Greg McMahon enters his fourth season working with the special teams and second as coordinator, and his tenure with the club has been defined by solid performances by the kicking game, the coverage units and the returners.

With McMahon stressing opportunistic play over the last three seasons, the Saints have recovered six fumbles on special teams, scored six touchdowns – including four on punt returns – and blocked a punt and a pair of field goals.

Special teams played a key role for the Saints again in 2008. New Orleans finished the season as one of only four teams to rank in the top 10 in both punt return average (fourth) and kickoff return average (eighth).

RB Reggie Bush scored on a pair of punt returns vs. Minnesota to tie an NFL record. Rookie kicker Garrett Hartley, signed after a tryout at midseason, made all 13 of his field goal attempts. And a forced fumble and recovery on a kickoff against San Diego led to a touchdown in the Saints’ five-point victory.

Promoted to coordinator prior to the 2008 season, McMahon served as assistant special teams coach for his first two years in New Orleans. He joined the Saints following a one-year stint 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 a 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 of the Houston Texans 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, 48, 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, have three children: sons Drew and Sam and daughter Lisa.