University of Houston Athletics
Levine Adds Nesbitt, Christian To Coaching Staff
1/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 11, 2012
Houston, Texas - Houston Football has developed a national brand for its aggressive offensive scheme and potent special teams attack and new UH Head Coach Tony Levine will continue that aggressive approach as he announced the hiring of Mike Nesbitt as his new offensive coordinator and Jamie Christian as his special teams coordinator and inside wide receivers/tight ends coach.
Nesbitt brings tremendous familiarity with the state, most recently serving as the offensive coordinator for Stephen F. Austin's nationally-ranked offense, while Christian comes to UH after five seasons at Arizona State.
"I'm so pleased to be able to add both Mike (Nesbitt) and Jamie (Christian) to our coaching staff," Head Coach Tony Levine said. "First of all, both are outstanding football coaches and men of high integrity. Secondly our fans are going to love their aggressive nature on offense and in the kicking game. We have all three of our coordinators in place now and in all three phases we will continue our attack mentality and build on the exciting brand of football that has become synonymous with UH."
Nesbitt, a former Division I student-athlete (New Mexico) and NFL punter for the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings, has spent the majority of his collegiate coaching career crafting offensive game plans and most recently directed the Stephen F. Austin offense to Top 15 national rankings in passing offense (No. 6 - 318.8), scoring offense (No. 11 - 35.7) and total offense (No. 11 - 439.4). Nesbitt's first year in Nacogdoches, Texas, was no easy chore. He was forced to replace quarterback Jeremy Moses, the 2010 Walter Payton Award winner and two-time All-America quarterback, with a first-year starter, while also implementing his own brand of offensive football. Nesbitt's transition to S.F.A. was a success, as sophomore quarterback Brady Attaway ranked No. 10 nationally in total offense, racking up 286.9 yards per game, while throwing for 3,181 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Mike Nesbitt's Recent Bio Highlights
2011 - Stephen F. Austin Offensive Coordinator
- Top 15 in passing, total and scoring offense
- 12 years collegiate experience running the Air Raid
- Coached a first-year starting QB in 2011
2010 - West Texas A&M Offensive Coordinator
- Offense ranked No. 2 nationally (529 ypg)
- Ranked No. 3 in scoring offense (42.0 ppg)
2007-09 - West Texas A&M WR / QB Coach
- Coached Carolina Panther WR Charly Martin
- His receivers made 355 catches for 4,251 yards in '09
2005-06 - Blinn College Offensive Coordinator
- 2006 National Champions
- 19-3 overall record in two seasons
In fact, despite replacing the top player in Football Bowl Subdivision play last season, Stephen F. Austin nearly equaled its offensive and scoring output in 2011, racking up 439.4 total yards (compared to 442.9 in 2010) and scoring 35.7 points (36.3 in 2010). Attaway led the Southland Conference in passing (289.2), while juniors Gralyn Crawford (6.5) and Cordell Roberson (5.7) led the league in receptions per game.
"Mike has an incredible grasp of the Air Raid offense and our fans are really going to enjoy the offensive creativity he brings to our program," Levine said. "His track record gives us the most experienced offensive coordinator we've had since I have been at UH. Coaches throughout our state have an incredible amount of respect for the way he coaches and teaches the game. We went through an exhaustive search process and talked to a number of great college coaches, but Mike is exactly what I was looking for and he really wants to be at the University of Houston."
Prior to his one season at S.F.A. Nesbitt spent four years at West Texas A&M coordinating the offense in 2010 while also working with the Buffalo receivers and quarterbacks. Nesbitt's offense averaged 529 yards per game in 2010, including 423 yards through the air. The Buffaloes ranked No. 2 nationally in total offense and No. 3 in scoring offense (42.0). West Texas A&M quarterback Taylor Harris also finished third nationally with 400 yards passing per contest, and was among the nation's leaders with 38 touchdown passes.
"Camille, Gavin and I are honored to be joining the Houston family," Nesbitt said. "What has taken place at Houston over the past decade is remarkable. The facility improvements, the success on the field and in the classroom and of course the national move to the BIG EAST makes this an exciting time to be a Houston Cougar. Offensively, our fans will be very familiar with our style of play. We have the best athletes in America in our own backyard at UH and few teams play like us, so I'm excited about how this program will evolve as we move into a new era."
Nesbitt coached the West Texas A&M receivers in 2009. The Buffaloes hauled in 355 passes for 4,251 yards, the third-highest total in school history. Nesbitt also mentored current Carolina Panther receiver Charly Martin that year. Martin concluded his collegiate career with 95 receptions for 1,867 yards and 22 touchdowns to earn All-America honors.
Nesbitt has 16 years of coaching experience, including 12 years at the collegiate level. He spent two seasons in Brenham, Texas, as the offensive coordinator at Blinn College and helped coach the Buccaneers to a 19-3 (.864) overall record and the 2006 NJCAA National Championship. In addition to the team's success, Nesbitt's offense produced several All-Americans. Prior to his two seasons at Blinn, Nesbitt helped Howard Payne produce a 30-10 (.750) overall record in four seasons.
Nesbitt enjoyed a standout playing career at the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the nation's top punters. He finished second all-time in UNM school history averaging 45 yards per punt as a junior and led the nation in net punting that season. He also spent time in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings.
A native of Belen, N.M., Nesbitt received his bachelor's degree from UNM in 1996. He graduated with a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from West Texas A&M in 2008. Nesbitt, and his wife Camille, have a son, Gavin.
Levine also added one of the nation's top special teams coordinators with the addition of Christian. The Milpitas, Calif., native comes to Houston after five seasons at Arizona State, where he directed the Sun Devils' special teams and coached both the running backs and inside receivers/tight ends.
Highly respected for his work with the ASU kicking game, Christian mentored the 2007 Lou Groza Award winner, Thomas Weber. Weber led the Pac-10 in field goals and field goal accuracy, making 24-of-25 tries. Coincidentally Weber's Groza Award victory came one season after a former Levine pupil, Louisville's Art Carmody, won the honor in 2006.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jamie and his body of work coaching both the special teams and the inside receivers speaks for itself," Levine said. "Arizona State is annually one of the top special teams units in America and his work with Gerell Robinson as a wide receiver, also running the Air Raid, will allow him to make a quick impact with our program."
As Levine mentioned, Robinson was one of college football's top pass-catchers in 2011, making 77 receptions for 1,397 yards and seven scores. His 1,397 yards ranked No. 6 nationally, while his 18.1 yards per catch ranked No. 12.
The Sun Devils had the nation's most-potent kick return game in 2011, ranking No. 5 nationally in punt returns (15.3) and No. 10 in kick returns (25.1). ASU had four total kick returns for score last year, including three on kickoffs and one via the punt return unit. Jamal Miles had three of those returns (tied for the national lead), returning a kickoff 98 yards in the season-opening win against UC Davis and another 95 yards to open the game at Washington State. His third return, a 78-yard punt return for score against Oregon State, helped him average a gaudy 16.6 yards per punt return this season. That would have led the country with enough attempts. His 26.3 yards per kickoff return ranked No. 18 nationally.
Jamie Christian's Recent Bio Highlights
2007-11 - Arizona State Sp. Teams Coordinator
- Also coached inside receivers for Air Raid at ASU
- Coached 2011 All-Pac-12 WR Gerell Robinson
- 2010-11 Seven combined kickoff/punt returns for TD
- 2011 Led nation with four kick/punt return scores
- 2010 Three players with kickoff return scores
- 2009 Among NCAA leaders in kick return defense
- 2007 Lou Groza Award Winner, Thomas Weber
2006 - Idaho, Sp. Teams Coordinator
- Also coached running backs
2003-04 - San Francisco 49ers
- Coached with Dennis Erickson
2000-01 - Oregon State University
- Began coaching career under Erickson as Graduate Assistant
"I appreciate the opportunity to join the Houston family and be a part of its great football tradition," Christian said. "This program is on the rise nationally. The on-field success that has taken place, plus the facility and conference moves makes this a tremendous opportunity for my family and I. I am really looking forward to getting started and I know my family is excited to call the city of Houston their home."
In 2010 he directed the kickoff return unit to a No. 2 ranking nationally. The ASU return game averaged 27.5 yards per return, tops in the Pac-10. Three different ASU kick returners took kickoffs back for touchdowns that year, including Omar Bolden who averaged 29.2 yards per return and LeQuan Lewis who logged 28.5 yards per attempt.
Defensively his teams were equally effective, highlighted by the 2009 campaign when ASU ranked among the nation's best, allowing opponents just 18.8 yards per kickoff return.
Prior to his time at Arizona State Christian spent five seasons with Dennis Erickson at the University of Idaho (2006), the San Francisco 49ers (2003, 2004) and at Oregon State University (2000, 2001). Christian has also coached at Northern Arizona University (2002) and at Sacramento State University (2005).
While at Idaho, Christian tutored a pair of 500-yard runners in Brian Flowers (561 yards) and Jayson Bird (506), who also combined for 11 rushing touchdowns.
A former student-athlete, Christian began his playing career as a fullback at Fresno State before transferring to Central Washington. Christian switched to running back and was CWU's leader in rushing yards and touchdowns as a senior and helped lead the Wildcats to the 1995 NAIA National Championship.
Christian earned his bachelor's degree in law and justice from Central Washington in 1999. He and his wife Deja have one daughter, Cree (18).
