University of Connecticut Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Linebackers
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Mickey Jacobs joins Coach Candle's coaching staff in 2026 as team's linebackers coach. Jacobs joins the Huskies after five seasons at Duquesne, serving as the defensive coordinator for the last two.
Jacobs was promoted to defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2024 after the Dukes won the Northeast Conference championship and NCAA FCS playoff appearance as safeties coach and special teams coordinator.
Under Jacobs' direction, the Dukes have produced 14 all-conference defensive selections over the past two seasons — the most in any two-year span since Duquesne joined the NEC in 2008. Jacobs was selected to the 2026 AFCA 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute in December 2025.
In Jacobs’ first season leading the defense, the Dukes produced seven All-NEC selections, including four first-team honorees, and tied for the regular season conference title. Duquesne allowed a league-low 18.3 points per game in conference play and held three opponents to single digits during an eight-game win streak, the program’s longest since 2002. The stretch included a Week 3 victory over No. 21/20 Youngstown State, marking just the second win over a ranked opponent in program history. Jacobs’ unit tallied nine interceptions, 27 sacks, and forced nine fumbles, recovering four, for 13 total takeaways, and scored two defensive touchdowns. The Dukes ranked second in the NEC in both red-zone defense, forcing five turnovers inside the 20 (three interceptions and two on downs), and opponent third-down conversion rate, stopping nearly 70 percent of attempts overall. During league play, Duquesne led the conference on third downs with an opponent success rate of just 20 percent. Nationally, the Dukes ranked in the FCS top 25 in third-down defense (14th), first-down defense (19th), red-zone defense (21st), and rushing defense (23rd).
Jacobs' special teams unit ranked 16th nationally and second in the Northeast Conference in kick return defense in 2023, allowing opponents just 16.81 yards per return. Under his leadership, the safeties contributed to a passing defense that had nine interceptions and ranked 30th in the FCS in passing yards allowed per game. Two DU defensive backs garnered All-NEC honors in 2023.
Jacobs, who was the Dukes' defensive quality control coach in 2018, returned to the Bluff after spending four seasons at Pitt. The last two seasons with the Panthers, Jacobs served as a defensive graduate assistant. While working with the defensive unit, the Panthers' ranked second nationally in sacks, sixth in rushing defense and eighth in interceptions on way to the 2021 ACC championship. During his first two seasons at Pitt, Jacobs was a recruiting graduate assistant, and played an integral role in signing the 2021 class, which was ranked No. 22 nationally by Rivals.
Prior to his return to Duquesne, Jacobs was the Senior Defensive Analyst at Buffalo during the spring of 2023.
Jacobs is a 2017 Duquesne graduate who played from the Dukes from 2013-16. He was part of three of DU's NEC championship teams including the Dukes' FCS playoff team in 2015.
Jacobs earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Duquesne and served as an intern with the DU Strength and Conditioning staff in the spring of 2017 following graduation.
