Oklahoma State University Athletics
Mike Cassity Named Defensive Coordinator
February 25, 2000 | Cowboy Football
Feb. 25, 2000
STILLWATER, Okla. ---- Oklahoma State Head Football Coach Bob Simmons announced today he has named Mike Cassity Defensive Coordinator.
Cassity, who coached the Cowboy secondary and was co-defensive coordinator in 1999, fills the vacancy created when Rob Ryan took a job with the New England Patriots last week.
"The experience he has had over his career and the fact he has been in our system for the past year made him an obvious choice," Coach Simmons said. "He has been a coordinator at --this level and experienced a great deal of success throughout his career. He has a proven record as a coach and recruiter and I'm excited to have him continue on our staff."
Cassity's coaching resume includes two years at Baylor as defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Prior to his tenure at Baylor, Cassity spent two seasons at Wisconsin and helped guide the Badgers to a win in the 1996 Copper Bowl.
He has also served as defensive coordinator at Cincinnati (1994), Georgia Tech (1992-93), East Carolina (1990-91), Northeast Louisiana (1989) and Western Kentucky (1983-88). He coached defenses at Western Kentucky that finished second and fifth in the nation in total defense.
He was part of a staff at East Carolina that coached the Pirates to an 11-1 record and Peach Bowl championship in 1991. That staff was honored by the American Football Coaches Association as the National Coaching Staff of the Year.
"I am extremely excited," Cassity said. "I'm sorry we lost Rob to the NFL but it was a great opportunity for him and an exciting opportunity for myself. I came here a year ago for the opportunity to work with Coach Simmons and its already been a rewarding experience. I look forward to building on what has already been accomplished. Our defenses have been nationally ranked the last three years and we will work hard to improve on that."
In his first season on the OSU staff, Cassity coached a secondary that finished with 13 interceptions. Six defensive backs in 1999 were among OSU's leaders in tackles and those six combined for 30 pass deflections.
After graduating from Kentucky in 1976, Cassity spent three years at Tilghman High School in Paducah. He then spent three seasons coaching defensive backs at Kentucky and a year at Morehead State.
As a player at Kentucky, Cassity lettered three years in football, playing strong safety. He also wrestled and was a Southeastern Conference runner-up at 190-pounds. His wife, Colleen, is a former television news anchor and currently is a reporter for the OSU coaches shows in both football and basketball. --The Cassity's have four children, Brooke (14), Hunter (10), Skyler (5) and Braden (1),
