Northern Illinois University Athletics

Melvin Rice, an all-state player at Morgan Park High School in Chicago who went on to become a three-year starter at cornerback for Northern Illinois University from 2006-2008, returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach for the Huskies in January 2016. Rice begins his third season working with the NIU cornerbacks in 2018.
 
Under Rice’s guidance, NIU cornerbacks have produced eight interceptions, including six in 2016, and 41 pass break ups. Last season, his star pupil, Shawun Lurry, tied the school record for interceptions in a career after making two, including a pick six in the victory at Nebraska. Lurry, a 2015 All-American, finished his career with 16 interceptions.
 
Rice spent the 2015 season as cornerbacks coach at Southeast Missouri. Prior to that, he was on the defensive staff of former NIU head coach Jerry Kill at Minnesota from 2011-2014. He began his coaching career with Kill and the Huskies in 2010 as a graduate assistant coach.
 
As a member of head coach Tom Matukewicz’ staff at SEMO in 2015, Rice helped the Redhawks rank fourth in the Ohio Valley in scoring defense and in interceptions. As the defensive quality control assistant at Minnesota, Rice handled opponent scouting, self-scouting and day-to-day operations of the defensive staff as the Gophers played in a three bowl games during his time there.
 
As a graduate assistant coach at NIU in 2010, he was part of the staff that led the Huskies to an 11-3 record, its first of what is now six consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship game appearances and a victory in the Humanitarian (now Famous Idaho Potato) Bowl.
 
A four-year letterwinner (2005-08) who started his final three seasons for the Huskies and played in two bowl games and the 2005 MAC Championship contest, Rice made 175 career tackles, with eight for loss, two interceptions and 18 pass break-ups. He had a career-best 61 stops as a junior and was credited with 50 total tackles as a senior. He led the team in pass break-ups both of those seasons.
 
A 2009 graduate of NIU with a degree in sociology/criminology, Rice spent the 2009 season as an assistant coach at Morgan Park High School, helping the Mustangs to the conference championship and a berth in the state playoffs. As a prep player at Morgan Park, Rice was named first team All Public League and also earned all-state honors from the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Champaign News-Gazette and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association as a senior.
 
Rice has a son, Macklin.

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2016-	NIU (Cornerbacks)
2015	Southeast Missouri State (Cornerbacks)
2011-14	Minnesota (Defensive Quality Control)
2009	Morgan Park HS (Defensive Backs)

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE

2017	Quick Lane Bowl (NIU, O-Line Coach)
2015	Citrus Bowl (Minnesota, Defensive Quality Control)
2013	Texas Bowl (Minnesota, Defensive Quality Control)
2012	Meineke Care Care Bowl (Minnesota, Defensive Quality Control)
2010	Humanitarian Bowl (NIU, Cornerbacks)
2008	Independence Bowl (NIU, Player)
2006	Poinsettia Bowl (NIU, Player)
2005	MAC Championship Game (NIU, Player)

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

2005-2008

NIU (Cornerback)

EDUCATION

College	B.S., NIU, 2009
High School	Morgan Park, 2005

PERSONAL

Birthdate	December 13, 1986
Birthplace	Chicago, Ill.
Hometown	Chicago, Ill.
Family	Fiancée Gabrielle Jackson, Son, Macklin