Mike Fossum
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line CoachAlma Mater: St. Olaf '94
E-mail: mike.fossum@wlc.edu
Office Phone: (414) 443-8626
Mike Fossum is in his 14th season as an assistant coach for the Wisconsin Lutheran College football team. He handles a variety of duties, including offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.
Since WLC has been affiliated with a conference (2002-2011), Fossum has coached 14 offensive linemen who have been named to various all-conference teams. In 2011, Wisconsin Lutheran averaged a school-record 184.2 rushing yards per game, good for second in the NAC. During the past three seasons, the Warriors have finished no worse than second in the conference in rushing and led the league in 2009 with 138.6 rushing yards per contest.
Since joining the NAC in 2008, Wisconsin Lutheran has had two of the league’s top seven rushers, including 2011 when WLC produced two of the conference’s top three running backs in Jesse Muldrow and Donavin Tucker. Fossum’s offensive line also helped pave the way for Tucker to break the single-game rushing record with his 220-yard performance against Rockford last season. The Warriors offensive line also led the way in a 42-20 win over Minnesota-Morris in which WLC had three players rush for over 100 yards.
Over the past two seasons, Fossum’s offensive line has also been exceptional against the pass as they have allowed less than one sack per game during the past two seasons, allowing only 19 sacks in 20 games.
Fossum had five seasons of experience at the NCAA Division II and III football ranks prior to his appointment at Wisconsin Lutheran. His most recent assignment was as an assistant coach for two years (1997-1998) at Division I-AA South Dakota State University for head coach John Stiegelmeier. There he worked primarily with the defensive secondary, assisted with special teams and scouting and was in charge of all on-campus recruiting.
For three seasons (1994-1996), Fossum coached the defensive line at his alma mater, St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. During his stint, six linemen earned all-conference honors and one was selected to the all-region team. In addition, Fossum was the coordinator responsible for all aspects of football recruiting to the private school.
An offensive lineman while at St. Olaf, Fossum was an all-conference selection under former head coach Don Canfield and earned the team's Most Inspirational Leadership Award his senior season. During his prep days at Black River Falls High School, Fossum played football for Warren Rosin, a member of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Fossum earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from St. Olaf (1994), a master's degree in athletic administration from South Dakota State (1998) and a master's in business administration from the University of Phoenix (2004).
Fossum is a member of both the American and Wisconsin Football Coaches Associations. He and his wife, Astrid, have two sons, John and Will, and a daughter, Julia.
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