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TOUCHDOWN, FOOTBALL!
New head coach Mike Jasper believes “how we do things is much more important than what we accomplish.” And he plans to win.
Shown above: The Jasper family — children Samuel David (left), Millie Claire (middle) and David Reid; wife Allison; and the Hatters' new leader.
BY MICHAEL CANDELARIA
In December, Stetson hired Mike Jasper as the third head coach of Hatters Football in the modern era. He replaced Brian Young, who resigned after four seasons at the helm.
Prior to Stetson, Jasper led Bethel University in Tennessee to consecutive 11-win seasons (2022 and 2023), earning MidSouth Conference Coach of the Year and NAIA Region I Coach of the Year in 2022.
Before becoming head coach, Jasper was the assistant head coach at Bethel and served in numerous other coaching capacities, including on the defensive and offensive lines, as run game coordinator, and in charge of strength and conditioning.
As a player in college, he was both a defensive and offensive lineman, beginning at the University of TennesseeMartin before transferring to Middle Tennessee State University and finishing at Bethel.
In 2011, Jasper was chosen by the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League draft, becoming the most recent player at the NAIA level to be selected. He played four seasons in the NFL with the Bills, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.
Jasper graduated from Bethel with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. He arrived at Stetson with his wife, Allison, children Davis Reid, Millie Claire and Samuel David, and rescue dog Caine.
WHY STETSON?
‘Why Stetson’ is a great question. I think it boils down to the opportunity in a beautiful location. Obviously at first sight, DeLand is a wonderful place. And you’re down in sunny, beautiful Florida in a state full of [football] talent.
“But it really wasn’t until I got on the phone with Ricky Ray [athletics director], and I started to hear his vision for this place. And then I met President [Christopher F.] Roellke, Steve [chair, Board of Trustees] and Lee Alexander [wife], and so many wonderful people at Stetson and in DeLand. The passion and the positive energy was just radiating off every person I came in contact with; that made it a no-brainer for me. When I came down on my visit, I immediately fell in love, and it was the same for my wife. We saw DeLand, and it was a God thing. We knew this was home.”
IN TERMS OF FOOTBALL ON THE FIELD — WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE NEXT YEAR?
“My goal, first and foremost, is to create an environment conducive to success for my players. I got into coaching, after a lifelong journey of playing the game, to give back. So, it’s my goal for every student-athlete that comes into our program to leave better than what they came in.
“My goal for these players is really to establish a culture of excellence, to teach these young men how to wake up and chase greatness each and every day. That was my blueprint at Bethel, and we were extremely successful by remaining root- focused. We’ve been focused on developing great people, and that’s who drives our culture within our football program.
“So, the wins and the championships and the success are a byproduct of waking up every day and doing things the right way, and then pouring into these young people and giving them and my coaching staff the tools to be successful.”
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT YOUR COACHES, YOUR STAFF?
“I’ve been very fortunate. We’re at a full staff. And we’ve put together a stellar staff full of winners. But I think the most important piece of it is they are all like-minded men who are really focused on the people. We wanted to create a staff that will let these players know they’re loved, they’re cared for, and that we were going to be mentors of men before we are football coaches.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT A PLAYING STYLE?
“We are going to be aggressive in all three phases [offense, defense, special teams]. We’re going to bring an exciting and explosive brand of football to Stetson.
“We’re going to be predicated on our effort, our attitude and our toughness. Offensively, we will run what I like to call a ‘smashmouth spread’ offense. We’re going to get the ball vertical in the run and in the pass game. We won’t sit back and be predictable. We’re going to spread the defense out while being aggressive and play in an attacking manner.
“On defense, we’re going to present the opposing offensive coordinator with a lot of different variables. We’re going to bring pressure from different places, and levels of the defense. We’re also going to be fundamentally sound and have the ability to stop the run, and eliminate big plays in the pass game. The last three years [at Bethel], we allowed a little over 12 points a game on defense. My goal is to have that type of success here at Stetson as well. On special teams, we are going to have great attention to detail and put our other two units in a great position to be successful.
“Our objective is to score points in every single phase. It’s a very exciting brand of football. It’s a very physical brand of football, not for the faint of heart. We’re going to fly around, we’re going to hit people, we’re going to hit people hard.”
BIG-PICTURE, WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE PROGRAM IN THE YEARS AHEAD?
“I want to put a brand of football in DeLand, Florida, that the entire community can get behind. I want to pack Spec Martin [Memorial Stadium] every single game. I want the kids to be excited. I want kids to grow up saying, ‘I want to be a Hatter football player.’ I want people to know that we have great Division I football right here in DeLand. We’re going to be a source of pride for this entire community.
“But I’m not here to win in three, four, five years. That’s just not who I am. My expectations will always be high, and we're seeking to win right now.”
WITH THE LANDSCAPE OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS CHANGING — WITH PLAYERS GETTING PAID FROM NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS (NIL), ALONG WITH PLAYERS MOVING THROUGH THE TRANSFER PORTAL, ETC. — DOES THAT KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT?
“It doesn’t. Our student-athletes have access to NIL opportunities; those opportunities are going to help players out, to close the cost gap. Those dollars helping our athletes to get the phenomenal education, culture and atmosphere that’s here at Stetson is a good thing.
As far as the transfer portal, it’s the way of our world now. While we would love to retain every player that we bring into our program, that may not always be the case. We have to do a good job utilizing this tool ourselves to build strong rosters.”
SO, FOR THIS YEAR, WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE 2025 A SUCCESS FOR YOU?
“Year one is all about growth and development — as long as these young men come out and play to the best of their ability, and we as a staff see growth in their development, not only as football players but as young men. I want to see added pride in DeLand for Stetson football, and with that, exponential growth in attendance at Spec Martin on Saturdays. These things would make it a successful year in my eyes.
Like I said, we’re going to be root-focused, and I believe the wins and the championships are a byproduct of that. I know we can win football games. I think that goes without saying, but it will be because we do things the right way, and I see the growth in our program. It’s not so much predicated off wins and losses. I’m a very firm believer that how we do things is much more important than what we accomplish.”
2025 FOOTBALL ASSISTANT COACHES
OFFENSE
Jarod Dodson
Offensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach/Quarterbacks
Matt Clark
Wide Receivers/Special Teams Coordinator
Atif Austin
Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
Sean Matias
Tight Ends/Halfbacks
Chace Gadapee
Offensive Line/Video Coordinator
DEFENSE
Dustin Kincaid
Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers/ Director of Football Operations
Herman Smith
Defensive Line/ Pro Liaison
TJ Denson
Safeties/Assistant Recruiting Coordinator
Kyle Wallace
Cornerbacks
Brian Reynolds
Outside Linebackers
Hunter Simmons
Special Teams Assistant
