Mercer University names Mike Jacobs new head football coach

Mercer University announced Thursday it has hired Mike Jacobs as its 21st head football coach.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Mercer University announced Thursday it has hired Mike Jacobs as its 21st head football coach.

Jacobs, who brings more than two decades of collegiate coaching experience to Macon, is 74-17 overall as a head coach at Notre Dame (Ohio) and Lenoir-Rhyne. In 2023, he led Lenoir-Rhyne to a 13-2 record and a spot in the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

“I want to thank the search committee members for their endless hours of work in identifying the next leader of our football program,” Mercer Athletics Director Jim Cole said. “Mike Jacobs shares our values and our vision for Mercer Football.”

Jacobs has been recognized three times as a conference coach of the year and was named the National Coach of the Year in 2018 by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette.

Jacobs led Lenoir-Rhyne to a 32-9 record over the past four seasons, which included the 2023 South Atlantic Conference championship and three league divisional titles. He succeeded former Mercer coach Drew Cronic at Lenoir-Rhyne. Cronic announced his resignation earlier this month and will take over offensive coordinator duties at Navy.

Jacobs’ tenure at Notre Dame from 2016-19 featured a 42-8 record and two Mountain East Conference championships.

“My family and I are humbled to be joining the Mercer University Football family,” Jacobs said. “Mercer is an elite institution that has competed at the highest level both on the field and in the classroom. We look forward to immersing ourselves in both the campus community and the city of Macon. Go Bears!”

The former Ohio State offensive lineman has also held coaching positions at Eastern Michigan, Wilmington (Ohio), Purdue and California (Pa.).