Mike Cavanaugh Joins Orange Football Staff

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse head football coach Dino Babers announced Tuesday that Mike Cavanaugh has joined the Orange staff as the team's offensive line coach. Cavanaugh has spent nearly his entire career working with offensive linemen. He brings 32 years of coaching acumen to Syracuse, including 13 seasons as an offensive line coach at the Power-Five level. Cavanaugh most recently served as the offensive line coach at Nebraska from 2015-17.

In addition to his 30 years of collegiate experience, Cavanaugh spent two seasons (1997-98) in the National Football League as an assistant offensive line and quality control coach with the San Diego Chargers.

"Mike has an outstanding track record of teaching and developing quality offensive linemen," Babers said. "He's done it successfully at every level in college as well as the pros. This was an opportunity to add someone whose knowledge and experience will greatly enhance our staff and benefit our players."

"I'd like to thank Coach Babers for this opportunity and for welcoming me into the Syracuse family," Cavanaugh said. "He and his staff have coached some of the most prolific offenses in college football. I'm excited to learn from them and to be part of the championship-caliber program they are building at Syracuse."

At Nebraska, Cavanaugh's offensive lines proved to be among the nation's best at protecting the passer. The Cornhuskers ranked in the top 15 in fewest sacks allowed in two of Cavanaugh's three seasons in Lincoln. In 2016, Nebraska surrendered 15 sacks to rank first in the Big Ten and 14th in the country, as the Huskers finished with an 8-4 record and advanced to the Music City Bowl.

The previous season, the Huskers gave up 14 sacks to rank second in the conference and ninth nationally. Cavanaugh's front five helped Nebraska finish in the top three in the Big Ten in scoring offense, passing offense, total offense and third-down percentage. The Huskers also generated 3,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in the same season for just the third time in program history.

Under Cavanaugh's direction, Nebraska tackle Alex Lewis earned 2015 All-Big Ten Second Team honors. Cavanaugh protégés Nick Gates and Jerald Foster were also recognized by the conference. Gates was a Big Ten All-Freshman pick for the Huskers in 2015 and received honorable mention All-Big Ten plaudits in 2017. Foster was a 2017 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention choice.

Prior to his Nebraska appointment, Cavanaugh spent 10 seasons (2005-14) as the offensive line coach at Oregon State where the performance of his front five led to record-setting offensive numbers and six bowl appearances. Behind the play of Cavanaugh's unit, quarterback Sean Mannion, who completed his career in 2014, set single-season and career Pac-12 records for passing yards. Oregon State's offensive line also paved the way for several all-conference runners, as running backs Yvenson Bernard and Jacquizz Rodgers each produced three 1,000-yard rushing seasons while Cavanaugh was in Corvallis.

Because the Beavers' success, Cavanaugh's Oregon State players were regularly rewarded for their efforts. Andy Levitre, Jeremy Perry and Isaac Seumalo garnered All-America honors, while 23 of his players earned all-conference recognition.

From 1999-2004, Cavanaugh was a key part in directing some of the college football's top offenses as the offensive line coach at Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors ranked in the top 10 nationally in total offense in three times in Cavanaugh's six seasons.

Before his stint at Hawaii, Cavanaugh made additional college coaching stops at Ferris State, Sacred Heart, Murray State, Alma College and Wesleyan University (Conn.).

A player at New Haven from 1981-82, Cavanaugh got his coaching start as a graduate assistant at Albany in 1986. That same year he received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State.

Cavanaugh and his wife, Laurie, have two children – Shane and Blair.

The addition of Cavanaugh to the staff, as well as a future 10th assistant coach now allowed under NCAA rules, gives Babers the opportunity to restructure duties to maximize the strengths of each coach. The responsibilities for co-offensive coordinator Mike Lynch, who coached the Orange offensive line the past two seasons, have not yet been determined.

THE CAVANAUGH FILE
Hometown: Wallingford, Conn.
Alma Mater: Southern Connecticut State '86
Family: wife, Laurie; children, Shane and Blair

Coaching Experience
1986: Albany, Graduate Assistant
1987: Wesleyan University (Conn.), Offensive Line
1988-91: Alma College (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line; Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
1992: Murray State, Offensive Line
1993-94: Sacred Heart, Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
1995-96: Ferris State, Offensive Line
1997-98: San Diego Chargers (NFL), Assistant Offensive Line/Quality Control
1999-2004: Hawaii, Offensive Line
2005-14: Oregon State, Offensive Line
2015-17: Nebraska, Offensive Line

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