Biography:
The 2005 season marks a promotion for Steve Loney after three successful seasons coaching the Vikings offensive line. Loney takes over as the Vikings offensive coordinator this season, a position he held in the collegiate ranks, most recently with the University of Minnesota (1998-99) and Iowa State (1995-97, 2000-01). The 2005 season marks Loney's 29th season of coaching at the pro and college level and his 4th with the Vikings.
Loney's expertise has been a major factor in the Vikings leading the NFL in offense in 2003 and setting a team record for yardage in 2004 while ranking 4th in the NFL. While working under former Vikings offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, his offensive linemen paved the way for the potent Vikings offense to set numerous NFL and team records.
The 2004 Vikings set a team record by averaging 396.2 yards per game, breaking the previous team mark set in 2003. The Vikings ranked 4th in the NFL in total offense and 2nd in passing offense behind the career-best performance of QB Daunte Culpepper, who broke virtually every Vikings passing record and posted the 4th-best passer rating in NFL history. The 2004 Vikings linemen proved their depth by fighting through a series of injuries that forced Loney to start 6 different combinations of players, starting 4 different players at RT while Pro Bowler Matt Birk and veteran Cory Withrow each started at center while Birk came fought an ankle injury and underwent hernia surgery. Loney helped the Vikings offense evolve into one of the most potent in the NFL despite featuring only Bryant McKinnie as a 1st-round pick. The other 4 regular starters, included 3 players (Chris Liwienski, Adam Goldberg, David Dixon) who began their careers on the practice squad and perennial Pro Bowler Matt Birk, who was a 6th-round pick and did not play center until moving into the starting lineup in 2000.
The Vikings consistency up front in 2003 featured a starting five that opened all 16 games as a unit. Bryant McKinnie (LT), Chris Liwienski (LG), Matt Birk (C), David Dixon (RG) and Mike Rosenthal (RT) marked only the fourth time in team history that all five linemen have started every game. The Vikings were one of only five NFL teams to have all five offensive linemen start every game. Anchored by these durable linemen, the Vikings distinguished themselves as the only team in the NFL to have three different running backs (8-year NFL veteran Moe Williams, 3rd-year standout Michael Bennett and rookie Onterrio Smith) record 100-yard games. The feat marks only the second time in team history that three backs have run for 100 yards in a season. Also, for the first time in team history, the Vikings had four players break the 400-yard mark - Williams (745), Smith (579), Bennett (447) and Daunte Culpepper (422).
The groundwork for success in 2003 was preceded by a record-breaking season in the running game in 2002. For the first time in team history, the Vikings led the NFL in rushing and set a team record with 2,507 rushing yards, breaking the old mark of 2,279 set in 1965. In addition, the offensive line helped set new team records in rushing TDs (26) and yards per carry average (5.3).
Backed by solid offensive line play throughout the season, 2nd-year RB Bennett posted the 2nd-best single-season rushing performance in team history with 1,296 yards. Bennett also set an NFL record for most consecutive games with a 60+ yard run with 3 (at Tampa Bay, 11/3; vs. NY Giants, 11/10; vs. Green Bay, 11/17). The offensive line opened the hole for Bennett to set a new Vikings record for the longest run from scrimmage with an 85-yard TD at Tampa Bay (11/3). Following the 2002 season, Bennett made his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Loney guided a durable offensive line in which two-time Pro Bowler Matt Birk (C), Corbin Lacina (LG) and Chris Liwienski (RT) started all 16 games. He also called upon versatile NFL veteran Everett Lindsay who saw time at three different line positions (LT, RG, LG) over the course of the season. Loney also was in charge of tutoring Vikings 1st-round draft choice Bryant McKinnie, who joined the team on 11/2/02 after ending a contract holdout. McKinnie saw action just 8 days after his arrival in Minnesota and started at LT the final 7 games of the season. The Vikings finished the season with a 3-game winning streak with McKinnie at LT.
Loney joined the Vikings in 2002 after his third coaching stint at his alma mater Iowa State, where he played a key role in the Cyclone attack as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach under head coach Dan McCarney.
A native of Marshalltown, IA, Loney was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Iowa State for a total of 5 years - from ‘95-97 and again from ‘00-01. Most recently, Loney's offenses were key in Iowa State's back-to-back bowl seasons in ‘00-01. In 2001, the Cyclones' offense averaged 423.1 yards per game and 26.9 points per game, enough to vault them to the 2001 Mainstay Independence Bowl. The Cyclones' 2000 Insight.com Bowl unit averaged 424.4 yards per game, the third-best total in school history. Under Loney, the Cyclones' offense produced a 1,000-yard rusher and 2,000-yard passer in '00 and '01 respectively. The offensive line was solid under Loney, allowing just 7.0 sacks in '00, the 2nd- lowest sack total nationally.
From ‘98-99 Loney served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of Minnesota under head coach Glen Mason. In '99, the Golden Gophers finished 2nd in the Big Ten and 11th in the nation in rushing offense. Minnesota averaged 415.4 offensive yards per game and 31.6 points per game that same year. In addition to setting 5 school offensive records in '99, Loney's offense produced All-Big Ten 1st-team rusher Thomas Hamner (1,362 yards) and 1st-team All-American center Ben Hamilton.
Prior to his time in Minnesota, Loney spent 3 seasons at Iowa State as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. From ‘95-96, the Cyclones offense produced the only tailback in NCAA history to rush for a pair of 2,000-yard seasons in 1996 Heisman Trophy runner-up Troy Davis. Troy's brother, Darren, followed that feat with 1,005 yards rushing in nine games in '97. Under Loney, Iowa State ranked second in the Big 12 with an average of 231.9 yards passing per game in '97. The Cyclones ranked 13th nationally in rushing in '96 and 15th in '95.
Before joining the Iowa State staff, Loney was assistant head coach/wide receivers coach at Connecticut in 1994 and assistant offensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals in 1993. From ‘89-92 he was the assistant head coach/offensive line coach at Colorado State. He helped lead the Rams to the school's first bowl appearance in 48 years.
From ‘84-86 Loney was assistant head coach and tutored the offensive line and special teams at The Citadel. He was the head coach at Morehead State (Morehead, KY) from ‘81-83, after serving as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach there from ‘79-80. He was the head coach at Leavenworth High School (Leavenworth, KS) from ‘77-78 and the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Missouri Western College (St. Joseph, MO) from ‘75-76.
Loney, a letterman on the offensive line for Iowa State in 1973, earned his bachelor's degree in distributed studies. He launched his coaching career in 1974 at his alma mater as a graduate assistant coach while earning his master's degree in secondary school administration.
Loney was born in Marshalltown, IA on April 26, 1952. He and his wife Terri, a former collegiate golf coach, have three children: Matt (27), Katie (25) and Kylan (22). Kylan is an All-Pac 10 honoree and senior on the Arizona State women's basketball team.
Information of past play experience:
Iowa State 1970-73.
Coaching Information:
Missouri Western College 1975-76, Leavenworth (KS) High School 1977-78, Morehead State 1979-1983, Citadel 1984-86, Colorado State 1989-92, Arizona Cardinals 1993, Connecticut 1994, Iowa State 1995-1997, Minnesota 1998-1999, Iowa State 2000-2001, Minnesota Vikings 2002-present.
