Mike Ridings joined the Wabash football staff as the team's defensive coordinator on January 1, 2022.
Ridings comes to the Wabash program after spending two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Keiser University in Florida. Ridings’ defensive unit ranked 15th in the nation in scoring defense by allowing just 18 points a game. The 11th-ranked Seahawks were sixth among NAIA teams in sacks with 36 and advanced to the NAIA quarterfinals in 2021.
Ridings guided the Keiser defense to fourth in the NAIA in total defense in 2020 by limiting opponents to an average of 249.7 yards per game. The Seahawks held opposing teams to an average of 12.5 points a contest, also fourth-best in the nation.
Ridings spent four seasons at Marian University in Indianapolis as the safeties coach. He was named the American Football Coaches Association NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2019, the same season the Knights finished as NAIA national runner-up. Ridings was part of the Marian coaching staff that led the Knights to undefeated regular seasons in 2016, 2018, and 2019.
Ridings coached at Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach from 2014 to 2016 after serving as wide receivers coach and assistant recruiting coordinator from 2010 to 2012. He helped the Blue Raiders to their first number-one ranking in the national football polls and earn Mid-South East titles and NAIA playoff appearances in 2014 and 2015.
Ridings also coached for one season at both the University of Indianapolis and the University of St. Francis. He graduated from Indiana University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Marketing and Management. Ridings also served as a student assistant running backs coach for the Hoosiers from 2006 to 2009. He earned a master’s degree in sports administration from the University of Kentucky in 2013.
