Mike Cordova

Biography

Mike Cordova enters his first season as the assistant tight ends coach for the UCLA football program in 2026. Cordova spent the previous five seasons working under head coach Bob Chesney at James Madison (2024–25) and Holy Cross (2021–23). Most recently, Cordova served as an offensive analyst at James Madison in 2025, helping lead the Dukes to a 12-2 record, their first Sun Belt Conference Championship and the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance. JMU ranked first in the Sun Belt and ninth nationally in scoring offense (31.7 points per game), while also finishing 15th in total offense at 456.2 yards per game. As a graduate assistant at James Madison in 2024, Cordova helped guide the Dukes to the nation’s 26th-ranked scoring offense (33.3 points per game). The offense averaged 191.5 rushing yards per game, produced 28 passing touchdowns and committed just nine turnovers – the third-fewest in the FBS. JMU capped the season with a 27-17 victory over Western Kentucky in the Boca Raton Bowl, securing the program’s first bowl championship. Cordova joined James Madison after four seasons on Chesney’s staff at Holy Cross. He served as running backs coach in 2022 and 2023 after working in a special teams quality control role during the Spring and Fall 2021 seasons. During his time at Holy Cross, Cordova helped the program win four Patriot League championships and earn three FCS Playoff berths, highlighted by a Quarterfinal appearance in 2022. In 2023, he coached running

Career Path