Twitter: @CoachBath
Mike Bath will take on a new role in 2018, coaching the Wyoming tight ends along with the fullbacks. He will continue in his role as co-special teams coordinator. for the Cowboys. He had coached the Wyoming running backs and fullbacks through the most successful period in those positions’ history at Wyoming. The 2018 season will mark Bath’s fifth season at Wyoming. He is entering his 15th season as a coach at the college level.
In 2017, Bath coached senior fullback Drew Van Maanen, who was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy, also referred to as the Academic Heisman. Wyoming’s 2017 offense was extremely efficient in the red zone, scoring on 33 of 34 red-zone opportunities to rank No. 2 in the nation. The offense also did an excellent job of protecting the ball, committing only 14 turnovers to rank No. 19 in the country. UW’s offense combined with its defense (38 turnovers forced) to rank No. 1 in the nation in turnover margin, with a +24 turnover margin.
Cowboy special teams also were among the nation’s best last season. UW ranked No. 1 in the nation in kickoff returns (28.3 yards per return) and ranked No. 3 in the Mountain West and No. 30 in the nation in punt returns (10.26 yards per return). The punt return coverage team was also extremely effective, ranking No. 2 in the MW and No. 27 nationally, allowing opponents only 4.72 yards per return. Individually, Cowboy kickoff returner Tyler Hall earned Honorable Mention All-Mountain West honors as a sophomore.
Bath coached former Cowboy running back Brian Hill, who set the Wyoming career and single-season rushing records during his three-year career at Wyoming that ended in 2016. Hill concluded his career with 4,287 rushing yards, and in 2016 he set the Wyoming single-season rushing record of 1,860 yards. He ranked No. 3 in the nation in rushing yards in 2016 (1,860), ranked No. 4 in the NCAA in rushing touchdowns (22) and was 23rd in the nation in all-purpose yards (139.57 yards per game). Hill averaged 9.4 points per game to rank No. 12 in the nation, and he scored a total of 132 points to rank No. 7 nationally. Hill was one of only 10 national semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, honoring the nation’s premier running back each season. He earned Third Team All-America honors from College Sports Madness, and was selected First Team All-Mountain West by conference head coaches and media. Hill was invited to and participated in the 2017 NFL Draft Combine, and was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
Bath helped coach the 2016 Cowboy offense that averaged 35.9 points per game to rank No. 2 in the Mountain West and No. 25 in the nation. The passing game, averaged 15.3 yards per completion to rank No. 8 in the NCAA, and in red-zone offense the Pokes converted 90.6 percent of their red-zone opportunities into scores to rank 14th in the country. Wyoming’s offense ranked No. 1 in the MW and No. 22 in the NCAA in first downs (312), was No. 32 in the nation in time of possession (31:34), ranked No. 33 in the country in passing efficiency (143.82 rating) and No. 36 in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 205.4 yards per game.
The 2015 season saw Cowboy running back Shaun Wick named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List. Later in the season, UW sophomore running back Hill was added to the Doak Walker Watch List, and Hill went on to be named one of only 11 semifinalists for the award and was the only semifinalist from a non-Power Five conference. Hill earned Second Team All-Mountain West honors in 2015, and ranked No. 8 in the nation in average rushing yards per game (135.9) and No. 9 in total rushing yards (1,631). His 1,631 rushing yards and 135.9 yards per game broke the Wyoming school records originally set by Ryan Christopherson in 1994. Wick ended his Wyoming career with 2,533 career rushing yards to rank No. 6 on the Wyoming career list.
In 2014, Bath coached Wick and Hill who combined for 1,589 rushing yards and eight 100-yard rushing games. Hill was selected the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance at Fresno State in 2014. He accounted for 387 all-purpose yards against the Bulldgos -- 281 rushing yards and 106 receiving yards. Hill became only the fifth player in NCAA history to rush for at least 200 yards and have at least 100 yards receiving in a single game. His 387 all-purpose yards was the best single-game performance in the nation for the 2014 season and set a new University of Wyoming single-game record and a Mountain West Conference single-game record. His 281 rushing yards was the second best single-game performance in Wyoming school history.
Prior to coming to Wyoming, Bath served as the interim head coach at Miami, his alma mater, in 2013. He was named interim head coach on Oct. 6, 2013, and also assumed the role as offensive coordinator at that time after beginning the season coaching the quarterbacks and wide receivers.
Bath returned to his alma mater in 2011 to coach the wide receivers and tight ends. In 2012, he moved into the role of quarterbacks coach, and coached Miami QB Zac Dysert, who set school records for career total offense (12,678) and career passing yards (12,013). Dysert was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2013, and was part of a Bronco team that made a run to the Super Bowl his rookie season. Bath also coached wide receiver Andy Cruse at Miami. Cruse signed a free-agent contract with the Houston Texans in 2013 and was on the Texans’ practice squad his rookie year.
Bath began his college coaching career in 2004 as a graduate assistant coach for his alma mater. After serving as a graduate assistant in 2004 and 2005, he was named a full-time assistant in 2006 and coached the RedHawk tight ends for three seasons from 2006-08. Two of his tight ends, Tom Crabtree and Jake O’Connell, went on to play in the NFL.
In 2009, Bath accepted the opportunity to become the offensive coordinator at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. After serving as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach for two seasons (2009-10), he returned to Miami in 2011.
During his time as an assistant coach at Miami, the RedHawks captured three Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division Championships (2004, ‘05 and ‘07) and made an Independence Bowl appearance in 2004.
A three-year starter at quarterback for Miami from 1998-2000, he compiled a record of 23-10 as a starter and led the RedHawks to the MAC East Division Co-Championship as a sophomore in 1998. That team posted a 10-1 record overall and a 7-1 conference mark. Among those 10 wins in ‘98 was a 13-10 upset victory over No. 12 ranked North Carolina and a 14-13 non-conference victory over Army. His junior season, Miami upset Northwestern of the Big Ten by a score of 28-3 on the road, and his senior season, the RedHawks defeated Vanderbilt of the SEC 33-30 in Nashville, Tenn. Bath was named his team’s Co-MVP his senior season.
At the conclusion of his college playing career, Bath had set then Miami career records of 6,524 yards passing and 49 passing touchdowns.
He earned a double major at Miami in marketing and organizational behavior in 2001. Bath and his wife, Tara, have three children, Colton, Savannah and Case.