Mike Nolan enters his second season as the head coach of the Michigan Panthers. Last season,he led the Panthers to a 4-6 record and an appearance in the USFL North Championship game against the Pittsburgh Maulers. It was a two-win improvement for Michigan in Nolan’s first season at the helm. Under Nolan’s direction in 2023, linebacker Frank Ginda earned USFL Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the league in tackles with 104 tackles.

A very seasoned NFL coach, Nolan has worked with 11 different NFL teams, serving as San Francisco 49ers head coach from 2005-08 and the defensive coordinator for eight different teams. As the head coach of the 49ers, he finished with a 18-37 overall record in parts of four seasons. He is also the son of former 49ers and New Orleans Saints head coach Dick Nolan.

Prior to the USFL, Nolan most recently was the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator during the 2020 season. He also spent time with the New Orleans Saints (linebackers, 2017-19), San Diego Chargers (linebackers, 2015), Atlanta Falcons (defensive coordinator, 2012-14), Miami Dolphins (defensive coordinator, 2010-11), Denver Broncos (defensive coordinator, 2009), Baltimore Ravens (wide receivers, 2001, & defensive coordinator, 2002-04), New York Jets (2000, defensive coordinator), Washington Redskins (defensive coordinator, 1997-99) and New York Giants (defensive coordinator, 1993-96). Nolan’s first NFL job was as a special teams coach with the Broncos from 1987-88 before serving as the team’s linebackers coach form 1989-92.

Nolan attended the University of Oregon and was a three-year letterman in football, serving as the team’s starting safety. His coaching career began in 1981 as a Graduate Assistant for his alma mater before serving as the linebackers coach for Stanford (1982-83), defensive line coach at Rice (1984) and linebackers coach at LSU (1985-86).