Mike Kaiser returns to the Wheeling Football program for the 2024 season, marking his third season on Head Coach Zac Bruney's staff. Kaiser will serve as the Director of Football Operations, Academic Success Coordinator, and Defensive Line Coach, helping the Cardinals front line. He was most recently a member of the staff during the Fall 2023 season, when he served as the Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach with the Wheeling University Football Team.Â
Kaiser returns to the Cardinals after spending two seasons as the Defensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for Northern Michigan University. During his time with the Wildcats, Kaiser helped direct a defensive front that got in the backfield for 6.0 sacks and 56.0 tackles for loss during the 2024 season. Kaiser also served as the team's recruiting coordinator, where he helped build the Wildcats roster.
He helped lead the team to a 5-6 record, and led a defensive line that was one of the strongest units in the MEC. They were tied for seventh in sacks last season while sitting fifth in the conference on sac yardage. The unit was a big reason for Wheeling's defensive success that saw the Cardinals allow a record low 21.7 points per game. Brandon Munoz earned All-MEC Honorable Mention Honors under Kaiser’s leadership.Â
Prior to Wheeling, Kaiser coached at Wayne State University in Detroit. He joined the staff in the summer of 2019  as a defensive coach.Â
Kaiser helped mentor eight defensive linemen that earned GLIAC All-Academic recognition. In addition, two of his pupils were selected to All-GLIAC teams as Jalen Lewis was voted to the All-GLIAC Second Team, and Damani Green was named to the Honorable Mention All-GLIAC squad.
The Wayne State defensive line contingent helped the Warriors to a 7-1 GLIAC record by leading the conference (league games only) in sacks (29) and interceptions returned for a touchdown (4 - one by defensive end Brady Beedon) and ranking third in fewest points allowed per game (21.9). Nationally, WSU was 18th in sacks (3.0 per game), 21st in third-down defense (30.6% - 44-of-144), and 23rd in red zone defense (69.2%).
Mike spent 2018 campaign as a quality control linebackers coach at the University of Minnesota. While at Minnesota, the squad went 7-6,  with 2 defensive breakthrough games to finish the season. A 37-15 win over in conference rival Wisconsin and a 34-10 win in the Quick Lane Bowl over Georgia Tech. Minnesota held GT to 283 total yards in that game.Â
Kaiser served two seasons (2016 and 2017) as the defensive line graduate assistant coach at Western Michigan University helping the Broncos to a combined 19-7 overall record, including a 12-4 Mid-American Conference mark. In 2016, Kaiser was an integral part of Westerns MAC Championship defense and Cotton Bowl appearance, capped off with a with 13-1 record.Â
Prior to heading to Kalamazoo, Kaiser worked with the defensive line at Wayne State for two seasons as a graduate assistant (2014 and 2015).
In 2015, he helped guide one Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recipient (Derrick Rodgers) and three Academic All-GLIAC honorees in Derrick Coleman, Blake Mazur and Alex Medenbach. The WSU defense finished 44th nationally in first downs defense allowing just 197 throughout the season, while ranking 45th in rushing defense (135.4 yards allowed per game) and 48th in tackles for loss with 7.3 per contest.
Kaiser mentored two 2014 Academic All-GLIAC selections in Blake Mazur and Alex Medenbach along with WSU Defensive Rookie of the Year award recipient Jake Carrizales. Carrizales was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection, while Justice Akuezue and Sam Sillmon were both named to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team. Carrizales was third in the GLIAC in both sacks and tackles for loss per game, while Sillmon was among the conference leaders in fumble recoveries.
As a team, WSU led the GLIAC in 2014 and ranked 22nd nationally in sacks (2.91 per game), while ranking eighth in NCAA Division II with 9.3 tackles for loss per game. The Warriors were ranked 38th in D-II in total defense allowing 338.5 yards per game.
The Romeo, Mich. native graduated from Michigan State University in 2013 with a Bachelors degree in interdisciplinary studies. Kaiser also holds a Masters degree in Sports Administration from Western Michigan University. He formerly was a teaching assistant for the cognitively impaired at Lapeer East High School, while coaching wide receivers and defensive backs at Imlay City High School. Kaiser coached two Spartan defensive backs to All-League accolades and aided in a record-setting season for one of the team's wide receivers.
He began his college career at Adrian College where he played linebacker for two seasons. He spent his prep playing days at Orchard Lake St. Mary's where he started at right guard in the 2007 MHSAA Division 3 State Championship game, the longest playoff game in MHSAA history for any round. Kaiser earned All-League and All-Oakland County honors in 2007.
Kaiser is married to his wife Melissa.
