Mike Cordova - Football Coach

Mike Cordova

Title:
Assistant Tight Ends Coach
Alma Mater:
Stonehill College, ‘19
Year at UCLA:
1st in 2026
Email:
mcordova@athletics.ucla.edu

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 back Jordan Fuller to All-Patriot League First Team honors, as the Crusaders ranked third nationally in rushing offense (264.2 yards per game), fourth in total offense (466.6) and seventh in scoring (36.9).

The 2022 season saw Holy Cross post an undefeated 11-0 regular season for just the third time in program history and finish with a program-best 12-1 overall record following its run to the FCS quarterfinals. The Crusaders ranked sixth nationally in rushing offense (245.1 yards per game), with both Peter Oliver and Fuller earning All-Patriot League honors.

Holy Cross concluded the 2022 season ranked No. 6 nationally, highlighted by several notable victories, including a Hail Mary win over FBS opponent Buffalo and an overtime victory against nationally ranked Fordham. The Crusaders also defeated both Harvard and Yale in the same season for the first time in program history and earned their first win over Harvard since 2000.

Prior to Holy Cross, Cordova served as a running backs coach, video coordinator and quality control assistant at Wilkes University in 2020.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Stonehill College, in 2019 as a running backs coach and quality control assistant, helping mentor Justin Felder to All-America Second Team honors.

As a student-athlete at Stonehill, Cordova was a standout running back, wide receiver and kick returner. He finished his collegiate career with 2,263 all-purpose yards (1,111 rushing, 898 kick return, 253 receiving and 1 punt return), seven rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.

Cordova served as a team captain and graduated in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Cordova’s Coaching Experience
2019 – Running Backs/Quality Control Coach, Stonehill College (NCAA DII)
2020 – Running Backs/Quality Control Coach/Video Coordinator, Wilkes University (NCAA DIII)
2021 – Special Teams Quality Control Coach, Holy Cross (FCS)
2022, 2023 – Running Backs, Holy Cross (FCS)
2024 – Offensive Graduate Assistant, James Madison
2025 – Offensive Analyst, James Madison
2026 – Assistant Tight Ends Coach, UCLA