan Award for Leadership in his senior season. He went to four bowl games as a Tar Heel, including the 1996 and 1997 Gator Bowls. Carolina was a combined 21-3 over those two seasons and finished No. 4 in the final USA Today coaches poll in 1997.
Mogridge spent one year as a strength and conditioning coach at UNC while pursuing his masters degree. He spent the summer of 2000 in the Carolina Panthers training camp before playing for one year in the Arena Football League with the Carolina Cobras.
In his first stint at Buffalo he assisted all facets of the defense - helping the Bulls jump from near the bottom of total defense in the nation to 45th in 2001 - while focusing on the Bulls' defensive linemen.
He rejoined the Buffalo coaching staff in February of 2004 after one season at Western Carolina as the defensive ends coach and recruiting coordinator.
The Sevierville, Tenn., native married the former Jennifer Carpenter (UNC '97), and the couple has two daughters, Livi and Izzy.
The Mogridge File Date and Place of Birth: Nov. 9, 1976 in Maryville, Tenn. Family: Wife, Jennifer; daughters, Livi, Izzy Education: North Carolina, bachelor's degree in history, 1999 Playing Experience: 1996-99, North Carolina, tight end, fullback, offensive tackle, defensive end
