HOUSTON – HCU head football coach
Jason Bachtel announced the hiring of Mike Nesbitt to his staff as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Wednesday afternoon.
Nesbitt joins the Huskies after seven seasons as head coach, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator at Ottawa University in Surprise, Ariz. He was hired to start the program in 2017 and compiled an impressive 51-14 record in his seven seasons at the helm of the Spirit program. Nesbitt went 7-4 in his first season at Ottawa and didn't lose more than two games in a season over the next six campaigns. The Spirit won four Sooner Athletic Conference championships under Nesbitt and spent 56 consecutive weeks ranked in the NAIA top 25 poll.
Nesbitt's offense flourished immediately at Ottawa, ranking in the top six in the NAIA in total offense all seven seasons. The Spirit averaged better than 45 points per game and close to 500 yards of offense per game under his guidance.
Bachtel's new hire will assume the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach role that Bachtel handled last season, his first as the Huskies' head coach. Nesbitt will also handle offensive play-calling duties for HCU.
Prior to starting the program at Ottawa, Nesbitt was head coach at West Texas A&M for four seasons. During his tenure in Canyon, he put together a record of 25-17 with one Lone Star Conference championship in his first four years as a head coach.
Before getting that first head coach position, Nesbitt spent time as offensive coordinator at University of Houston, Stephen F. Austin, West Texas A&M and Blinn College between 2005 and 2013.
Nesbitt spent four seasons on staff at Howard Payne, coaching the offensive line, running back and working with special teams following one season coaching quarterbacks, wide receivers, kickers and punters at Western New Mexico.
Nesbitt was a punter at the University of New Mexico, finishing his collegiate career with a punting average of 42.89 while his 45.0 yards per punt in 1993 ranked second nationally. He then went on to spend time in the NFL as a punter with both the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. He earned his bachelor's degree from UNM and then earned a master's from West Texas A&M.
