# Mike Ayers

Mike Ayers (born May 26, 1948) is an American former college football coach. He served as the head football coach at East Tennessee State University from 1985 to 1987 and Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina from 1988 to 2017, compiling career head coaching record of 218–160–2. Ayers' Wofford Terriers won five Southern Conference title, in 2003, 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2017.

## Playing career

Ayers played linebacker and offensive tackle for the Tigers of Georgetown College. He also played for the baseball team and competed in gymnastics and wrestling.

## Coaching career

Ayers began his coaching career as a graduate assistant and defensive coordinator at Georgetown College in 1974 and 1975. He again performed the role of assistant during stops at Newberry College and the University of Richmond. In 1980, Ayers arrived at Wofford as defensive coordinator for the Terriers under head coach Buddy Sasser. Ayers followed Sasser to East Tennessee State University, where he resumed his role as defensive coordinator before taking over the head coaching position in 1985. Ayers was hired as the head coach of the Terriers in 1988 by athletic director Danny Morrison over a milkshake at Asheville's Biltmore Dairy Bar. Wofford moved up to NCAA Division I-AA in 1995 and joined the Southern Conference in 1997. Under Ayers, the Terriers claimed five Southern Conference football championships, in 2003, 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2017. Ayers won the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the most outstanding FCS head coach, in 2003 after guiding the Terriers to a 12–2 record.
Ayers announced his retirement from coaching on December 13, 2017, after his 30th season at Wofford. He is the longest-serving coach in Wofford history and has the most wins (207) in program history.

## Personal life

He holds a black belt in karate, and is an accomplished sketch artist and fly fisherman. After retiring from coaching, he enrolled in art classes at Wofford in 2018.

## Head coaching record

| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | TSN$^#$ |
| East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Southern Conference) (1985–1987) |||||||
| 1985 | East Tennessee State | 0–10–1 | 0–7 | 9th | | |
| 1986 | East Tennessee State | 6–5 | 4–3 | 4th | | |
| 1987 | East Tennessee State | 5–6 | 2–5 | 7th | | |
| East Tennessee State: | East Tennessee State: | 11–21–1 | 6–15 | | | |
| Wofford Terriers (NCAA Division II independent) (1988–1994) |||||||
| 1988 | Wofford | 5–5 | | | | |
| 1989 | Wofford | 6–5 | | | | |
| 1990 | Wofford | 9–3 | | | L NCAA Division II First Round | |
| 1991 | Wofford | 9–3 | | | L NCAA Division II First Round | |
| 1992 | Wofford | 6–5 | | | | |
| 1993 | Wofford | 7–3–1 | | | | |
| 1994 | Wofford | 5–6 | | | | |
| Wofford Terriers (NCAA Division I-AA independent) (1995–1996) |||||||
| 1995 | Wofford | 4–7 | | | | |
| 1996 | Wofford | 6–5 | | | | |
| Wofford Terriers (Southern Conference) (1997–2017) |||||||
| 1997 | Wofford | 3–7 | 2–6 | 6th | | |
| 1998 | Wofford | 4–7 | 3–5 | T–5th | | |
| 1999 | Wofford | 6–5 | 5–3 | 2nd | | |
| 2000 | Wofford | 7–4 | 5–3 | 3rd | | 23 |
| 2001 | Wofford | 4–7 | 3–5 | 5th | | |
| 2002 | Wofford | 9–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd | | 14 |
| 2003 | Wofford | 12–2 | 8–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal | 3 |
| 2004 | Wofford | 8–3 | 4–3 | T–2nd | | 18 |
| 2005 | Wofford | 6–5 | 3–4 | T–4th | | |
| 2006 | Wofford | 7–4 | 5–2 | 3rd | | 23 |
| 2007 | Wofford | 9–4 | 5–2 | T–1st | L NCAA FCS Quarterfinal | 10 |
| 2008 | Wofford | 9–3 | 7–1 | 2nd | L NCAA FCS First Round | 9 |
| 2009 | Wofford | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–7th | | |
| 2010 | Wofford | 10–3 | 7–1 | T–1st | L NCAA FCS Quarterfinal | 6 |
| 2011 | Wofford | 8–4 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L NCAA FCS Second Round | 12 |
| 2012 | Wofford | 9–4 | 6–2 | T–1st | L NCAA FCS Quarterfinal | 9 |
| 2013 | Wofford | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | | |
| 2014 | Wofford | 6–5 | 4–3 | 4th | | |
| 2015 | Wofford | 5–6 | 3–4 | T–4th | | |
| 2016 | Wofford | 10–4 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L NCAA FCS Quarterfinal | 9 |
| 2017 | Wofford | 10–3 | 7–1 | 1st | L NCAA FCS Quarterfinal | 6 |
| Wofford: | Wofford: | 207–139–1 | 99–61 | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 218–160–2 | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth |||||||