Mike Furrey

Mike Furrey is in his third season with the Gamecock Football program. He was tapped as the Gamecocks’ wide receivers coach on February 29, 2024. He was given the additional title of passing game coordinator on Dec. 17, 2024. In addition, he assumed the play-calling duties over the final three games of the 2025 season.

In his second campaign, Furrey mentored a very young receiving corps. Nyck Harbor made significant strides, caching 30 passes for 618 yards, an SEC-leading 20.6 yards per reception, with six TDs including a score in each of his last five games. Vandrevius Jacobs had a trio of 100-yard games while pacing the team with 32 receptions. True freshmen Jayden Sellers and Donovan Murph showed flashes, with Sellers posting a 127-yard effort against Coastal Carolina.

In his first season with the Gamecocks, Furrey meshed a receiving unit that was comprised of several newcomers, many of whom did not participate in spring drills. Despite not having a true WR1, six wide receivers hauled in at least a dozen passes, led by true freshman Mazeo Bennett Jr.’s 30 catches. Furrey’s relentless recruiting also saw the wide receiver room completely flip heading into the 2025 season, as he signed six top-flight prospects.

Prior to his arrival in Columbia, Furrey spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Limestone University, a Division II school located in Gaffney, S.C.. In his second stint at the school, he led the Saints to back-to-back 8-4 campaigns, a share of the title in the South Atlantic Conference’s Piedmont Division and a spot in the Division II playoffs. 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.

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 C-USA in scoring offense while ranking in the Top-5 nationally in total offense during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns.

Over six years as a head coach, Furrey posted a combined record of 36-31, including an 11-11 mark at Kentucky Christian and a 25-20 ledger at Limestone. He resigned as Limestone’s all-time leader in wins.

Furrey played eight years in the NFL with St. Louis (2003-05), Detroit (2006-08), Cleveland (2009) and Washington (2010). His best season 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 2025, he was named to the 40th Anniversary All-MVFC football team.

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. Stone is a freshman wide receiver on the South Carolina squad.