Mike Canales - Football Coach - University of Tennessee Athletics

Mike Canales

Title:
Quarterbacks Coach
Email:
fb-recruiting@utk.edu

Was announced as Tennessee’s quarterbacks coach on Jan. 20, 2017
Arrived in Knoxville with 32 years of coaching experience, including 23 years as an offensive coordinator
Has coached five different quarterbacks that have earned All-America recognitions and been a part of teams that have appeared in eight bowl games
Spent the 2016 season at his alma mater, Utah State, where he served as the assistant head coach/running backs/tight ends coach
From 2010-15, served as the associate head coach/offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at North Texas. He also spent portions of the 2010 and 2015 seasons as an interim head coach for the Mean Green. During his six seasons at North Texas, he mentored 20 offensive players who earned all-conference honors, while helping the program win just their third bowl game in school history in 2013. He coordinated a unit in 2014 that ranked tops in the nation with a 94.3 percent red zone scoring percentage. In 2013, he directed an offense that scored 414 points, the second-most in school history and the most since 1951.
Under Canales’ guidance in 2013, North Texas quarterback Derek Thompson ranked second-best in school history for single-season passing yards (2,896), completions (251), completion percentage (64.4) and total offense (3,053). During the 2012 season, Thompson threw for a career-high 2,649 yards and set the school single-game record for completion percentage (89.3 pct.) against Kansas State when he completed 25 of 28 passes. Thompson finished his career with 7,457 passing yards and 42 touchdown passes. Canales spent a portion of the 2010 season as interim head coach at North Texas and led the team to a 2-3 mark.
Prior to joining North Texas, served two stints at South Florida where he was the offensive coordinator from 2007-09 and the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 1996-2000.
Directed a USF unit in 2008 that led the Big East Conference in scoring and finished second in total offense. He helped his team reach a national ranking as high as No. 2 during the 2007 season and No. 10 during the 2008 season. Under his leadership, South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe became the Big East career leader in total offense.
Spent three seasons (2004-06) as the offensive coordinator at the University of Arizona.
Served on Herm Edwards’ staff with the New York Jets in 2003 as wide receivers coach. He tutored Santana Moss, who finished among the top 15 NFL receivers that season with 74 receptions for 1,105 yards and 10 touchdowns.
From 2001-02, was passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Carolina State, where he helped develop NFL All-Pro quarterback and first-round pick Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers. Rivers was a two-time All-ACC honoree and a Heisman Trophy candidate. North Carolina State finished 11-3 and ranked 12th in the final AP Poll in 2002, averaging 392.0 yards on offense. The offense featured a 3,000-yard passer in Rivers, a 1,000-yard receiver in Jerricho Cotchery and a 1,000-yard rusher in T.A. McLendon.
Also worked at Pacific (1995), Snow College (1987-94) and Brigham Young (1985-86). During his time at Snow College, the team ranked in the top 10 nationally in seven of his eight seasons. He also coached the softball team for seven years, leading the team to six region titles.
A former quarterback at Utah State from 1981-83, Canales earned a degree in speech communication. He earned a master’s degree in professional leadership from BYU in 1986.
Canales has four sons, Christopher Canales, Dr. Tyler Canales, DDS, Dakota Canales and Cameron Canales, and three granchildren, Michah, Ofelia and Cy, whose parents are Christopher and the former Jaime Engel.