Harold Etheridge

Position: Offensive Line Coach Graduated: Western New Mexico '81

Now in his fourth year at West Point, Harold Etheridge continues to oversee the impressive development of Army's offensive line.

Under Etheridge's watch, the front unit has yielded just 49 sacks in the past three years, a span of 34 games and 1,120 pass attempts. Army's stellar front unit also paved the way for the Black Knights to rank second in Conference USA in rushing in 2001. A year ago, Etheridge mentored senior guard Aaron Burger, who represented Army in the 2003 Hula Bowl and was a second team All-Conference USA performer. Burger was the second Army lineman to earn all-league honros under Etheridge's tutelege.

Prior to arriving at West Point, Etheridge, who this year will celebrate his 21st season in coaching, spent the previous nine years on the coaching staff at Illinois State University.

During his tenure in Normal, Ill., he tutored four All-America performers and five first team All-Gateway Conference honorees. In addition, the Redbirds established new school standards in both rushing offense and passing offense. He played a major role in helping to develop an offense that virtually rewrote the school's record book, molding a high-powered attack that ranked among the nation's best.

A 1981 graduate of Western New Mexico University, Etheridge was a three-time all-conference pick at offensive guard and was invited to tryouts with a trio of National Football League clubs upon graduation.

After spending five years coaching at the high school level, serving stints at both Gallup High in New Mexico and Ballard High in Kentucky, he climbed to an assistant's position at the University of Kentucky.

Following a three-year stint on the coaching sidelines in Lexington (1988-90), Etheridge joined the staff at Illinois State in 1991. He is the author of a book titled "Coaching the Frontliners," which was published in the fall of 2001.

The Gallup, N.M., native and his wife, Jeanne, are the parents of 6-year old twins, Clayton and Eliza. The family resides at West Point.