Jacobs Steps Down As Mercer Football Head Coach
12/10/2025 11:10:00 AM | Football
MACON – Athletics department officials at Mercer University announced Wednesday morning that Mike Jacobs has resigned his position as football head coach to assume the same role with the Toledo Rockets. A national search will begin immediately to identify his successor at MU.
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"Coach Jacobs has led the Mercer football program to unprecedented success over the last two years with back-to-back Southern Conference championships and we are incredibly grateful for his leadership," said Director of Athletics Jim Cole. "We want to thank him for the impact that he has had on Mercer, and we wish him and his family the very best. BearNation cannot thank him enough."
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Jacobs, a native of Maumee, Ohio, a 9-mile drive from Toledo, was named the football program's 21st head coach in January 2024. He led the Bears to 20 victories across two seasons at the helm, including an 11-3 clip in his first year that culminated with the program's first conference title, as well as a run to the quarterfinals round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. Mercer rattled off a school-record 9-game win streak in 2025, included in which was a perfect 8-0 mark in league play, to become the first team in 16 years (Appalachian State) to capture back-to-back outright Southern Conference championships.
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The individual postseason honors for the program were numerous under his watch as well. The Bears raked in 34 All-SoCon or SoCon-All Freshman team accolades across the last two seasons, including 14 first team all-league honorees. Mercer also boasted the SoCon's Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year in both 2024 and 2025, while Jacobs was, twice, crowned as the SoCon Coach of the Year.
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"Coach Jacobs has led the Mercer football program to unprecedented success over the last two years with back-to-back Southern Conference championships and we are incredibly grateful for his leadership," said Director of Athletics Jim Cole. "We want to thank him for the impact that he has had on Mercer, and we wish him and his family the very best. BearNation cannot thank him enough."
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Jacobs, a native of Maumee, Ohio, a 9-mile drive from Toledo, was named the football program's 21st head coach in January 2024. He led the Bears to 20 victories across two seasons at the helm, including an 11-3 clip in his first year that culminated with the program's first conference title, as well as a run to the quarterfinals round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. Mercer rattled off a school-record 9-game win streak in 2025, included in which was a perfect 8-0 mark in league play, to become the first team in 16 years (Appalachian State) to capture back-to-back outright Southern Conference championships.
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The individual postseason honors for the program were numerous under his watch as well. The Bears raked in 34 All-SoCon or SoCon-All Freshman team accolades across the last two seasons, including 14 first team all-league honorees. Mercer also boasted the SoCon's Freshman and Defensive Player of the Year in both 2024 and 2025, while Jacobs was, twice, crowned as the SoCon Coach of the Year.
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