Michael Krysl

Mike Krysl joined the South Carolina staff in March of 2026 as an assistant special teams coach, where he will team with Matthew Smiley in directing the Gamecocks’ special teams units.

Krysl spent the past two seasons at the University of Houston. He was hired in January 2024 as the Cougars’ Senior Special Teams Analyst and was elevated to Special Teams Coordinator in June 2024. During 2024, the Cougars ranked sixth nationally and tops in the Big 12 Conference in punt return defense (3.50), while Mekhi Mews ranked 27th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 6.9 yards per punt return.

In 2023, Krysl worked at Tulane as Special Teams Analyst for his former coach Willie Fritz. The Green Wave ranked seventh nationally in kickoff return average (26.08) and 22nd nationally in punt return average (11.92). Tulane also ranked inside the Top 50 nationally and third in The American Athletic Conference in net punting (39.87).

Krysl spent the 2022 season at Samford where he served as the special teams coordinator while coaching offensive tackles and tight ends. That season, Samford led the nation in punt return defense (0.40) while ranking 12th in punt return average (15.26) and 19th nationally in kickoff return average (22.48). Punter Bradley Porcellato was named Second-Team All-Southern Conference.

Krysl has previous SEC experience, spending two seasons (2020-21) as Special Teams Analyst at Arkansas. In 2021, kicker Cameron Little was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team and FWAA Freshman All-America Team. Little ranked third in the SEC in made field goals (19), fourth in field goal percentage (82.6%) and sixth in scoring (100) while twice being named the league’s Special Teams Player of the Week. That same season, kicker Vito Calvaruso was second nationally in touchbacks (63) and recognized as PFF’s top-ranked kickoff specialist nationally. The Razorbacks were third in the SEC with 11.13 yards per punt return highlighted by returner Nathan Parodi who was second in the league and seventh nationally at 12.31 yards per return.

Krysl spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons at Army West Point as Special Teams Coordinator. In 2019, Army ranked in the top 20 in a host of categories including net punting (No. 7 – 42.24 yards), average yards per punt (No. 18 – 44.86), punt return defense (No. 17 – 4.11 yards per return) and opponent long punt return plays, which led the nation. Punter Zach Harding finished second in the country in yards per punt (48.2).

Prior to Army, Krysl spent two seasons at Samford (2016-17) as Special Teams Coordinator. In 2017, Samford led the SOCON and finished eighth nationally in net punting (38.9 yards) and paced the league in average yards per punt (43.6). Punter Austin Barnard finished second in the nation in yards per punt (45.2) and led the league with 18 punts of 50+ yards en route to being named Third-Team All-America by Phil Steele and the Associated Press. The Bulldogs ranked second in the league in punt return defense (7.32 yards) and kickoff coverage (42.6 net yards per kickoff). In 2016, Samford led the league in net kickoff average and ranked second in kickoff return defense. The Bulldogs were second in the league and 12th nationally in net punting.

Krysl spent two seasons at Georgia Southern as the director of player development, while also assisting Fritz with special teams. In 2015, Georgia Southern ended the season with a 9-4 overall record while also claiming a berth in the program’s first ever bowl game which saw the Eagles defeat Bowling Green 58-27 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl. Krysl was named special teams coordinator during the Eagles’ bowl prep leading up to the game.

In 2015, the Eagles punt return unit and kickoff return unit finished tops in the Sun Belt Conference while returner Derek Keaton earned All-Sun Belt honors as a returner for the second straight season. That season, the Eagles kickoff unit finished first in the Sun Belt while also claiming the number one spot in the FBS.

In 2014, Georgia Southern finished the season with a 9-3 overall record while going 8-0 in the program’s first season in the Sun Belt Conference, claiming the outright conference title. Georgia Southern’s kickoff return unit finished the regular season ranked 16th in the FBS.

In 2013, Krysl served as offensive line/tight ends coach at West Virginia State. Aside from his duties leading the offensive line and tight end units, Krysl also served as the program’s strength and conditioning coordinator. There, junior offensive tackle Ricardo Figueroa earned All-Mountain East honors after starting every game on the offensive line for the Yellow Jackets.

In 2012, Krysl served as the offensive coordinator/offensive line coach at Lexington High School in Lexington, Mo., under head coach Andy Lierman.

Prior to joining the Lexington program Krysl served as an offensive graduate assistant at his alma mater, Central Missouri, from 2010-2011. In 2011, Central Missouri, which finished sixth nationally in passing offense, went 8-4 overall, while also earning a trip to the Kanza Bowl.

Central Missouri had its most successful season to date in 2010 behind an 11-3 overall record, while also finishing 8-1 in the MIAA conference. The 2010 season also produced the program’s first playoff victory, a 55-35 win over West Texas A&M. The Mules finished the 2010 season as a national semifinalist, after reaching the third round of the national playoffs. The Mules ranked fourth in the nation in both passing offense and scoring offense, while also finishing sixth in total offense.

Krysl earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education and master’s degree in sports & business administration from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. He is originally from Hillsboro, Missouri where he attended Hillsboro High School. His wife’s name is Allison.