Weber State names Mickey Mental as next head football coach
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- Weber State offensive coordinator Mickey Mental looks on during warmups before a game against Northern Arizona on Nov. 19, 2022, in Flagstaff, Ariz.
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- Mental
Weber State University has hired Mickey Mental as the 12th head football coach in its Division I era on Tuesday.
Mental, who came to Weber State after seven years as offensive coordinator and two as head coach at Division II Notre Dame College in Ohio, was WSU’s OC and quarterbacks coach for the 2022 season.
WSU made the hire official Tuesday afternoon as Mental met with the coaching staff and players.
Weber State concluded its interview process Monday, according to sources, and the hiring committee seemingly had its choice by Tuesday morning. His promotion comes just in time for the early signing period for high school recruits, which begins Wednesday and ends Friday.
“I want to thank Dr. (Brad) Mortensen, Tim Crompton and the rest of the Weber State administration,” Mental said in a news release from the school. “I want to thank the current staff for their support and look forward to working with them. We have a tremendous group of players and staff that make this a special place. I feel very blessed and honored to be the next coach here and can’t wait to hit the ground running.”
Mental, 37, has big shoes to fill, replacing the winningest coach in program history by almost every measure in Jay Hill. Hill left after nine seasons at Weber State to become associate head coach and defensive coordinator at BYU, a move that became official on Dec. 7.”I’m very, very grateful for the opportunity to be the next head coach at Weber State,” Mental said.
“Weber State is very lucky to have Mickey Mental as the new head coach,” Hill said in the release from the school. “He did a phenomenal job last season with our offense. I was very impressed with him through the interview process when I was looking for an offensive coordinator and I know he will fit the program and fit the players.
“I’m super excited about the future of Weber State football knowing that they have a phenomenal coaching staff intact that will do great things moving forward.”
Mental, a native of Olmstead Falls, Ohio, was 16-2 in his two seasons as head coach at Notre Dame College and was the only person on WSU’s current coaching staff with college head coaching experience.
In his first season as Weber State’s offensive coordinator, the Wildcats ranked in the top 25 nationally in scoring offense, rushing offense, first downs and third down conversion percentage.
His hire seemingly stands to hold together most of what Weber State had in place as far as the coaching staff, roster, recruiting efforts and more — though more information regarding those specifics is likely to be learned after his hire is official and he is made available to reporters.
“After a nationwide search to replace coach Hill, it is clear to us that coach Mental gives our football program the best opportunity for success moving forward,” Crompton, WSU’s athletic director, said in a statement. “We are excited for him and our football staff and we look forward to seeing them get back in action next fall.”
Utah linebackers coach Colton Swan was considered by many as one of the favorites in this search. But the timing was not right to pry the former WSU player and 15-year assistant coach away from the two-time Rose Bowl-bound Utes, according to sources.
Others externally who applied include Joe DuPaix, a Navy assistant coach and Utah native, and Eric Price, a former FBS coordinator and son of former WSU head coach Mike Price, according to sources.
It is not currently known who else was in the pool of candidates or what coaches were considered finalists for the position.
Mental played Division III football at Baldwin-Wallace where he was a three-year starter at quarterback for the Yellow Jackets. When his Baldwin-Wallace career was over, he earned a tryout with the Cleveland Browns. He and his wife, Jessica, moved to Ogden last winter ahead of 2022 spring camp.
“Congrats to @mmental7 on becoming head coach for @weberstatefb,” tweeted St. Thomas University (Florida) president David Armstrong, who was previously vice president and general counsel at Notre Dame College. “When we started (Notre Dame football), Mickey was the hardest working GA & Recruiter we had! I knew big things were coming for him.”