Football
- Title:
- Special Teams Coordinator
- Email:
- mcminter2@liberty.edu
- Start Date:
- 01/05/2012
Nebraska Hall of Fame safety and 10-year NFL veteran player Mike Minter rounds out Turner Gill's coaching staff as the Flames' new special teams coordinator.
Minter will be taking over a group that has propelled the Flames to success in recent years, setting the stage for Liberty’s nationally ranked offensive and defensive units.
In 2011, two-time All-American kicker Matt Bevins graduated, leaving the program as Liberty’s all-time leading scorer with 309 points, to go along with the career records for most field goals (58) and most field goal attempts (77).
Last year, Kevin Fogg earned All-America honors as a kickoff return specialist. The rising senior led the country with three kickoff returns for a touchdown and averaged 33.5 yards per kickoff return.
Mike Larsson, Liberty’s punter for the last four seasons, capped off his career by finishing with a 42.8 yard punting average in 2011. Larsson had 19 career games where he averaged 40 or more yards per punt and would have ranked No. 9 nationally in punting average if he met the NCAA minimum punts per game threshold of 3.6 punts per game (due to Liberty's prolific offense, Larsson only finished 2011 with 3.36 punts per game).
Minter comes to Liberty after spending the 2011 season as the assistant head coach and defensive passing game coordinator at Johnson C. Smith.
Minter helped lead the Golden Bulls to their first winning season since 1996. Johnson C. Smith closed the year with a 35-33 victory over Miles College to capture the Pioneer Bowl XIII, giving the program its first-ever bowl victory.
Minter coach a defensive unit that finished the year with 24 turnovers caused, a figure that tripled Johnson C. Smith’s total from the 2010 season.
Minter also served as special teams coordinator during his time at Johnson C. Smith. Under this guidance, the Golden Bulls dramatically improved in the punt return game. Johnson C. Smith finished 2010 ranked No. 137 in the country (4.44 yards per return) to No. 5 nationally in 2011 (33.76 yards per return). The team would finish the season with two special team touchdowns, with a punt return and kickoff return for a score.
Minter received his coaching start at First Assembly Christian Academy in Concord, N.C., where he posted a 35-4 combined record and captured two state championships.
Minter was a 1996 All-Big 12 honoree at Nebraska before being selected in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers (56th overall pick).
While at Nebraska, Minter was a part of the Huskers’ 1994 and 1995 national championship programs.
As a senior in 1996, Minter started all 12 games where he led the team and finished No. 27 nationally in interceptions per game (0.45).
Minter finished his career at Nebraska with 134 tackles (51 solo, 83 assisted) and had eight tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, to go along with 13 pass breakups and seven interceptions.
After being drafted by the Carolina Panthers, Minter played 10 seasons for the NFL franchise, finishing his career with 486 tackles, 42 pass breakups, 11 sacks, five forced fumbles and 17 interceptions with four touchdown returns.
Minter became Carolina’s starting safety six games into his rookie season in 1997 and remained in that same starting role until he retired following the 2006 season.
Minter helped the Panthers to three NFL playoff appearances, spotlighted by an NFC Championship in 2003 and a match-up against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVII.
Minter was an alternate Pro Bowl selection three times during his career and was a Football Digest All-Pro second team honoree in 2003.
Minter, a native of Lawton, Okla., played both football and basketball at Lawton High School, where he averaged 21 points per game on the basketball court as a guard.
In addition to playing and coaching football, Minter is the CEO of Minter Enterprises, a multi-faceted business impacting real estate development, general contracting and construction, business consultation, publishing, public speaking engagements and a non-profit organization focused on youth development.
Minter and his wife, Kim, have four children – Michael, Jr., Isaiah, McKenna and Brianna.
Minter at a Glance
Year at Liberty: First
Coaching Experience:
2011 (1 year) – Johnson C. Smith (Asst. HC, Def. Pass Game Coord.)
2008-10 (3 years) – First Assembly Christian School (HC)
Recruiting Area: Central North and South Carolina, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Missouri
Education: B.S., Engineering (Nebraska, ’97)
Hometown: Lawton, Okla.
Wife: Kim
Children: Michael, Jr., Isaiah, McKenna and Brianna
