Head Coach Mike Jacobs announced the hiring of eight assistant coaches and a strength & conditioning coach to his staff on Friday, including two former head coaches and seven staffers who previously served with him at Mercer.
Toledo Head Coach Mike Jacobs Announces Staff Additions
12/19/2025 4:13:00 PM | Football
Jacobs brings two former head coaches, seven former staffers from Mercer to the Glass City
TOLEDO, Ohio —Toledo Head Coach Mike Jacobs announced the hiring of eight assistant coaches and a strength & conditioning coach to his staff on Friday.
Among Jacobs' hires are two former head coaches – Cris Reisert (Gardner-Webb) and Kory Allen (Findlay) – and seven coaches who previously served with him at Mercer.
Reisert will serve as Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, while Allen will be the Associate Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach. The seven new assistants from Mercer are Jahmal Brown (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties), Shawn Chaffee (Linebackers), Brian Folkerts (Offensive Line), Matt Ulrich (Special Teams Coordinator), Jimmy Long (Defensive Line), Fred Jones (Running Backs) and Evan Barr (Director of Strength & Conditioning).
Jacobs, who was announced as Toledo's 28th head coach on Dec. 10, went 20-6 at Mercer and won a pair of conference championships in his two seasons with the Bears in 2024 and 2025. In his 10 seasons as head coach at three schools, Jacobs sports an impressive 94-23 (.803) mark.
"We are excited to add a group of talented teachers and leaders to our coaching staff," said Jacobs. "Staff consistency has been a vital piece of our sustained success, and these men will do a tremendous job for the University of Toledo. It is rare to have the ability to add two sitting head coaches as well. I believe that is a testament to our athletic department's long-term vision for the football program."
Reisert spent the past two seasons as head coach at Gardner-Webb, an FCS program in Boiling Springs, N.C. He has 11 years of coaching experience in the state of Ohio, including a 40-11 mark in five seasons at Tiffin University, where he led the Dragons to three Great Midwest Athletic Conference championships and was named GMAC Coach of the Year three times.
Allen guided Findlay to a 33-12 mark over the past four seasons, going 10-2 in 2025, winning a share of the league title and hosting a playoff game for the first time in school history. Allen previously served as the offensive coordinator at Findlay from 2005-21.
Between them, Jacobs, Reisert and Allen have a combined head coaching record of 178-59 (.751), including 115-31 (.788) at schools in the state of Ohio.
Jacobs said he will be announcing the remainder of his staff in the coming days.
Here is a look at the newest additions to the Toledo Football coaching staff:
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Cris Reisert – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Cris Reisert arrives in Toledo following a successful two-year stint at Gardner-Webb, where he guided his squad to a 7–5 overall mark in 2025, a win total no Runnin' Rebel team had bettered in the past 22 years. He also has 11 years of coaching experience in the state of Ohio, including five highly successful seasons as the head coach at Tiffin where his teams won three conference titles from 2019-23.
Reisert, a Cincinnati native, starred at quarterback at Ohio Dominican University, earning two consecutive NAIA All-America honors and the prestigious NAIA Player of the Year award in 2007. He was inducted into the Ohio Dominican Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
Reisert's coaching journey features significant success across the state of Ohio. At Tiffin, he compiled an impressive record of 40–11 (.784 winning percentage), 32-4 (.889) in conference play, secured three Great Midwest Athletic Conference championships (2019, 2020 and 2023), and three GMAC Coach of the Year honors in each of those seasons. His Tiffin squads set school records in scoring offense (43.7 PPG) and total offense (482.9 YPG) in 2023.
In 2023, Reisert's Tiffin squad posted an 11-1 record, completing the regular season unbeaten and reaching the second round of the Division II national playoffs. With Reisert also handling offensive coordinator duties, the 2023 Tiffin Dragons finished ranked in the top 25 nationally in total offense (4th-482.8), scoring offense (6th-43.7), scoring defense (16th-16.2) and total defense (22nd-281.2).
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During his tenure at Tiffin, Reisert's other notable accomplishments included the first two Division II playoff berths in school history (2019 and 2023), the highest national ranking in school history (No. 9 in 2023), and the program's first win over its primary rival (Findlay) in 22 years. In total, Reisert's teams defeated Findlay three times in five meetings. Reisert's 40 total wins in five seasons were the most career wins by any head coach in his first five seasons in Tiffin's history.
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Prior to his tenure at Tiffin, Reisert spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Ohio Dominican. In seven seasons as the primary play caller, Reisert's teams averaged 38 points per game and 455 yards per game.
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In his stops at Ohio Dominican and Tiffin, Reisert has built a reputation for leaving an immediate impact. In 2017, his first at Ohio Dominican, the offense improved by 11.5 points and 123 yards per game, as compared to the previous season. He authored the same success in year one at Tiffin (2019), boasting a 13-point and 83-yard improvement on average.
Other stops in his coaching career include three seasons as tight ends coach at Elon (2014-2016), one season as an assistant offensive line coach at Ball State (2013), and three seasons in a prior stint at Ohio Dominican as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach (2010-2012).
In 2021, Reisert was selected to the American Football Coaches Association's "35 Under 35" list.
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Reisert holds a bachelor's (2009) and master's degree (2011) in business administration from Ohio Dominican. He and his wife Emily have two children, a son Hawkins and a daughter Lennox.
Kory Allen - Associate Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach
Kory Allen comes to Toledo after two decades at the University of Findlay, including the past four seasons as head coach, where he compiled a 33–12 record and guided the Oilers to a share of the 2025 G-MAC championship and an NCAA Division II playoff berth.
Allen delivered a 33–12 (.733) record at Findlay—the program's highest win percentage since legendary coach Dick Strahm—and never finished lower than third in the G-MAC standings. In 2025, Findlay started out 10-0, was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally, won a share of the league title, and hosted an NCAA playoff game for the first time in school history.
In Allen's 20 total seasons at Findlay as both a head coach and as an assistant, the Oilers posted 123 wins, 15 winning seasons, three NCAA playoff appearances and two conference championships. He also coached and developed elite offensive linemen, including Michael Jerrell, a 2024 NFL Draft selection by the Seattle Seahawks and the only Division II player picked that year. Jerrell later made the 53-man roster.
Previous to his tenure at Findlay, Allen served as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Baldwin Wallace (2004). At BW, the Yellow Jackets' offensive line finished second in the conference in fewest sacks allowed and rushing yards per game. Two Yellow Jacket offensive linemen were honored with all-conference accolades under Coach Allen's guidance as well.
Allen started off his coaching career as a graduate assistant (2000) and then was named the offensive line coach at Ohio Northern University (2001-03). At Ohio Northern, Allen coached two lineman to all-conference honors, and recruited four all-conference players and one All-American.
A native of Albion, N.Y., Allen played offensive line at Ohio Northern, earning first-team All-OAC and Division III All-America honors before beginning his coaching career with the Polar Bears.
A 2000 ONU graduate with a bachelor's degree in sports management, Allen was a three-year starter for the Polar Bears. As a senior, Allen served as team captain on a team that advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in school history and finished ranked fifth in the nation.
Allen and his wife Gina have two sons, Brady and Cody, and a daughter, Gracie.
Jahmal Brown – Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
Jahmal Brown joins the Toledo football coaching staff as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. This will be his eighth season working alongside Head Coach Mike Jacobs.
In 2025, the Mercer rushing defense ranked 11th in the FCS, allowing 110.2 yards per game. The Bears ranked third in the nation in team sacks (3.50) and fifth nationally in team tackles for loss (8.0). Brown oversaw a defense that had held eight of their last 11 opponents to 72 or fewer rushing yards. During his first season at Mercer, the Bears paced all 123 FCS teams in five defensive statistical categories, including forced turnovers (34), passes intercepted (25), rushing defense (70.8 rushing yards/game), defensive touchdowns (eight) and sacks (3.29 sacks/game).
Prior to joining Jacobs' staff at Mercer, Brown spent two seasons at Youngstown State where he helped limit opponents to just 122 rushing yards per game, ranking 10th in the NCAA in 2023. Across his two seasons at YSU, the Penguins ranked among the top teams in the nation, totaling 63 sacks (2.6 sacks/game) and posted an overall record of 15-9 with Brown on the sidelines.
Before his time at Youngstown State, Brown served as defensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne alongside Jacobs, helping the Bears to an 11-4 clip during the spring and fall 2021 seasons. Lenoir-Rhyne posted the nation's fifth-best passing efficiency defense (95.32) that season and held opponents to just 16.4 points per game (16th in the NCAA).
Prior to his stint at Lenoir-Rhyne, Brown was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame (Ohio) under Jacobs and helped the Falcons post a 25-3 record across two seasons (2018-19), two Mountain East Conference championships and a pair of NCAA Division II Playoffs, including an appearance in the semifinals. Notre Dame held opponents to just 2.6 yards per rushing attempt (86.4 yards/game) while totaling 90 sacks (3.2/game) and forcing 57 turnovers, including 28 interceptions.
Brown began coaching as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green from 2011-13, helping the Falcons to the 2013 Mid-American Conference Championship as well as the 2012 Northrup and Gruman Military Bowl and the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. He also coached the defensive backs and linebackers at Saginaw Valley State during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
A four-year starter for Bowling Green as a safety, Brown played in 50 consecutive games, including 48 straight starts, from 2006-09 and captained the Falcons during his senior season.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Brown earned his bachelor's degree in education from Bowling Green in 2010 and completed his graduate degree in sports administration at BGSU in 2014. Jahmal and his wife, Janelle, have three daughters, Ayanna, Amara and Amiyah.
Shawn Chaffee – Linebackers
Shawn Chaffee will be the linebackers coach for Toledo, joining Head Coach Mike Jacobs for their ninth season on the sidelines together.
Chaffee oversaw the linebackers throughout his two seasons at Mercer, helping the defense to rank 11th in the country among all FBS institutions, allowing 110.2 yards/game. The Bears also ranked third in the country in team sacks (3.50) and fifth nationally in team tackles for loss (8.0). During the 2024 campaign. Chaffee's linebackers helped the Mercer defense lead the FCS in five statistical categories: forced turnovers (34), passes intercepted (25), rushing defense (70.8 rushing yards/game), defensive touchdowns (eight) and sacks (3.29 sacks/game).
Prior to his tenure at Mercer, Chaffee was the defensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne from 2020-23. The Bears ranked among the NCAA Division II's top total defenses, including a 2023 campaign where Lenoir-Rhyne held opponents to 258.5 yards (ninth in the NCAA) and 14.7 points (seventh) per game.
Chaffee was the defensive line coach at Notre Dame (Ohio) from 2018-19 and helped lead the Falcons to a 25-3 record, two Mountain East Conference Championships and two NCAA postseason appearances, including the 2018 NCAA Semifinals.
Chaffee served graduate assistant roles at three different schools, including a two-year stint as a defensive line and linebackers coach at Ball State throughout the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
A three-year mainstay on the offensive and defensive lines at The College of Wooster from 2009-12, Chaffee was a starter at both center and nose guard for the Fighting Scots during his junior and senior seasons.
Chaffee earned his bachelor's degree in history from Wooster in 2013. He completed his master's in education at Carthage College in 2015. Chaffee and his wife Erin have one daughter, Adalyn.
Brian Folkerts – Offensive Line
Brian Folkerts joins the Toledo football coaching staff as the offensive line coach after spending the 2025 season alongside Head Coach Mike Jacobs at Mercer.
Mercer's offense concluded the 2025 season ranked third in the nation, averaging 485.2 yards/game, including 318.2 passing yards/game, a mark that ranked third in the country. The Bears were second in the nation in sacks allowed with just 0.42/game.
Prior to his role at Mercer, Folkerts oversaw the offensive line at Northern Iowa and helped the Panthers average nearly 150 yards per game on the ground, while ranking among the nation's best pass protection squads with just 1.75 sacks allowed per game.
Before moving to Cedar Falls, Folkerts spent two seasons (2022-23) as the offensive line coach at Wingate, a NCAA Division II powerhouse. Wingate totaled 378 yards per game during the 2023 campaign, including nearly 150 rushing yards an outing.
A four-time All-Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) selection as a starting tackle at Washburn, Folkerts helped lead the Ichabods to 32 wins from the 2008-11 seasons, including a second-round appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2011. He earned All-America honors from D2Football.com at the conclusion of his senior campaign as well.
Following his collegiate career, Folkerts signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints and spent time with four other NFL teams. A two-time NFC South Champion as a member of the Carolina Panthers organization, Folkerts appeared in 28 regular season and three playoff games on the offensive line and was a key member of the special teams unit. He also spent three seasons (2019-20, 2023) in the XFL and AAF leagues as a member of the San Antonio Commanders, the St. Louis Battlehawks and XFL Champion Arlington Renegades.
Following his professional career, Folkerts returned to Washburn as an assistant offensive line coach in 2021.
Folkerts earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Washburn in 2018. Folkerts and his wife Lindsey have four daughters, Ruby, June, Iris and Etta.
Matt Ulrich – Special Teams Coordinator
Matt Ulrich joins Toledo's coaching staff as the special teams coordinator. This is Ulrich's fifth season working with Head Coach Mike Jacobs.
Ulrich's special teams were key to Mercer's run to the quarterfinals of the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 2024 as the Bears were 20th in the nation in punt returns (12.22 yards/return), while also allowing just 5.72 yards/return (25th in the NCAA). Return specialist Brayden Smith earned a pair of All-American awards, totaling 861 total yards.
Prior to his stint at Mercer, Ulrich spent two seasons at Eastern Washington (2022-23) as the defensive line coach. EWU limited five opponents to 156 rushing yards or fewer during the 2023 season, including holding Idaho State to just 49 yards on the ground.
Ulrich served three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator at NCAA Division II powerhouse Winona State, helping lead one of the nation's top rush defenses. In 2021, the Warriors gave up just 97.4 yards per game to opponents, a mark that ranked 17th in the NCAA. Winona State held opponents to 100 rushing yards or less 16 times from 2018-21, including six times across Ulrich's final season on the WSU sidelines.
Ulrich began his coaching career as the defensive line coach for Winona State in 2012 before joining the Notre Dame (Ohio) staff as a graduate assistant defensive line coach for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Following one season as a defensive quality control assistant at UC Davis, he returned to Notre Dame as the special teams coordinator for the 2016-17 campaigns.
Ulrich saw action in 44 games from 2007-11 during an impressive playing career at Winona State, totaling 112 career tackles (49 solo) including 19.5 tackles for loss. A four-year starter, he was a three-time all-conference performer and was named an All-American following his senior season.
Ulrich earned his bachelor's degree in marketing at Winona State in 2011 and completed his master's in education at Notre Dame (Ohio) in 2015. Ulrich and his wife Megan have one son, Ty.
Jimmy Long – Defensive Line
Jimmy Long joins the Rockets as the defensive line coach. This marks Long's third season on Head Coach Mike Jacobs' staff.
Mercer ranked among the nation's top 25 teams in total defense for three of the last five years, while also boasting one of the best rushing defenses in the FCS. During the 2025 season, the Bears ranked third in sacks (3.5), fifth in tackles for loss (8.0) and 11th in rushing defense (110.2 yards/game).
Prior to his time at Mercer, Long oversaw the defensive line at Lenoir-Rhyne and held opponents to just 104.8 yards/game on the ground across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, while also totaling more than seven tackles for loss an outing. In 2019, Lenoir-Rhyne had the nation's 18th-best total defense while also ranking eighth in rushing yards allowed per game (81.9) and fourth in sacks (3.6/game).
Long began his coaching career with three separate graduate assistant coaching assignments, including his first as a special teams assistant at The Citadel for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He also spent one season at the University of the South (2016) and was a defensive line assistant at NC State in 2017.
A native of Haymarket, Va., Long served as a team captain for Lenoir-Rhyne as a senior in 2013 and helped guide the Bears to a berth into the national championship game. He also won three-straight South Atlantic Conference Championships (2011-13) and picked up all-conference and All-America honors along the way.
Long graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2014.
Fred Jones – Running Backs
Fred Jones joins the Toledo football coaching staff as the running backs coach. Jones will coach alongside head coach Mike Jacobs for the third season of his coaching career.
Jones oversaw the rushing attack at Mercer that averaged nearly 167 yards per game on the ground for the last four seasons. The Bears also saw their first 1,000-yard back in 2024 when All-American Dwayne McGee amassed a school record 1,187 yards on the ground.
Prior to Mercer, Jones served as the running backs coach (2015-16) and offensive coordinator (2017-21) at Reinhardt. The Eagles totaled 71 victories with Jones on staff and saw 40 offensive all-conference accolades, including six All-Americans. Reinhardt won seven-straight conference titles from 2015-21 and appeared in the 2017 national championship game.
Reinhardt averaged 278.0 yards/game on the ground with Jones leading the running back room during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. From 2017-21, Jones helped the Eagles compile a 49-9 overall record behind an offensive attack that averaged 415.8 yards, including 342 yards on the ground, and 39.1 points per game.
Jones began coaching as an assistant running backs coach at Tusculum during the 2012 season and then spent the next two-plus seasons in various roles on the staff at Clark Atlanta.
A native of Appling, Ga., Jones played four seasons at Tusculum (2007-11) as a running back. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in 2013. Fred and his wife Shannin have two children, Lee and Naomi.
Evan Barr – Director of Strength & Conditioning
Evan Barr joins the Toledo staff as the Director of Strength & Conditioning.
Barr comes to Toledo from Mercer, where he spent five seasons with the Bears. He was at the forefront of the development of the 88 all-conference selections within the football program during his time. He has also worked alongside 19 All-Americans and five players who have made opening day rosters within National Football League (NFL) organizations and NFL Draft selections.
Prior to Mercer, Barr served as the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Western Carolina for eight years (2013-20) where he worked primarily with the football program while also overseeing the efforts of WCU's 16 other varsity programs.
Barr began his strength & conditioning career with internships at Tennessee (2010-11) and Furman (2011) before moving into a role at Performance QSA in Greenville, S.C. that focused on speed and movement training enhancing, all areas of athletic performance.
Barr earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Tennessee in 2011 after playing two seasons as a walk-on with the Volunteers football program. He has earned his Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association and is also certified as a strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Evan and his wife Rebecca have three children – James, Layla and Ava.
Among Jacobs' hires are two former head coaches – Cris Reisert (Gardner-Webb) and Kory Allen (Findlay) – and seven coaches who previously served with him at Mercer.
Reisert will serve as Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, while Allen will be the Associate Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach. The seven new assistants from Mercer are Jahmal Brown (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties), Shawn Chaffee (Linebackers), Brian Folkerts (Offensive Line), Matt Ulrich (Special Teams Coordinator), Jimmy Long (Defensive Line), Fred Jones (Running Backs) and Evan Barr (Director of Strength & Conditioning).
Jacobs, who was announced as Toledo's 28th head coach on Dec. 10, went 20-6 at Mercer and won a pair of conference championships in his two seasons with the Bears in 2024 and 2025. In his 10 seasons as head coach at three schools, Jacobs sports an impressive 94-23 (.803) mark.
"We are excited to add a group of talented teachers and leaders to our coaching staff," said Jacobs. "Staff consistency has been a vital piece of our sustained success, and these men will do a tremendous job for the University of Toledo. It is rare to have the ability to add two sitting head coaches as well. I believe that is a testament to our athletic department's long-term vision for the football program."
Reisert spent the past two seasons as head coach at Gardner-Webb, an FCS program in Boiling Springs, N.C. He has 11 years of coaching experience in the state of Ohio, including a 40-11 mark in five seasons at Tiffin University, where he led the Dragons to three Great Midwest Athletic Conference championships and was named GMAC Coach of the Year three times.
Allen guided Findlay to a 33-12 mark over the past four seasons, going 10-2 in 2025, winning a share of the league title and hosting a playoff game for the first time in school history. Allen previously served as the offensive coordinator at Findlay from 2005-21.
Between them, Jacobs, Reisert and Allen have a combined head coaching record of 178-59 (.751), including 115-31 (.788) at schools in the state of Ohio.
Jacobs said he will be announcing the remainder of his staff in the coming days.
Here is a look at the newest additions to the Toledo Football coaching staff:
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Cris Reisert – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
Cris Reisert arrives in Toledo following a successful two-year stint at Gardner-Webb, where he guided his squad to a 7–5 overall mark in 2025, a win total no Runnin' Rebel team had bettered in the past 22 years. He also has 11 years of coaching experience in the state of Ohio, including five highly successful seasons as the head coach at Tiffin where his teams won three conference titles from 2019-23.
Reisert, a Cincinnati native, starred at quarterback at Ohio Dominican University, earning two consecutive NAIA All-America honors and the prestigious NAIA Player of the Year award in 2007. He was inducted into the Ohio Dominican Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.
Reisert's coaching journey features significant success across the state of Ohio. At Tiffin, he compiled an impressive record of 40–11 (.784 winning percentage), 32-4 (.889) in conference play, secured three Great Midwest Athletic Conference championships (2019, 2020 and 2023), and three GMAC Coach of the Year honors in each of those seasons. His Tiffin squads set school records in scoring offense (43.7 PPG) and total offense (482.9 YPG) in 2023.
In 2023, Reisert's Tiffin squad posted an 11-1 record, completing the regular season unbeaten and reaching the second round of the Division II national playoffs. With Reisert also handling offensive coordinator duties, the 2023 Tiffin Dragons finished ranked in the top 25 nationally in total offense (4th-482.8), scoring offense (6th-43.7), scoring defense (16th-16.2) and total defense (22nd-281.2).
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During his tenure at Tiffin, Reisert's other notable accomplishments included the first two Division II playoff berths in school history (2019 and 2023), the highest national ranking in school history (No. 9 in 2023), and the program's first win over its primary rival (Findlay) in 22 years. In total, Reisert's teams defeated Findlay three times in five meetings. Reisert's 40 total wins in five seasons were the most career wins by any head coach in his first five seasons in Tiffin's history.
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Prior to his tenure at Tiffin, Reisert spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Ohio Dominican. In seven seasons as the primary play caller, Reisert's teams averaged 38 points per game and 455 yards per game.
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In his stops at Ohio Dominican and Tiffin, Reisert has built a reputation for leaving an immediate impact. In 2017, his first at Ohio Dominican, the offense improved by 11.5 points and 123 yards per game, as compared to the previous season. He authored the same success in year one at Tiffin (2019), boasting a 13-point and 83-yard improvement on average.
Other stops in his coaching career include three seasons as tight ends coach at Elon (2014-2016), one season as an assistant offensive line coach at Ball State (2013), and three seasons in a prior stint at Ohio Dominican as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach (2010-2012).
In 2021, Reisert was selected to the American Football Coaches Association's "35 Under 35" list.
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Reisert holds a bachelor's (2009) and master's degree (2011) in business administration from Ohio Dominican. He and his wife Emily have two children, a son Hawkins and a daughter Lennox.
Kory Allen - Associate Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach
Kory Allen comes to Toledo after two decades at the University of Findlay, including the past four seasons as head coach, where he compiled a 33–12 record and guided the Oilers to a share of the 2025 G-MAC championship and an NCAA Division II playoff berth.
Allen delivered a 33–12 (.733) record at Findlay—the program's highest win percentage since legendary coach Dick Strahm—and never finished lower than third in the G-MAC standings. In 2025, Findlay started out 10-0, was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally, won a share of the league title, and hosted an NCAA playoff game for the first time in school history.
In Allen's 20 total seasons at Findlay as both a head coach and as an assistant, the Oilers posted 123 wins, 15 winning seasons, three NCAA playoff appearances and two conference championships. He also coached and developed elite offensive linemen, including Michael Jerrell, a 2024 NFL Draft selection by the Seattle Seahawks and the only Division II player picked that year. Jerrell later made the 53-man roster.
Previous to his tenure at Findlay, Allen served as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Baldwin Wallace (2004). At BW, the Yellow Jackets' offensive line finished second in the conference in fewest sacks allowed and rushing yards per game. Two Yellow Jacket offensive linemen were honored with all-conference accolades under Coach Allen's guidance as well.
Allen started off his coaching career as a graduate assistant (2000) and then was named the offensive line coach at Ohio Northern University (2001-03). At Ohio Northern, Allen coached two lineman to all-conference honors, and recruited four all-conference players and one All-American.
A native of Albion, N.Y., Allen played offensive line at Ohio Northern, earning first-team All-OAC and Division III All-America honors before beginning his coaching career with the Polar Bears.
A 2000 ONU graduate with a bachelor's degree in sports management, Allen was a three-year starter for the Polar Bears. As a senior, Allen served as team captain on a team that advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in school history and finished ranked fifth in the nation.
Allen and his wife Gina have two sons, Brady and Cody, and a daughter, Gracie.
Jahmal Brown – Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
Jahmal Brown joins the Toledo football coaching staff as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. This will be his eighth season working alongside Head Coach Mike Jacobs.
In 2025, the Mercer rushing defense ranked 11th in the FCS, allowing 110.2 yards per game. The Bears ranked third in the nation in team sacks (3.50) and fifth nationally in team tackles for loss (8.0). Brown oversaw a defense that had held eight of their last 11 opponents to 72 or fewer rushing yards. During his first season at Mercer, the Bears paced all 123 FCS teams in five defensive statistical categories, including forced turnovers (34), passes intercepted (25), rushing defense (70.8 rushing yards/game), defensive touchdowns (eight) and sacks (3.29 sacks/game).
Prior to joining Jacobs' staff at Mercer, Brown spent two seasons at Youngstown State where he helped limit opponents to just 122 rushing yards per game, ranking 10th in the NCAA in 2023. Across his two seasons at YSU, the Penguins ranked among the top teams in the nation, totaling 63 sacks (2.6 sacks/game) and posted an overall record of 15-9 with Brown on the sidelines.
Before his time at Youngstown State, Brown served as defensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne alongside Jacobs, helping the Bears to an 11-4 clip during the spring and fall 2021 seasons. Lenoir-Rhyne posted the nation's fifth-best passing efficiency defense (95.32) that season and held opponents to just 16.4 points per game (16th in the NCAA).
Prior to his stint at Lenoir-Rhyne, Brown was the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame (Ohio) under Jacobs and helped the Falcons post a 25-3 record across two seasons (2018-19), two Mountain East Conference championships and a pair of NCAA Division II Playoffs, including an appearance in the semifinals. Notre Dame held opponents to just 2.6 yards per rushing attempt (86.4 yards/game) while totaling 90 sacks (3.2/game) and forcing 57 turnovers, including 28 interceptions.
Brown began coaching as a graduate assistant at Bowling Green from 2011-13, helping the Falcons to the 2013 Mid-American Conference Championship as well as the 2012 Northrup and Gruman Military Bowl and the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. He also coached the defensive backs and linebackers at Saginaw Valley State during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
A four-year starter for Bowling Green as a safety, Brown played in 50 consecutive games, including 48 straight starts, from 2006-09 and captained the Falcons during his senior season.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Brown earned his bachelor's degree in education from Bowling Green in 2010 and completed his graduate degree in sports administration at BGSU in 2014. Jahmal and his wife, Janelle, have three daughters, Ayanna, Amara and Amiyah.
Shawn Chaffee – Linebackers
Shawn Chaffee will be the linebackers coach for Toledo, joining Head Coach Mike Jacobs for their ninth season on the sidelines together.
Chaffee oversaw the linebackers throughout his two seasons at Mercer, helping the defense to rank 11th in the country among all FBS institutions, allowing 110.2 yards/game. The Bears also ranked third in the country in team sacks (3.50) and fifth nationally in team tackles for loss (8.0). During the 2024 campaign. Chaffee's linebackers helped the Mercer defense lead the FCS in five statistical categories: forced turnovers (34), passes intercepted (25), rushing defense (70.8 rushing yards/game), defensive touchdowns (eight) and sacks (3.29 sacks/game).
Prior to his tenure at Mercer, Chaffee was the defensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne from 2020-23. The Bears ranked among the NCAA Division II's top total defenses, including a 2023 campaign where Lenoir-Rhyne held opponents to 258.5 yards (ninth in the NCAA) and 14.7 points (seventh) per game.
Chaffee was the defensive line coach at Notre Dame (Ohio) from 2018-19 and helped lead the Falcons to a 25-3 record, two Mountain East Conference Championships and two NCAA postseason appearances, including the 2018 NCAA Semifinals.
Chaffee served graduate assistant roles at three different schools, including a two-year stint as a defensive line and linebackers coach at Ball State throughout the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
A three-year mainstay on the offensive and defensive lines at The College of Wooster from 2009-12, Chaffee was a starter at both center and nose guard for the Fighting Scots during his junior and senior seasons.
Chaffee earned his bachelor's degree in history from Wooster in 2013. He completed his master's in education at Carthage College in 2015. Chaffee and his wife Erin have one daughter, Adalyn.
Brian Folkerts – Offensive Line
Brian Folkerts joins the Toledo football coaching staff as the offensive line coach after spending the 2025 season alongside Head Coach Mike Jacobs at Mercer.
Mercer's offense concluded the 2025 season ranked third in the nation, averaging 485.2 yards/game, including 318.2 passing yards/game, a mark that ranked third in the country. The Bears were second in the nation in sacks allowed with just 0.42/game.
Prior to his role at Mercer, Folkerts oversaw the offensive line at Northern Iowa and helped the Panthers average nearly 150 yards per game on the ground, while ranking among the nation's best pass protection squads with just 1.75 sacks allowed per game.
Before moving to Cedar Falls, Folkerts spent two seasons (2022-23) as the offensive line coach at Wingate, a NCAA Division II powerhouse. Wingate totaled 378 yards per game during the 2023 campaign, including nearly 150 rushing yards an outing.
A four-time All-Mid America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) selection as a starting tackle at Washburn, Folkerts helped lead the Ichabods to 32 wins from the 2008-11 seasons, including a second-round appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2011. He earned All-America honors from D2Football.com at the conclusion of his senior campaign as well.
Following his collegiate career, Folkerts signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints and spent time with four other NFL teams. A two-time NFC South Champion as a member of the Carolina Panthers organization, Folkerts appeared in 28 regular season and three playoff games on the offensive line and was a key member of the special teams unit. He also spent three seasons (2019-20, 2023) in the XFL and AAF leagues as a member of the San Antonio Commanders, the St. Louis Battlehawks and XFL Champion Arlington Renegades.
Following his professional career, Folkerts returned to Washburn as an assistant offensive line coach in 2021.
Folkerts earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Washburn in 2018. Folkerts and his wife Lindsey have four daughters, Ruby, June, Iris and Etta.
Matt Ulrich – Special Teams Coordinator
Matt Ulrich joins Toledo's coaching staff as the special teams coordinator. This is Ulrich's fifth season working with Head Coach Mike Jacobs.
Ulrich's special teams were key to Mercer's run to the quarterfinals of the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 2024 as the Bears were 20th in the nation in punt returns (12.22 yards/return), while also allowing just 5.72 yards/return (25th in the NCAA). Return specialist Brayden Smith earned a pair of All-American awards, totaling 861 total yards.
Prior to his stint at Mercer, Ulrich spent two seasons at Eastern Washington (2022-23) as the defensive line coach. EWU limited five opponents to 156 rushing yards or fewer during the 2023 season, including holding Idaho State to just 49 yards on the ground.
Ulrich served three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator at NCAA Division II powerhouse Winona State, helping lead one of the nation's top rush defenses. In 2021, the Warriors gave up just 97.4 yards per game to opponents, a mark that ranked 17th in the NCAA. Winona State held opponents to 100 rushing yards or less 16 times from 2018-21, including six times across Ulrich's final season on the WSU sidelines.
Ulrich began his coaching career as the defensive line coach for Winona State in 2012 before joining the Notre Dame (Ohio) staff as a graduate assistant defensive line coach for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Following one season as a defensive quality control assistant at UC Davis, he returned to Notre Dame as the special teams coordinator for the 2016-17 campaigns.
Ulrich saw action in 44 games from 2007-11 during an impressive playing career at Winona State, totaling 112 career tackles (49 solo) including 19.5 tackles for loss. A four-year starter, he was a three-time all-conference performer and was named an All-American following his senior season.
Ulrich earned his bachelor's degree in marketing at Winona State in 2011 and completed his master's in education at Notre Dame (Ohio) in 2015. Ulrich and his wife Megan have one son, Ty.
Jimmy Long – Defensive Line
Jimmy Long joins the Rockets as the defensive line coach. This marks Long's third season on Head Coach Mike Jacobs' staff.
Mercer ranked among the nation's top 25 teams in total defense for three of the last five years, while also boasting one of the best rushing defenses in the FCS. During the 2025 season, the Bears ranked third in sacks (3.5), fifth in tackles for loss (8.0) and 11th in rushing defense (110.2 yards/game).
Prior to his time at Mercer, Long oversaw the defensive line at Lenoir-Rhyne and held opponents to just 104.8 yards/game on the ground across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, while also totaling more than seven tackles for loss an outing. In 2019, Lenoir-Rhyne had the nation's 18th-best total defense while also ranking eighth in rushing yards allowed per game (81.9) and fourth in sacks (3.6/game).
Long began his coaching career with three separate graduate assistant coaching assignments, including his first as a special teams assistant at The Citadel for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He also spent one season at the University of the South (2016) and was a defensive line assistant at NC State in 2017.
A native of Haymarket, Va., Long served as a team captain for Lenoir-Rhyne as a senior in 2013 and helped guide the Bears to a berth into the national championship game. He also won three-straight South Atlantic Conference Championships (2011-13) and picked up all-conference and All-America honors along the way.
Long graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2014.
Fred Jones – Running Backs
Fred Jones joins the Toledo football coaching staff as the running backs coach. Jones will coach alongside head coach Mike Jacobs for the third season of his coaching career.
Jones oversaw the rushing attack at Mercer that averaged nearly 167 yards per game on the ground for the last four seasons. The Bears also saw their first 1,000-yard back in 2024 when All-American Dwayne McGee amassed a school record 1,187 yards on the ground.
Prior to Mercer, Jones served as the running backs coach (2015-16) and offensive coordinator (2017-21) at Reinhardt. The Eagles totaled 71 victories with Jones on staff and saw 40 offensive all-conference accolades, including six All-Americans. Reinhardt won seven-straight conference titles from 2015-21 and appeared in the 2017 national championship game.
Reinhardt averaged 278.0 yards/game on the ground with Jones leading the running back room during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. From 2017-21, Jones helped the Eagles compile a 49-9 overall record behind an offensive attack that averaged 415.8 yards, including 342 yards on the ground, and 39.1 points per game.
Jones began coaching as an assistant running backs coach at Tusculum during the 2012 season and then spent the next two-plus seasons in various roles on the staff at Clark Atlanta.
A native of Appling, Ga., Jones played four seasons at Tusculum (2007-11) as a running back. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in 2013. Fred and his wife Shannin have two children, Lee and Naomi.
Evan Barr – Director of Strength & Conditioning
Evan Barr joins the Toledo staff as the Director of Strength & Conditioning.
Barr comes to Toledo from Mercer, where he spent five seasons with the Bears. He was at the forefront of the development of the 88 all-conference selections within the football program during his time. He has also worked alongside 19 All-Americans and five players who have made opening day rosters within National Football League (NFL) organizations and NFL Draft selections.
Prior to Mercer, Barr served as the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Western Carolina for eight years (2013-20) where he worked primarily with the football program while also overseeing the efforts of WCU's 16 other varsity programs.
Barr began his strength & conditioning career with internships at Tennessee (2010-11) and Furman (2011) before moving into a role at Performance QSA in Greenville, S.C. that focused on speed and movement training enhancing, all areas of athletic performance.
Barr earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Tennessee in 2011 after playing two seasons as a walk-on with the Volunteers football program. He has earned his Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association and is also certified as a strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA).
Evan and his wife Rebecca have three children – James, Layla and Ava.
Coach Mike Jacobs Introductory Press Conference
Thursday, December 11
Toledo Football - Bowl Game Press Conference - 12/8/2025
Monday, December 08
Toledo Football - National Signing Day 2025
Wednesday, December 03
Toledo Football vs. Central Michigan - Game 12
Monday, December 01
