TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State University and Head Football Coach Curt Mallory have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Mallory in the Blue and White through the 2027 season.
 
"I'm extremely excited to continue this opportunity here at Indiana State," Mallory said. "This has been home for my family and I, and I look forward to being a part of building a championship program here at Indiana State."
 
Mallory became the 21st head coach in the history of Indiana State back in 2017 after a coaching stint at Wyoming and continues to have the program moving in the right direction on and off the field. The 23-year coaching veteran guided the Sycamores football program through a COVID-related shutdown as Indiana State opted out of playing the 2020-21 year due to concerns about the pandemic.
 
His leadership ability has both Indiana State President Deborah Curtis and Director of Athletics Sherard Clinkscales looking forward to what will happen next within the program.
 
"Coach Mallory has guided Indiana State University's football program with a competitive spirit, integrity, and class," said Dr. Curtis. "I am pleased that he will continue leading our student-athletes to achievements on the field and in the classroom."
 
"When I first interviewed Curt Mallory, the first thing he made clear was that he was coaching to develop men, and that he would have a staff that personified this," Clinkscales said. "Five years later, he has done that and so much more. Curt and Lori Mallory have become pillars in this community and I am thrilled he will be leading our program for years to come."
 
The Sycamores are coming off a 5-6 season with a 3-5 mark in Missouri Valley Football Conference play. Highlighting the year include four All-Conference selections including First Team selection Inoke Moala, while Dante Hendrix, JJ Henderson, and Wyatt Harwood also earned recognition from the conference office.
 
Key wins from the 2021 season included a come-from-behind victory at Eastern Kentucky, while victories over Western Illinois, Youngstown State, and Illinois State highlighted the conference schedule. The Illinois State win was significant as the Sycamores topped the Redbirds in Normal, Ill. for the first time since the 1997 season and was just Indiana State's eighth road win in the series dating back to 1936.
 
The offseason continued the momentum as the Sycamores added talent across the field by way of the #ForestCrew22 signing class. Thirty-nine players committed to joining the program from 13 different states and three countries as the Sycamores hit the recruiting trail hard.
 
Additional career highlights include leading Indiana State to the biggest turnaround in collegiate football in the 2018 season with the Sycamores posting a third-place finish in the MVFC and a No. 22 national ranking. During the run, Mallory became just the second head coach in program history to earn MVFC Coach of the Year honors. He was also named a finalist for the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson award which honors the National Coach of the Year.
 
Mallory has also guided two Sycamores to professional careers in the National Football League with both Dominique Dafney (Green Bay Packers) and Jonas Griffith (Denver Broncos) both seeing regular playing time within their respective organizations.
 
Indiana State is scheduled to open the spring practice schedule on Tuesday, March 29, as the Sycamores return to the field for 15 days of spring practice during the months of March and April. The spring slate will go through the culmination of the Spring Game on Saturday, April 30.
 
The Sycamores are scheduled to play an 11-game schedule in the 2022 season featuring six home games at Memorial Stadium. ISU will face three non-conference opponents with a pair of first-timers on the schedule including the 2022 home opener against North Alabama on Thursday, September 1. Season ticket and single game ticket information for the 2022 season will be available in the coming weeks.
 
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