Melvin Rice

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Melvin Rice joined Vanderbilt’s staff as an assistant coach entering the 2024 season, coaching the Commodore safeties.

Rice worked with an experienced group during his first season in Nashville, as seniors CJ Taylor, De’Rickey Wright and Marlen Sewell led the way to help Vanderbilt produce its first winning season and bowl victory in over a decade. Taylor and Sewell were voted team captains and paired with Wright, helped mentor a pair of young safeties in sophomore Jalen Gilbert and freshman Dontae Carter.

Taylor paced the group with 64 tackles, 2.5 for loss, two forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions. In his final game as a Commodore, Taylor intercepted a Georgia Tech pass late in the third quarter of the Birmingham Bowl. The pick set-up a score three plays later that put Vandy up 28-13 in the eventual 35-27 win. Wright added 48 tackles and an interception while Sewell contributed 20 tackles.

Gilbert and Carter each played all 13 games as a sophomore and freshman, respectively. Carter notched 11 tackles and a pair of pass break-ups.

Rice joined Vandy following two seasons at New Mexico State where he was co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach for one of the top turnarounds in the nation. New Mexico State had won more than three games just one time since 2010, but while Rice was on head coach Jerry Kill’s staff the Aggies earned consecutive bowl berths and went to the Conference USA championship game in 2023.

In 2023, the Aggie defense led CUSA in scoring defense and ranked fifth nationally in red zone defense. During the 2022 season, New Mexico State was 29th nationally in total defense, with Chris Ojoh ranking 13th nationally in solo tackles.

Before New Mexico State, Rice spent six seasons on the staff of head coach Rod Carey at Temple and Northern Illinois. Rice coached cornerbacks at Temple in 2020-21, while coaching Owl safeties in 2019.  He was at Northern Illinois from 2016-18, where the 2018 defensive backfield ranked among the top 50 nationally in passing efficiency defense, while in 2016 Shawun Larry tied the school record for career interceptions.

Rice spent the 2015 season as cornerbacks coach at Southeast Missouri State, mentoring future Detroit Lion Mike Ford. Before that, he spent three seasons as a defensive quality control assistant at Minnesota, helping the Golden Gophers to three bowl games during that time.

He started his collegiate coaching career at his alma mater, serving as a graduate assistant on the 2010 Northern Illinois team which went 11-3 and won the Humanitarian Bowl. He helped coach the cornerbacks, including All-MAC corner Chris Smith.

Rice was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at NIU. He played in two bowl games and the 2005 MAC Championship. He capped his career with 175 total tackles, eight for loss, two interceptions and 18 pass break-ups. Rice played for Kill during his senior season at NIU.

The Chicago native spent one season as an assistant coach at Morgan Park High School, helping the team to the state playoffs. As a prep player at Morgan Park, Rice was a first-team All-Public League selection and earned all-state honors from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Champaign News-Gazette and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association as a senior.

Rice earned his degree from Northern Illinois in 2009, majoring in sociology and criminology. He and his wife, Gabrielle, have five children — sons Macklin, Mackai, Mackari and daughters Mackinnley and Mackenzie.

The Rice File
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
High School: Morgan Park
College: Northern Illinois (sociology and criminology, 2009)
Wife: Gabrielle
Children: Macklin, Mackai, Mackari, Mackinnley and Mackenzie

Playing Experience
2005-08 • Northern Illinois (cornerback)

Coaching Career
2009 • Morgan Park High School • Assistant Coach
2010 • Northern Illinois • Graduate Assistant • Defense
2011 • Minnesota • Quality Control • Defense
2012 • Minnesota • Quality Control • Defense
2013 • Minnesota • Quality Control • Defense
2014 • Minnesota • Quality Control • Defense
2015 • Southeast Missouri State • Assistant Coach • Cornerbacks
2016 • Northern Illinois • Assistant Coach • Cornerbacks
2017 • Northern Illinois • Assistant Coach • Cornerbacks
2018 • Northern Illinois • Assistant Coach • Cornerbacks
2019 • Temple • Assistant Coach • Safeties
2020 • Temple • Assistant Coach • Cornerbacks
2021 • Temple • Assistant Coach • Cornerbacks
2022 • New Mexico State • Co-Defensive Coordinator • Safeties
2023 • New Mexico State • Co-Defensive Coordinator • Safeties
2024 • Vanderbilt • Safeties

Postseason Experience
2005 • Northern Illinois • MAC Championship Game (player)
2006 • Northern Illinois • Poinsettia Bowl (player)
2008 • Northern Illinois • Independence Bowl (player)
2010 • Northern Illinois • Humanitarian Bowl Champions
2012 • Minnesota • Meineke Car Care Bowl Champions
2013 • Minnesota • Texas Bowl
2014 • Minnesota • Citrus Bowl
2017 • Northern Illinois • Quick Lane Bowl
2018 • Northern Illinois • MAC Championship Game Winners
2018 • Northern Illinois • Boca Raton Bowl
2019 • Temple • Military Bowl
2022 • New Mexico State • Quick Lane Bowl Champions
2023 • New Mexico State • Conference USA Championship Game
2023 • New Mexico State • New Mexico Bowl
2024 • Vanderbilt • Birmingham Bowl Champions