Another Buckeye has joined the FBS head coaching ranks.
Mike Jacobs, a former Ohio State offensive lineman and long snapper who played for the Buckeyes from 1997-2001, is the new head coach at Toledo.
The Legacy of Excellence Continues #TeamToledo | @coach_mjacobs pic.twitter.com/cUfM6TAuss
— Toledo Football (@ToledoFB) December 10, 2025
Jacobs replaces Jason Candle, who left the Rockets after 10 seasons as Toledo’s head coach to become the head coach at UConn.
Jacobs becomes a FBS head coach for the first time after two seasons at Mercer, where he went 20-6 and led the Bears to back-to-back FCS playoff berths. He was previously the head coach at a pair of Division II schools, Notre Dame College and Lenoir-Rhyne.
A native of Maumee, Ohio, Jacobs played in more than 30 games for the Buckeyes, primarily as a backup offensive lineman and long snapper. His father, also named Mike Jacobs, was an assistant coach for Ohio State from 1995-99, serving as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
Jacobs is the second former Ohio State player to be hired as an FBS head coach this month, joining current Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, who South Florida hired last week. They join Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell as former Ohio State players who are current FBS head coaches. Newly hired Auburn coach Alex Golesh, who Hartline replaced at USF, was also an Ohio State student, though he did not play for the Buckeyes.
