Mike Furrey Named Gamecocks’ Wide Receivers Coach

University of South Carolina head football coach Shane Beamer has tapped Mike Furrey as the Gamecocks’ wide receivers coach, it was officially announced today following approval from the University’s Board of Trustee’s Governance Committee.

Furrey, who will turn 47 on March 12, has spent the past two seasons as the head coach at Limestone University, a Division II school located in Gaffney, S.C. He led the Saints to back-to-back 8-4 campaigns, including a share of the title in the South Atlantic Conference’s Piedmont Division and a spot in the Division II playoffs in both seasons, in his second stint at the school. He previously served as the Saints’ head coach in 2016 and 2017.

Sandwiched between the two stints at Limestone, Furrey logged four seasons as the wide receivers coach on Matt Nagy’s staff with the Chicago Bears. He helped Chicago to an NFC North title in 2018, while the Bears reached the playoffs in both 2018 and 2020. The Bears posted a 34-31 record during his four-year tenure in the Windy City.

Furrey began his coaching career in 2011 as the head coach at Kentucky Christian University, an NAIA program in Grayson, Ky. He turned the struggling program around from an 0-11 campaign in the year prior to his arrival to a 7-4 season and a Top-25 ranking in 2012. He left KCU after two seasons to become the wide receivers coach at Marshall University, a position he held for three years. During his tenure with the Thundering Herd, Furrey helped guide the program to three-straight bowl wins and the 2014 Conference USA Championship. Marshall led Conference USA in scoring offense while ranking in the Top-5 nationally in total offense during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns.

Through six years as a head coach, Furrey owns a combined record of 33-34, including an 8-14 mark at Kentucky Christian and a 25-20 ledger at Limestone. He is Limestone’s all-time leader in wins.

Furrey played a combined seven years in the NFL with the St. Louis Rams (2003-05), Detroit Lions (2006-08), and Cleveland Browns (2009). His best season as a professional came during the 2006 season with the Lions when he led the NFC with 98 receptions for 1,086 yards and seven touchdowns. His 98 catches that season set an NFL record for most receptions in a season after having none the previous year. He played on defense with the Rams in the prior season.

After signing with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2000, Furrey spent one season with the Las Vegas Outlaws in the XFL before playing two years with the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. He would then sign with the St. Louis Rams in 2003, playing in 13 games during his rookie year. He helped guide the Rams to the NFC Divisional Round as a safety a year later.

Twice nominated for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award while with the Lions, Furrey was a finalist for the prestigious award during the 2009 season as a member of the Cleveland Browns. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award honors a player’s volunteer and charitable work as well as his excellence on the field.

Furrey won the 2009 JB Award, an accolade given to those who specialize in community service by then CBS studio host James Brown, and was selected as the 2009 NFL Ed Block Courage Award recipient, an honor that highlights courage, compassion, commitment, and community service.

After spending his freshman season as a walk-on at Ohio State, Furrey transferred to the University of Northern Iowa, where he was a three-time All-American. He was inducted into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.

In 2007, he founded the Mike Furrey Foundation, raising money to help improve the lives of those who are hurting, hungry, hopeful and/or homeless. He also served as the board president for Basket of Hope with former NFL coach Tony Dungy as the organization’s spokesperson.

Furrey graduated from UNI in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies. He and his wife Koren have three children, Makayla, Stone and Kanon.