Mike Thiessen

Biography

Mike Thiessen is in his 20th season as an assistant coach at the Academy. This season is his 13th as the solo offensive coordinator after four years of sharing the duties, and his 10th as the quarterback coach. Thiessen is the longest tenured offensive coordinator in the nation. He has been nationally recognized as a Broyles Award finalist as the top assistant coach in college football in 2021 and as the Graphite Award winner in 2023 and 2025 as the Mountain West’s most efficient offensive play caller. As offensive coordinator, Thiessen has led a unit over the last 10 years that has been in the top 10 of the nation in rushing each year, averaged 30-plus points per game, been in the top three nationally in passing yards per completion and among the top 10 in third-down percentage. This has been one of the most productive offensive eras in Academy history. The Falcons won three straight national rushing titles, becoming just the second program to win three titles and first since 2008. The Falcons have been the only team to average 300-plus nationally in three of the last four seasons. The Falcons led the nation in time of possession in 2021 with a 36:35 and again in 2022 with a 36:33 average. Thiessen received national recognition in 2021 as a Broyles Award candidate for assistant coach of the year. Thiessen guided record-setting quarterback Liam Szarka last season. Szarka became the program record-holder for most games with 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing with three, a