| Mike Ayers | |
| Birth Date: | 26 May 1948 |
| Birth Place: | Georgetown, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Player Years1: | ? |
| Player Team1: | Georgetown (KY) |
| Player Positions: | Linebacker, offensive tackle |
| Coach Years1: | 1974 |
| Coach Team1: | Georgetown (KY) (assistant) |
| Coach Years2: | 1975 |
| Coach Team2: | Georgetown (KY) (DC) |
| Coach Years3: | 1976–1978 |
| Coach Team3: | Newberry (assistant) |
| Coach Years4: | 1979 |
| Coach Team4: | Richmond (assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 1980–1982 |
| Coach Team5: | Wofford (assistant) |
| Coach Years6: | 1983–1984 |
| Coach Team6: | East Tennessee State (DC) |
| Coach Years7: | 1985–1987 |
| Coach Team7: | East Tennessee State |
| Coach Years8: | 1988–2017 |
| Coach Team8: | Wofford |
| Overall Record: | 218–160–2 |
| Tournament Record: | 8–8 (NCAA I-AA/FCS playoffs) 0–2 (NCAA D-II playoffs) |
| Championships: | 5 SoCon (2003, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017) |
| Awards: | Eddie Robinson Award (2003) 5× SoCon Coach of the Year (2000, 2002–2003, 2007, 2010) |
Mike Ayers (born May 26, 1948)[1] is a former American 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 college football coaching record of 218–160–2. Ayers' Wofford Terriers won five Southern Conference title, in 2003, 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2017.
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.[1]
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.[1] 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.[2]
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.
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.[3]