Primary Recruiting Areas: Southwest Indiana/St. Louis/Houston/Mississippi/Louisiana/Alabama
Entering his first season as an assistant coach for the Indiana State football program is Mike Lucas. Lucas will coach the Sycamore defensive line.
Lucas comes to Indiana State from Southeastern Louisiana University where he was the program’s 14th head coach from 2007-11.
Under Lucas’ guidance, Southeastern improved its overall record each season from 2006-09 while attendance at Strawberry Stadium steadily increased during the same time span. After leading Southeastern to a 6-5 record in 2009, its best mark since finishing 7-4 in 2004, Lucas was selected as "Coach of the Year" by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
Lucas saw 20 Lion players named All-Southland Conference a total of 31 times. Three times during his tenure Southeastern freshmen were selected Freshman Of The Year by the coaches of the Southland Conference. The 2010 Southeastern signing class was rated No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision by Rivals.com.
One highlight for Lucas was coaching the highest draft pick in Southland Conference history when his 2008 signee Robert Alford was selected in the Second Round of the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Eight Lions had opportunities with professional teams, and offensive lineman Kevin Hughes was Southeastern's first-ever invitee to the NFL Combine.
Lucas also served as the liaison to the Career and Academic Planning Center. The CAP Center assists with all advising and tutorial services provided for Southeastern student- athletes. After one year, the team G.P.A. had seen a considerable increase, doubling the number of football players attaining a 3.0.
Lucas had previously served as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for veteran Ron Randleman at Sam Houston State for 15 years repeatedly producing defensive units that ranked among the best in NCAA Division I-AA football and the Southland Conference.
During his time at SHSU, Lucas guided the Bearkat defense among the top 15 in national defensive statistical categories 11 times and led the Southland in defensive statistics five times. The defense set several school records in his tenure including marks for most quarterback sacks (52, 2001) and fewest points allowed (13.2 ppg, 1991).
Under Lucas, the Bearkat defense turned out seven defensive players who signed National Football League contracts and two who were NFL draft choices.
Lucas coached 41 defensive players who earned All-Southland honors a total of 65 times.
Prior to joining the SHSU staff in 1987, Lucas previously served as defensive coordinator at Eastern New Mexico where his squad led the Lone Star Conference in total defense and scoring defense and ranked third nationally in punt returns.
In 1984, he coached wide receivers at UTEP. From 1980 to 1983, he coached the secondary, defensive line and linebackers and assisted in the strength and conditioning program at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. He began his coaching career at the College of William and Mary in 1979 as a defensive student assistant.
Lucas was a three-year letterman in football at Pemberton (N.J.) High School and also lettered in baseball and wrestling. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty in 1982, majoring in physical education and psychology.
He and his wife, Wendy, have two sons, Tyler, a former quarterback and 2009 graduate of Cornell University, and Torin, a former catcher on the Southeastern Louisiana baseball team and a 2012 graduate of Southeastern.
