Indiana State University Athletics

Mike Bath joined the Indiana State coaching staff in March 2022. He will take over the reins as the Sycamores offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Bath finished his first season with the Sycamores in 2022. The Sycamore offensive coordinator guided a unit that featured the 2022 MVC Freshman of the Year in quarterback Cade Chambers, while Dante Hentrix (WR), Justin Dinka (RB), Harry Van Dyne (WR), and Jose Vazquez IV (OL) all earned All-Conference honors.

Bath joined Indiana State by way of a three-year stint at Western Michigan where he oversaw the program's running backs.

Bath served as the running backs coach for three seasons and helped paced the Broncos offense to new levels in the running game. Three Broncos earned All-Conference accolades during his tenure including LeVante Bellamy taking 2019 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year accolades and finishing among the 2019 Doak Walker semifinalists that season.
 
This past year, the Broncos running game featured a 1,000-yard rusher as Sean Tyler utilized 178 carries for 1,150 yards and nine touchdowns as Western Michigan’s offense averaged 215.92 yards per game on the ground on their way to an 8-5 record.

The unprecedented 2020 campaign saw the Broncos play just six MAC games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Bath's running backs still proved an integral part of a WMU offense that ranked ninth nationally in scoring. La'Darius Jefferson paced the stable of running backs by earning second-team All-MAC honors after his 624 rushing yards (104.0 per game) ranked fourth in the league. In addition, Jaxson Kincaide made the most of his 31 carries by averaging 7.03 yards per rush, seventh in the league. All together, the WMU rushing attack ranked in the top four in the MAC in both total rushing yards (1,159) and touchdowns (14).

His first year in Kalamazoo was an undeniable success with senior LeVante Bellamy being named the Mid-American Conference Vern Smith Leadership Award as the league’s MVP, as well as the MAC Offensive Player of the Year. Bellamy was one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top running back. 

Bath helped Bellamy finish an outstanding 2019 season leading the country in rushing touchdowns with 23. Bellamy also finished the year ranked third nationally in points per game (10.6), fourth in total touchdowns scored (23), fifth in total points scored (138), ninth in rushing yards per game (113.2) and 10th in total rushing yards (1,472). At the conclusion of the 2019 campaign, Bellamy represented Western Michigan in the East-West Shrine Bowl and at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis from February 23 - March 2, 2020.

As a whole, Bath helped the offense to 33.1 points per game, good for 30th in the country. The Broncos also turned in a 6-0 home ledger, the 12th unbeaten home season in program history. 

Bath arrived in Kalamazoo after five seasons at Wyoming (2014-18) and stints at Miami University (2004-09, 2011-13) and Ashland University (2009-10). Bath coached the Cowboy running backs, fullbacks and tight ends and was a co-special teams coordinator during his time in Laramie.

In 2017, Bath guided 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. The Cowboys’ 2017 offense was extremely efficient in the red zone, scoring on 33-of-34 opportunities to rank No. 2 in the nation. The unit committed only 14 turnovers to stand 19th nationally and led the country in turnover margin at +24.

Cowboy special teams also were among the nation’s best in 2017.  Wyoming topped the country in kickoff returns (28.3 yards per return) and ranked 30th in punt returns (10.26 yards per return). The punt return coverage team was also extremely effective, ranking No. 2 in the conference 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 Wyoming career and single-season rushing records during his three-year career, which ended in 2016. Hill finished with 4,287 rushing yards, and, in 2016, set the Wyoming single-season rushing record with 1,860 yards. Hill was one of 10 national semifinalists for the 2016 Doak Walker Award and earned third team All-America honors from College Sports Madness. Hill was invited to and participated in the 2017 NFL Combine, and was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

Bath helped a 2016 Cowboy offense that averaged 35.9 points per game to rank second in the Mountain West and 25th in the nation. The passing game averaged a stout 15.3 yards per completion to stand eighth in the country. 

The 2015 season saw Cowboy running back Shaun Wick named to the Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List. Later in the season, Hill was added to the Doak Walker Watch List and went on to be named one of 11 semifinalists for the award and was the only semifinalist from a non-Power 5 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 program records 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 that season as he accounted for 387 all-purpose yards against the Bulldogs - 281 rushing yards and 106 receiving yards.  He 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 set a 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 program history.

Prior to joining Wyoming, Bath served as the interim head coach at Miami (Ohio), his alma mater, in 2013.  He was named interim head coach on October 6, 2013, and assumed offensive coordinator duties at that time after beginning the season coaching the quarterbacks and wide receivers.

Bath had 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 worked with Zac Dysert, who set program 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 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.  During his time as an assistant coach at Miami, the RedHawks captured three MAC East Division Championships (2004, 2005 & 2007) and made an Independence Bowl appearance in 2004.

Two of his tight ends, Tom Crabtree and Jake O’Connell, went on to play in the NFL while wide receivers Andy Cruse, Chris Givens and Nick Harwell all went on to the NFL following Bath’s guidance. 

In 2009 and 2010, Bath served as the offensive coordinator at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. During the 2009 campaign, Bath helped quarterback Billy Cundiff to 2,482 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 65.9 while throwing just one interception. As a whole, the Eagle offense averaged 29.2 points per game, 403.0 yards per contest and 43 percent conversion rate on third downs. Cundiff capped his Ashland career with a trio of all-league selections. 

A year later, in 2010, Bath helped first-year starting quarterback Taylor Housewright to 2,378 yards, 24 TDs and 13.3 yards per completion. Housewright guided the Eagles to 37.7 points per game, 421.4 yards per game and a 47 percent conversion rate on third down attempts.

Both Cundiff and Housewright signed NFL free agent contracts following their Eagle careers. 

A three-year starter at quarterback for Miami from 1998-2000, Bath 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 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark. Among those 10 wins in 1998 was a 13-10 upset victory over No. 12 North Carolina and a 14-13 victory over Army. During Bath’s junior season, Miami upset Northwestern 28-3 in Evanston. As a senior, Bath helped the RedHawks win 33-30 at Vanderbilt. Bath was named his team’s co-MVP his senior season.

At the conclusion of his college playing career, Bath held program career records of 6,524 yards passing and 49 passing touchdowns.

He graduated from Miami with a double major in marketing and organizational behavior in 2001. 

Bath and his wife, Tara, have four children, Colton, Savannah, Case and Cannon.