CORVALLIS, Ore. – Mike MacIntyre will join the Oregon State football program as Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach, Head Coach JaMarcus Shephard announced Thursday.

“Coach MacIntyre brings a wealth of knowledge as a former head coach but also a defensive play caller at various conferences throughout college football,” Shephard said. “He has a track record of developing talent, while also hiring his former players to be a part of his staff. That told me a lot about the man as much as it did about the coach.”

A 33-year veteran of collegiate coaching, MacIntyre has experience as the head coach at Florida International, Colorado and San Jose State, and served as the defensive coordinator at Memphis, Ole Miss, Duke and Temple.

“I’m incredibly thankful to Coach Shephard and Oregon State University for the opportunity to be the defensive coordinator at a program with a proud football history and a standard of excellence both on and off the field,” MacIntyre said. “Excited to build something special and can’t wait to get to work.”

The appointment is contingent on the completion of all university hiring processes.

MacIntyre was the Consensus National Coach of the Year in 2016 after guiding Colorado to its first winning season since 2005, posting a 10-4 record and claiming the Pac-12 South Division Title. While at San Jose State, he was named the Grant Teaff National Coach of the Year after leading the Spartans to the program’s first ranking in the final BCS standings (No. 24) following a 10-2 mark in 2012. In 2009, he was named the AFCA FBS Assistant Coach of the Year while serving as Duke’s defensive coordinator.

He was previously a senior defensive analyst at Mississippi State for one season in 2025.

Prior to Mississippi State, MacIntyre spent the previous three seasons as the head coach at Florida International (2022-24) where he coached wide receiver Eric Rivers who became the first-ever All-American in program history. He also coached eight Panthers to All-Conference USA honors, including another four earning Conference USA All-Freshman team accolades. Defensive back Demetrius Hill became the first FIU player since 2018 to be named to the FWAA Freshman All-America Team.

MacIntyre previously served as the defensive coordinator at Memphis for two seasons. In 2021, the Tigers led the American Conference in defensive touchdowns (23rd nationally) and ranked 13th nationally in turnovers gained (20), 17th in interceptions (12) and 19th in red zone defense (.744).

Under his leadership at Memphis in 2020, defensive lineman O’Bryan Goodson was named First Team All-American Athletic Conference, defensive back Quindell Johnson earned Second Team All-Conference accolades and defensive lineman Morris Joseph received honorable mention recognition.

In one season at Ole Miss in 2019 as the defensive coordinator/safeties coach, MacIntyre led a defense that improved almost 40 ranking spots from the previous season, holding opponents to less overall points per game and approximately 100 fewer rush yards per game. He was nominated for the Broyles Award that year, which is given to the best assistant coach in the country.

MacIntyre was the head coach at Colorado from 2013-18 and San Jose State from 2010-12 and led both programs to historic turnarounds.

In 2013, he took over a Colorado team coming off a 1-11 season and led them to a 10-4 record and first-ever appearance in the Pac-12 Championship Game in just four years. The 2016 Buffaloes team became just the ninth Power-5 school to win 10 or more games after finishing the previous season with four or fewer wins since 1972.

The 2015 Colorado defense improved by as many as 50 spots nationally in several major defensive areas. The biggest jump came in points allowed per game, an 11.5 improvement from the previous year, the fifth-best mark in all of FBS.

The turnaround at Colorado came just a few years after MacIntyre similarly resuscitated a San Jose State team from a 1-12 record in 2010 to one that finished 10-2 in 2012 and was nationally ranked. His San Jose State teams won 12 of his final 14 games there.
 
The Spartans recorded their first 10-win season since 1987 with a defense that ranked among the national leaders in numerous statistical categories. The Spartans were the co-national leaders with 20 fumble recoveries and were tied for fourth in turnovers gained (33).

MacIntyre served as the defensive coordinator at Duke in 2008-09 and led a defense that was among the program’s best statistically over a 20-year span. He was named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FBS Assistant Coach of the Year in 2009.

 
He spent five seasons in the National Football League with the New York Jets (2007) and Dallas Cowboys (2003-06) coaching defensive backs at both stops. Working for legendary coach Bill Parcells, the Cowboys returned to the NFL playoffs in 2003 and again in 2006. MacIntyre has mentored several current and former NFL players, including retired former Dallas and Cincinnati safety Roy Williams, a five-time Pro Bowl player.

Before coaching in the NFL, MacIntyre was at Ole Miss for four years as the defensive backs coach (2001-02) and wide receivers coach (1999-00). He was previously the defensive coordinator at Temple (1997-98), UT Martin (1993-96), and Davidson (1992).

MacIntyre was a two-year letterwinner at Georgia Tech in 1987-88 as a free safety and punt returner for head coach Bobby Ross. He spent the previous two seasons at Vanderbilt in 1984-85, playing for his father, George, who was the head coach of the Commodores from 1979-85.

MacIntyre earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Georgia Tech in 1989 and his master’s in education with an emphasis on sports management from Georgia in 1991.

MacIntyre and his wife, Trisha, have three children – Jennifer, Jay and Jonston.

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