Mike Nesbitt (American football)

Mike Nesbitt is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona.[1] He served as the head football coach at West Texas A&M University from 2013 to 2016, compiling a record of 25–17. Nesbitt was the offensive coordinator for the Houston Cougars football team at the University of Houston at the start of the 2012 college football season. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University, West Texas A&M, and Blinn College. His 2006 Blinn team won the NJCAA national championship, and his 2010 West Texas A&M team ranked second in the nation with an average of 529 yards per game in total offense.

Mike Nesbitt
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamOttawa (AZ)
ConferenceSAC
Record16–6
Biographical details
BornBelen, New Mexico
Playing career
1992–1995New Mexico
Position(s)Punter
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2001–2004Howard Payne (OC)
2005–2006Blinn College (OC)
2007–2009West Texas A&M (WR/QB)
2010West Texas A&M (OC)
2011Stephen F. Austin (OC)
2012Houston (OC)
2013–2016West Texas A&M
2018–presentOttawa (AZ)
Head coaching record
Overall41–23
Tournaments2–1 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
0–1 (NAIA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 SAC (2019)

Playing career

Nesbitt grew up in Belen, New Mexico, and played college football as a punter under head coach Dennis Franchione for the New Mexico Lobos.[2] He averaged 45 yards a punt as a junior, the second highest in New Mexico school history. And as a senior, he "led the nation in net punting."[3]

After his college career, Nesbitt pursued a career in professional football. In June 1994, he signed a contract to play professional football for the New Orleans Saints.[4][5] He was cut by the Saints in late August 1994.[6] The following year, he was re-signed by the Saints in March 1995.[7][8] He was again cut by the team in late August before the start of the regular season.[9]

In February 1996, he signed with the Minnesota Vikings.[10][11] He was released before the start of the regular season.[12][13][14]

Coaching career

Nesbitt was as a head football coach at the high school level, including stints at his alma mater, Belen High School, and at Albuquerque, New Mexico's Manzano High School.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]

In June 2001, Nesbitt left his position at Manzano High School to become the running backs and kicking coach at Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas.[23] After four years at Howard Payne Nesbitt accepted a post as the offensive coordinator at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. At Blinn, he worked under head coach Brad Franchione, the son of Dennis Franchione who had been Nesbitt's college coach.[2][24][25] During Nesbitt's two seasons at Blinn, the team compiled a 19–3 record and won the NJCAA national championship.[2][26][27][28]

From 2007 to 2010, he was an assistant coach at West Texas A&M. After three seasons as the quarterbacks coach, he became the offensive coordinator in 2010.[29] During the 2010 season, Nesbitt's offense was ranked as #2 in the nation with an average of 529 yards per game in total offense and #4 in scoring offense with an average of 42 points per game.[2][30][31]

In January 2011, Nesbitt became the offensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.[30][32] He spent only one year at Stephen H. Austin.[33][34]

In January 2012, Nesbitt was hired as the offensive coordinator for the Houston Cougars football team under head coach Tony Levine.[35][36] His work with offense received favorable coverage during the spring and summer months.[37][38][39] However, after a 30–13 loss to Texas State in Houston's season opener, Nesbitt resigned his position as offensive coordinator.[40][41][42][43][44] The Houston Chronicle reported that Nesbitt was "forced to resign . . . in the wake of a stunning season-opening loss to Texas State."[45]

Head coaching record
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs AFCA# NAIA°
West Texas A&M Buffaloes (Lone Star Conference) (2013–2016)
2013 West Texas A&M 11–34–23rdL NCAA Division II Quarterfinal11
2014 West Texas A&M 2–5[n 1]1–3[n 1]T–4th
2015 West Texas A&M 6–43–3T–3rd
2016 West Texas A&M 6–55–4T–5th
West Texas A&M: 25–1713–12
Ottawa Spirit (Sooner Athletic Conference) (2018–present)
2018 Ottawa 7–45–3T–3rdL Victory Bowl
2019 Ottawa 9–27–1T–1stNAIA First Round16
Ottawa: 16–612–4
Total:41–23
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes
  1. West Texas A&M vacated four wins, including three conference wins.

References
  1. "Mike Nesbitt Named Head Football Coach at OUAZ". ouazspirit.com. April 28, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  2. "Mike Nesbitt". Houston Cougars athletics. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  3. "Mike Nesbitt". Stephen F. Austin Athletics.
  4. "Transactions". The New York Times. June 14, 1994.
  5. "Saints Sign 2 Free Agents". The Times-Picayune, New Orleans. June 14, 1994.
  6. "Saints slice 7 from roster". The Advocate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. August 23, 1994.
  7. "Transactions". The New York Times. March 8, 1995.
  8. "Niners Punter Sings With Saints". Sun Herald. March 8, 1995.
  9. "The Axe-Man Cometh: Williams Cut". Sun Herald. August 23, 1995.
  10. "Ex-Gopher Lohmiller Works Out for Vikings". St. Paul Pioneer Press. February 21, 1996.
  11. "Punter Gets His Kicks With Vikings". Albuquerque Journal. August 1, 1996.(706 word feature story about Nesbitt available through Newsbank)
  12. "Nesbitt Hoping His Career Will Set Sail With Vikings". Albuquerque Journal. August 3, 1996.(441 word story available on NewsBank)
  13. "Defense Turns Up the Heat in Spirited Practice". St. Paul Pioneer Press. July 31, 1996.
  14. "Punter Is Getting Kicks With Nesbitt". Albuquerque Journal. August 16, 1996.(586 words, available on NewsBank)
  15. "Nesbitt Where He Wants To Be: Former Lobo Takes Over as Head Coach". Albuquerque Journal. February 6, 1997. Archived from the original on September 30, 2014.
  16. "Former UNM Kicker Pick for Coach". Albuquerque Journal. January 30, 1997. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014.
  17. "Back Home". Albuquerque Journal. August 23, 1997. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014.
  18. "Nesbitt, Romero To Leave Belen Jobs". Albuquerque Journal. January 22, 1999. Archived from the original on September 30, 2014.
  19. "Nesbitt Is Manzano's New Football Coach". Albuquerque Journal. February 23, 2000. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014.
  20. "Young blood pumped to take over at Manzano". The Albuquerque Tribune. February 23, 2000.
  21. "Nesbitt Comes Back Into Football Fold". Albuquerque Journal. August 31, 2000. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014.
  22. "His home away from home". The Albuquerque Tribune. October 13, 2000.
  23. "Ocampo Is Manzano's New Football Coach". Albuquerque Journal. June 1, 2001. Archived from the original on September 29, 2014.
  24. "Franchione son follows dad into football head coaching ranks". ESPN.com (AP story). August 13, 2005.
  25. Ed Johnson (December 4, 2006). "Nesbitt, Spotted Wolf, Franchione Have a Shot at a National JC Crown". Albuquerque Journal.
  26. "Blinn wins fourth national championship in dramatic fashion 31-26 over Fort Scott". KBTX-TV. December 6, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
  27. "Nesbitt rarely has to deal with defeat on the field, The Keys to their Success". Amarillo Globe-News. November 10, 2007.
  28. Ed Johnson (December 6, 2006). "Belen's Nesbitt coaches in national junior college title game: Former Eagle coach now with Blinn College". Albuquerque News Bulletin. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013.
  29. "West Texas A&M Spring Football Capsule". Amarillo Globe-News. April 4, 2010.
  30. "Nesbitt to take over the reins of the Lumberjack offense". KTRE 9. January 11, 2011.
  31. "Former Blinn OC Accepts Same Post At SFA". KBTX.com. January 11, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  32. "Nesbitt takes control of SFA offense". The Daily Sentinel, Nacogdoches. July 24, 2011.
  33. "Nesbitt hired as Stephen F. Austin's offensive coordinator by Harper". The Daily Sentinel. January 12, 2011.
  34. "Nesbitt leaves SFA". The Daily Sentinel. January 12, 2012.
  35. Ed Johnson (January 20, 2012). "Traveling from Belen to Houston". Albuquerque Journal.
  36. "U. of Houston hires ex-WT coordinator". Amarillo Globe-News. January 11, 2012.
  37. Sam Khan, Jr. (April 12, 2012). "Nesbitt tries to keep UH Offense from missing a beat". Houston Chronicle.
  38. Nate Griffin (April 12, 2012). "Houston's Nesbitt Calls The Offense".
  39. Khan, Sam (July 24, 2012). "UH expects new offensive coordinator to maintain high-octane style". Houston Chronicle.
  40. "Mike Nesbitt, Houston OC, resigns". Washington Times. September 3, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  41. "Cougars offensive coordinator resigns after loss to Texas State". CBS 5 KENS (San Antonio). September 3, 2012. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012.
  42. "Cougars offensive coordinator resigns after Texas State loss". CBS - 11 KHOU (Houston, TX). September 3, 2012. Archived from the original on September 8, 2012.
  43. "Houston O-boss Mike Nesbitt quits". ESPN.com. September 3, 2012.
  44. "Houston Cougars offensive coordinator Mike Nesbitt resigns". The Sporting News. September 3, 2012.
  45. Joseph Duarte (September 3, 2012). "UH changes offensive coordinators in reaction to Texas St. loss". Houston Chronicle.
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