Mallory had most recently been the defensive secondary coach at the University of Wyoming; he played college football for the Michigan Wolverines as a linebacker from 1989 to 1990.

In February 1988, and despite having an offer to play for his father at Indiana, Mallory announced that, like his older brothers, he had committed to Michigan.

The 1989 team compiled a 10–2 record, won the Big Ten championship, and lost to USC in the 1990 Rose Bowl.

[6] Mallory's coaching career began with a stint as a student assistant on Gary Moeller's Michigan football staff in 1992.

[12] While at Illinois, Mallory was the position coach for Vontae Davis and Thorpe Award finalist Kevin Mitchall.

[22] On January 7, 2015, Mallory joined the staff of Craig Bohl at Wyoming coaching the Cowboys defensive secondary.

Aided by a resurgence in the run-game, a solidified defense, and the emergence of Iowa transfer Ryan Boyle, Indiana State finished with a top 25 ranking by the end of the regular season.

After beating Western Illinois (a team the Sycamores lost to 55–0 in 2017) 15–13 in the season finale, Mallory and Indiana State finished with their best record since the 2014 playoff run.

[25] Curt's eldest brother, Mike Mallory, also coached in the NFL, and now currently serves as a special teams analyst with the Michigan Wolverines.