Mike Cummings joined head coach Shawn Clark's staff as offensive line coach in January 2023 and was part of a nine-win season with a Sun Belt East Division title in his debut season with the Mountaineers.
Coaching a line that ended the season with five transfers in the five starting positions, Cummings helped that group rank among the Sun Belt leaders in fewest sacks allowed (No. 2, 1.50 per game) while paving the way for the Mountaineers to throw for 273.6 yards per game and rush for 172.0 yards per game.
Bucky Williams, Isaiah Helms and Jack Murphy all received All-Sun Belt recognition.
The 2024 offensive line protected Joey Aguilar, the Sun Belt leader in passing yards, while ranking No. 2 in the league at just 15 sacks allowed and helping running back Ahmani Marshall post five straight 100-yard games to end the season. That came with one part-time starter from 2023 returning and four new starters occupying the other line spots.
Cummings has spent more than three decades building an impressive resumé coaching offensive lines, including a stint at Cincinnati before he came to Boone. He has also been an offensive coordinator at both Central Michigan and Connecticut among his coaching stops.
During his one season on Luke Fickell’s Cincinnati staff, Cummings helped the Bearcats win nine games and earn a berth to the Fenway Bowl.
Cummings spent 16 years over five different stints at Central Michigan, most recently when he worked from 2019-21 under head coach Jim McElwain. As the Chippewas’ offensive coordinator from 2010-13, Cummings oversaw a passing game that ranked among the top 25 nationally in two of those four years, while developing five All-MAC offensive line selections.
Among his pupils that have gone on to play in the NFL was Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Fisher has since made two Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl in his 10-year pro career.
In 2021, Cummings helped lead the Chippewas to a 9-4 record as offensive linemen Bernhard Raimann and Luke Goedeke proved to be two of the nation’s top tackles. Both earned invitations to the Senior Bowl, All-MAC first-team honors and All-America accolades from Pro Football Focus, and both were drafted in the top three rounds of the NFL Draft and have started at tackle for their respective pro teams.
In 2019, Cummings’ offensive line paved the way for two CMU running backs to rush for 1,000 yards as the Chippewas led the MAC in total yards (6,070).
Cummings served as the offensive line coach at VMI in 2017-18. In 2018, the Keydets ranked eighth in passing offense among Football Championship Subdivision teams.
Other coaching stops include Connecticut, Marshall, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Michigan State (under Nick Saban) during his illustrious career.
Cummings earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education/exercise science from Buffalo in 1984 and his master’s in athletic administration from CMU in 1990.
He and his wife Donna have two daughters, Elizabeth and Emily.
CUMMINGS AT A GLANCE
Coaching Experience
1987: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Offensive line)
1988-89: Central Michigan (Graduate assistant)
1990-91: Millersville (Pa.) (Offensive line/Special teams)
1992-97: Central Michigan (Offensive line)
1998: Michigan State (Tight ends/Special teams)
1999: Central Michigan (Offensive line)
2000-01: Eastern Michigan (Defensive line/Recruiting coordinator)
2002-04: Western Michigan (Offensive line/Recruiting coordinator)
2005-09: Marshall (Offensive line/Recruiting coordinator)
2010-13: Central Michigan (Offensive coordinator/Offensive line)
2014-16: Connecticut (Offensive coordinator/Tight ends/Offensive line)
2017-18: VMI (Offensive line)
2019-21: Central Michigan (Offensive line)
2022: Cincinnati (Offensive line)
2023-24: App State (Offensive line)
Alma Mater: Buffalo, 1984
Wife: Donna
Children: Elizabeth, Emily
Twitter: @CoachM_Cummings
