Mason brings a wealth of
experience from the college ranks to the Outlaws 2001
coaching staff, coming to the XFL from the B.C. Lions of
the Canadian Football League, where he began last season
as the teams receivers coach.
A native of Moore, Montana, Mason served as the
University of Nevada-Renos defensive coordinator in
1998 and 1999. Prior to coaching for his alma mater,
Mason was at Northern Iowa for one season as defensive
coordinator, and from 1993-96 he served as the defensive
coordinator at Boise State University, a stint which
included interim head coaching duties in 1996. His 1994
Bronco defense advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA
Championship Game, led the nation in pass defense and
finished second in the country in overall defense.
His longest coaching tenure was at Portland State
University, where he was the Vikings defensive
coordinator from 1986-93. His defense helped lead the
Vikings to six consecutive conference championships and
qualify for the playoffs in five of his seven seasons at
the helm. Portland State advanced for the NCAA Division
II semifinals on four separate occasions, finishing as
national runners-up twice.
Mason also worked for four years at Eastern Washington
as the linebackers and special teams coach (1981-85).
His coaching career started in 1978 at Walla Walla
Community College, where he oversaw the defensive line
and led one of his former schools to three consecutive
conference championships.
As a player, Mason was a linebacker at the University of
Nevada (Reno) during the 1976 and 1977 campaigns after
playing at the University of Idaho in 1974 and for Walla
Walla in 1975. He has a Master of Science degree and a
Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Washington.
Tom and his wife, Jami, have been married for 16 years
and have one daughter, Brenna (8). |
