HOUSTON, Texas -- Texas Southern University has introduced Michael Haywood as the next head football coach of the Tigers football program. Haywood, who has worked on the coaching staffs with some of college football's greatest mentors, was officially named Texas Southern's 16th head football coach on Dec. 4, 2015.
Haywood has established himself as a coach with the ability to turnaround football programs as evident with the success he enjoyed at his last coaching stop Miami (Ohio). It took Haywood just two seasons to turn the Redhawks into a championship program.
After going 1-11 in his first season, Haywood led the Redhawks to an 8-4 record in his second season and a MAC East title. The Redhawks then emerged victorious in the 2010 MAC Championship Game against Northern Illinois University, winning by a final score of 26–21. He was named the 2010 Mid-American Conference football Coach of the Year.
Prior to joining the Redhawks Haywood spent the four previous years as offensive coordinator at Notre Dame (2005-08).
"We want to take the football program here at Texas Southern University to the next level, said Haywood. "I want our football program to be structured around student-athletes that display outstanding character, a strong work ethic, and are disciplined so that we can send the message around the country of what a magnificent program and University we have here."
TSU Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Charles McClelland said that Haywood's experience and success at five different Bowl Championship Series (BCS) schools made him the obvious choice as the next leader of the Tigers program.
"When we started this process we did so with the thought in mind that we wanted to build a championship caliber program here at Texas Southern and build it the right way," said McClelland. "With that in mind we wanted to bring in the best possible head coach available and that happens to be none other than Mike Haywood."
Dr. John Rudley, President of Texas Southern University, agreed with McClelland's assessment of Haywood.
"We are very excited to have Mike take over the helm of our football program," said Rudley. "We've always had the vision of getting the program to the next level and it started several years ago when we looked to bring a first class facility to our fans, student-athletes, and supporters. Now for us the next step in reaching our goals centers around putting together a championship quality product on the field. We feel without a doubt the individual that will help us reach that next goal is Coach Haywood as proven by his success as both an assistant and head coach."
In Haywood's first season at Miami, the 2009 RedHawks posted a 1-11 overall record. However, an exceptional recruiting class and a group of solid transfers had Miami's prospects for success headed upwards. The RedHawks averaged 343.5 yards per game, including 273 passing yards per contest in his debut campaign.
Since 1995, Haywood has been associated with three Top Ten teams and six other Top 25 clubs. His mentors have included former FBS Coaches of the Year Nick Saban, Mack Brown, Charlie Weis and Lou Holtz.
Through Haywood's four seasons as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Notre Dame (2005-08), the Fighting Irish averaged nearly 27 points per game. He took over the majority of Notre Dame's offensive play calling in 2008 and the result was an additional 103 yards per game over the previous season.
Haywood has coached running backs since 1994 at four different schools and tutored rushers that received All-America and All-Conference accolades. He helped develop the talent in players that etched their name in their respective school's records book and produced future National Football League players in Darius Walker, Cedric Benson, LaBrandon Toefield, Domanick Davis, Kevin Faulk, Rondell Mealey and Cecil Collins.
A key figure in Notre Dame's offensive explosion in 2005, Haywood was named NCAA Division I-A Assistant Coach of the Year that season by the American Football Coaches Association. The honor recognized not only Haywood's outstanding coaching credentials, but also his stellar work in the community throughout his coaching career.
Haywood's return to familiar turf in South Bend was the latest stop in a successful career as one of college football's top assistant coaches for the past 22 years.
A four-year football letterman at Notre Dame (1982, 1984-86), Haywood has been a collegiate coach for a total of 23 years. He joined Weis's staff following two years at Texas under Brown. Prior to that, he was running backs coach at LSU for coaches Gerry DiNardo and Saban.
Haywood is no stranger to the Southwestern Athletics Conference, as his mother attended Texas Southern University.
Haywood has coached every position and has coordinated offense, special teams and recruiting. He has recruited the Midwest as well as Florida, Texas, Louisiana, California, Canada, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Born Michael Anthony Haywood on Feb. 26, 1964, in Houston, Texas, he played flanker during his freshman season at Notre Dame (started five games and caught 13 passes for 128 yards in 1982), then moved to cornerback where he was a significant contributor and starter from 1984-86 (13 career starts, 78 tackles, five interceptions, two blocked kicks). Recruited by Gerry Faust, Notre Dame's coach during Haywood's senior year was Lou Holtz.
Haywood is a 1986 graduate of Notre Dame with a bachelor's degree from the College of Arts and Letters.
He has one child, a son Michael Christopher.
For the latest breaking news regarding TSU Tigers Football please continue to visit www.tsusports.com.
Comments on TSU's hiring of Micheal Haywood from former Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown:
"When he took the head coach job at Miami (Ohio), he won in a program that was really struggling. I think TSU has hired a great person that will do a tremendous job for them. He's intelligent. He's passionate. He has missed coaching so much since he has been out that he will bring a tremendous amount of energy to their program. He will get some great players on that campus."
COURTESY TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
No comments:
Post a Comment