Saints Football Welcomes Mike Furrey As Head Coach

Limestone College introduced Mike Furrey, formerly the wide receivers coach at NCAA Division I Marshall University and an eight-year NFL veteran, as its new head football coach during a press conference on Wednesday, May 11, in the Rilling Hall of Fame Room at the Bob Campbell Field House.

Furrey joins the Saints after spending two seasons as the head football coach at Kentucky Christian University followed by three years on “Doc” Holliday’s staff at Marshall. Prior to his time in the coaching ranks, he played eight seasons in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams, the Detroit Lions, the Cleveland Browns, and the Washington Redskins.

“We are absolutely thrilled to announce Coach Furrey as our head football coach” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Cerino. “With his deep knowledge of the game and his understanding of what it means to be successful on the field, in the classroom, and in the community, I know that he will continue to build the Limestone football program in all the right ways.”  

During his tenure with the Thundering Herd, Furrey helped guide the program to three straight bowl wins and the 2014 Conference USA Championship. Marshall led Conference USA in scoring offense while ranking in the Top-5 nationally in total offense during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns.

He has extensive experience recruiting student-athletes from both North Carolina and South Carolina during his time at Marshall, including a pair of standouts from Gaffney High School in Hyleck Foster and Raheim Huskey. Furrey also served as the Thundering Herd’s Community Liaison.

Following a successful NFL playing career, Furrey was named the head coach of a struggling Kentucky Christian program in January 2011. He promptly turned the program around as the team went from 0-11 in 2010 to 7-4 and a national Top-25 ranking in 2012.

While at the helm of the Knights, he coached the Mid-South Conference Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, and a school-record 18 student-athletes were named to the Mid-South All-Conference Team. Furrey was also instrumental in raising funds to build a new stadium with a turf field at KCU.

Twice nominated for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award while with the Detroit Lions, Furrey was a finalist for the prestigious award during the 2009 season as a member of the Cleveland Browns. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award honors a player’s volunteer and charitable work as well as his excellence on the field.

Furrey won the 2010 JB Award, an accolade given to those who specialize in community service by CBS studio host James Brown, and the was selected as the 2010 NFL Ed Block Courage Award recipient, an honor that highlights courage, compassion, commitment, and community service.

His best year as a professional came during the 2006 season with the Detroit Lions as he led the NFC with 98 receptions – a mark that set an NFL non-rookie record for most receptions in a season after having none the previous year. Furrey was named the Lions’ Co-Offensive Player of the Year after posting 1,086 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

After signing with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2000, Furrey spent one season with the Las Vegas Outlaws in the XFL before playing two years with the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. He would then sign with the St. Louis Rams in 2003, playing in 13 games during his rookie year. He helped guide the Rams to the NFC Divisional Round as a safety a year later.

Furrey was a three-time All-American while at the University of Northern Iowa after spending his freshman season as a walk-on at The Ohio State University. While with the Buckeyes, the team won the 1997 Rose Bowl with a thrilling 20-17 win over Arizona State.  

In 2007, he founded the Mike Furrey Foundation and has since raised more than $500,000 to help improve the lives of those who are hurting, hungry, hopeful, and/or homeless. He also serves as the board president for Basket of Hope with former NFL coach Tony Dungy as the organization’s spokesperson.

Furrey graduated from UNI in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies. He and his wife Koren are the proud parents of Makayla, Stone and Kanon.