John Mumford enters his fourth season with the New Mexico State football program in 2020.
The Aggie defensive line coach has over 40 years of collegiate football coaching experience, getting his start at Kansas in 1980. He was the head coach at Southeast Missouri State for 10 seasons (1990-99) and served as the interim head coach at Army West Point (2003) and Louisiana-Monroe (2015).
Mumford arrived at NM State in 2017 and made an immediate impact while coaching the defensive line. The Aggies snapped their 57-year bowl drought and defeated Utah State, 26-20, in overtime in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.
The NM State defense, led by a ferocious pass rush, posted historic numbers during the 2017 campaign. Under Mumford's tutelage, NM State erupted for 43 sacks as a team, tying for second most in the country and establishing a new program record.
Mumford mentored defensive end Cedric Wilcots II, who earned first-team All-Sun Belt honors and was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week multiple times throughout the year, recorded 8.5 sacks on the season to go along with three forced fumbles and six pass breakups. The Dallas, Texas, product ranked second in the conference in sacks.
Mumford, who has over 30 years of coaching experience at the DI level, came to NM State from Pope John Paul II Catholic HS in Huntsville, Ala. He spent two seasons at ULM prior to making the jump to the high-school ranks.
He coached the Warhawks' defensive line in 2014 and 2015, earning the interim head coach tag for the final three games for the 2015 campaign. In his first season at ULM, Mumford’s defensive line was ranked 10th in the country in tackles for loss and 13th in sacks. He guided defensive lineman Gerrand Johnson to a first-team All-Sun Belt honors.
Prior to his time at ULM, Mumford spent 14 seasons (2000-14) at Army. Mumford initially oversaw the defensive line and took over as the interim head coach for the final six games of the 2003 season. He was the defensive coordinator from 2004-08 and wrapped up his time at West Point as the defensive ends coach.
Mumford earned his first head coaching position at Southeast Missouri State, where he was at the helm for nine years (1990-99). Four years into the job, Mumford was named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year.
His first full-time coaching position came at the South Dakota in 1982. Mumford worked with the defensive line and linebackers before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1986.
During his first year as the defensive coordinator, Mumford helped guide the Coyotes to the NCAA Division II semifinals. A year later, Mumford’s defense led South Dakota to a runner-up finish in the national championship.
The Lawrence, Kan., native made his debut in the collegiate ranks as a graduate assistant at Kansas in 1980. During his time with the Jayhawks, Mumford served as the junior varsity head coach and defensive lines coach.
Mumford and his wife, Leslie, have three daughters - Jenna, Meghan and Lauren.
