Football

Mike Spradlin
Mike Spradlin

Position:
Offensive Line

After a successful football playing career and start in coaching at the University of Houston, Mike Spradlin returned to his alma mater in 2003 to coach tight ends and offensive tackles. A former teammate of UH head coach Art Briles while in college, Spradlin leaped at the opportunity to return the Cougars to their rightful place among the nation's elite football programs.

In 2003, Spradlin tutored an offensive line that was a major factor in the Cougars reaching the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. Not only did Spradlin coach tackle Matt Mattox-a Second-Team, All-Conference USA selection-but he also was a part of the offensive philosophy that made the Cougar offense one of the most potent offenses in the nation. UH finished 12th in the nation in both rushing offense (215.54 yards per game) and total offense (458.31 ypg.), as well as 16th nationally in scoring offense (34.46 points per game.)

The offensive unit topped 500 yards of total offense six times and was over 400 yards 10 of 13 games. The Cougars topped 40 points seven times, including the final three games of the year. UH was one of only three Division I schools (Texas and Texas Tech were the others) to score more than 40 points in at least seven different games.

This past season Spradlin coached Phil Hawkins, who was named Third-Team, All-Conference USA, as well as SirVincent Rogers, who was picked to the Conference USA All-Freshman squad.

Spradlin joined the UH staff after serving as head coach and athletic coordinator at Westwood High School in Round Rock, Texas, for four years. He coached the 2002 Westwood squad to a 7-4 record, the school's first 14-5A District Championship and fifth playoff appearance.

Spradlin was named the 2002 District 14-5A Coach-of-the-Year and recognized by the Austin American-Statesman for a Top Five coaching performance in Central Texas.

Prior to his tenure at Round Rock, Spradlin was athletics director and head football coach at two other Texas high schools. After serving as a district manager at Pride Refining Inc., for nine years, Spradlin returned to coaching at Midland Christian School and led the team to a 9-3 record and the state semi-finals in 1996. He spent three seasons at Midland before coaching at Navasota High School from 1998-99, where in his first year he led the team to the state playoffs.

Spradlin began his coaching career at Houston in 1977 as a graduate assistant under head coach Bill Yeoman. Then, he spent two seasons at Brazosport High School in Freeport, Texas, coaching the offensive line and assisting with the track team.

In 1980, Spradlin took his first job as offensive coordinator at Abilene Cooper High School under head coach Ray Overton. After three seasons at Abilene, he was hired by Overton at Irving MacArthur High School in 1983, and served as offensive and off-season coordinator, as well as offensive line coach until 1986.

Spradlin came to UH as a student-athlete in 1973, and was a two-year starter and two-year letterman for Coach Yeoman. He was an All-Southwest Conference Honorable Mention selection and part of the squad that went 10-2 en route to a SWC Championship in 1976.

In addition to a Cotton Bowl title and No. 4 national ranking in 1976, Spradlin was also part of the 1973 and 1974 Bluebonnet Bowls teams. He received a bachelor's degree in health and physical education at UH in 1977 and became a NIAAA Certified Athletics Administrator in 2002.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Spradlin and his wife, Roxanne, have three children, Bethany, Kimberly and Clint.

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