Theo Young Position: Assistant Coach (Defensive Ends) Alma Mater: Arkansas, 1988

Theo Young joined the Bears' staff on Jan. 10, 2008, from Houston's Madison High School, where he spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach. The Bears' second-year defensive ends coach spent 12 seasons at Rice working for Head Coach Ken Hatfield--nine as defensive line coach and three as receivers coach.

A native of Newport, Ark., Young played for Hatfield at the University of Arkansas, where he was a two-year starter at tight end and a four-year letterman from 1983-86. He captained the Razorbacks' team as a senior and received the program's Jim Wellons Dedication Award in 1985. All-told, he caught 21 passes for 341 yards in his collegiate career.

Following his Razorback playing days, he played two years (1987 and 1988) with the Pittsburgh Steelers, returning to Arkansas between seasons to complete his undergraduate degree in sociology, which he received in 1988. Young launched his coaching career as a graduate assistant working with running backs in 1990 and 1991, then spent one season (1992) at Tennessee-Chattanooga as the tight ends coach before joining Hatfield's Clemson staff as receivers/tight ends coach in 1993.

In 1996, Young was selected to participate in the NFL's Minority Coaching Advancement Program. As part of that program, he worked as an assistant with the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles during those organizations preseason camps.

A standout athlete at Newport (Ark.) High School, Young earned prep All-America honors as a tight end following his senior season and was a two-sport (football and basketball) all-state pick. He and his wife, Teri, have three children: Thomas, Courtney and Christian.

THE YOUNG FILE
PERSONAL
Born: April 25, 1965, in Newport, Ark.
Family: Wife Teri; Children Thomas, Courtney and Christian

EDUCATION
High School: Newport High School, Newport, Ark.
Alma Mater: Arkansas, 1988

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE