Bill Mackley, who guided John Carroll School to six straight winning football seasons and a 41-19 record in the 1980s, has signed on for a second tour of duty with the Patriots.
Mackley, 51, brings 27 years of coaching experience to the position, including assistantships at Johns Hopkins University and Cardinal Gibbons High School, followed by six years at John Carroll and six years at Calvert Hall.
Since 1974 Mackley has owned and operated his Carpet Services business, although he turned down another business opportunity in 1982 to become head coach at John Carroll.
In one three-year span, the Patriots had successive 8-2 records and a share of a county title when they were 6-2 in the league, 7-3 overall.
From the Bel Air school, Mackley shifted to Calvert Hall, where his teams were 31-32. The Cardinals' best season was 1991, when they were 9-2 and ranked No. 2 in the metro area.
When business duties prompted his 1993 resignation, he said, "My biggest dream was to become a head football coach, and I was able to do that for 12 years," but he didn't rule out coaching again.
"You never say never because you never know what can happen down the road."
John Carroll, where Mackley succeeds the retired Gerry Gray, will be a full-time member of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference in the fall, joining Archbishop Curley, Boys' Latin, Cardinal Gibbons, St. Paul's, Severn and Spalding.
"We're glad to have him back," said Jerry O'Brien, John Carroll athletic director. "He's an excellent motivator and organizer -- and just very enthusiastic about what he does."