Michael Mutz enters his second season at Georgia Southern in 2015, coaching the Eagles’ linebacker corps.
In his first season with the Eagles, Georgia Southern won the 2014 Sun Belt Championship as the Eagles’ made their debut in the FBS. He worked with linebacker Edwin Jackson who was a first team All-Sun Belt honoree, and signed a free agent NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Jackson was also selected to the Medal of Honor Bowl All-Star Game roster.
Jackson led the Eagles with 100 total tackles while fellow linebacker made 65 stops and led the team with 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
Prior to joining the Eagles, Mutz coached the 2014 season at Sam Houston State where he coached the Bearkat cornerbacks with Bookie Sneed earning first team All-Southland Conference and Sports Network All-America third-team honors. Sneed finished his career ranked in the Sam Houston State top-10 for interceptions with while De’Antrey Loche tied the single-season mark for interception returns for touchdowns with three.
From San Antonio, Texas, Mutz spent three years as a defensive coordinator, two at Missouri Southern State and one at Blinn College before returning to the Sam Houston State program under Coach Willie Fritz.
Mutz’s MSSU Lions ranked at the top of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) in total defense and rush defense in 2010, and held opponent defenses to the lowest first downs total in the league. The following season, MSSU posted solid numbers in the conference and ranked eighth nationally in both tackles for loss and sacks.
All-Americans on the Lions’ defense included defensive tackle Brandon Williams, Missouri Southern State’s career sacks leader, who was selected in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Williams was among the 16 MIAA All-Conference team members coached by Mutz during his tenure there, along with two Lions who were honored as academic All-Americans.
Mutz was also responsible for Missouri Southern State’s kickoff and kickoff return teams in 2008 and 2009. In his first year in that coaching role, the Lions led the MIAA in that statistical category with more than 1,000 kickoff return yards for an average of 23.59 yards per return, good for 17th nationally.
At Blinn, Mutz oversaw the 2012 Buccaneers’ defense, coached the linebackers and was responsible for the punting unit for special teams. Seven of his student-athletes from the 2012 season went on to sign scholarships at Division I programs.
Hired to Sam Houston State by legendary coach Ron Randleman in 2004, Mutz coached the defensive line, helping the Bearkats tie for the Southland Conference lead with 16 fumble recoveries. Sam Houston State won the Southland Conference championship that season and advanced to its first-ever NCAA FCS semifinal game. Polls placed that 11-3 squad as the No. 4 team in the nation, with its highest-ever wins total and highest-ever ranking to that point.
Mutz worked his way up the coaching ranks, earning his graduate degree at Southern Illinois while serving for two years as an assistant football coach working with the defensive line and secondary. At Southern Illinois he coached Bart Scott, 2006 Pro Bowler for the Baltimore Ravens. Scott is now a fixture on the CBS NFL Pregame show.
Mutz accepted a full-time position at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas in early 2001 and was part of the coaching staff that led the Greyhounds to three-straight playoff appearances.
In addition to his on-field coaching responsibilities, Mutz coordinated the video needs for Sam Houston State in 2013 as well as for both the Southern Illinois and Fort Scott programs. He coached the punt and kickoff coverage teams at Fort Scott and also handled duties as the assistant strength coach.
A 1997 graduate of Colorado Mesa University, Mutz graduated with a degree in psychology and a minor in coaching. He resides in Statesboro with his two Boston Terriers, Hank and Hudson.
