Mercer's Mike Jacobs has been named the new coach at Toledo, the school announced Wednesday.
Jacobs replaces Jason Candle, who left Toledo after 10 seasons with the Rockets to become UConn's coach.
"My family and I are humbled and honored to lead the University of Toledo's storied football program," Jacobs said in a statement. "We are looking forward to being a part of Team Toledo and helping this program achieve new heights."
After garnering interest for jobs in both the American and MAC the past two years, Jacobs ends up at Toledo, which is regarded as one of the best jobs in the MAC. The hire also brings Jacobs back to his home state of Ohio, where he played on the offensive line at Ohio State under former Buckeyes coaches John Cooper and Jim Tressel, appearing in more than 30 games and two Sugar Bowls.
"Mike Jacobs is one of the winningest active head coaches in the nation and an extraordinary fit for Rocket Football," Toledo athletic director Bryan B. Blair said in the statement. "From the moment we began this process, it was evident that Mike embodies the toughness, humility, integrity and relentless competitive drive that have long defined Toledo Football. His commitment to developing young men, his blueprint for sustained excellence, and his sharp football mind make him exactly the kind of leader we want guiding this program."
Jacobs has been picky about jobs over the past few years, as he has emerged as one of the most dominant coaches in college football's lower levels. He brings an 80.3% win rate as a head coach, going 94-23 with no losing seasons in stops at Division II Notre Dame College (OH), Division II Lenoir-Rhyne and FCS Mercer. Before becoming a head coach, Jacobs served 14 seasons as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan, Wilmington, Purdue, California (Pennsylvania) and Notre Dame College.
In 10 seasons as a head coach, Jacobs has seven conference titles, six NCAA playoff appearances and four Coach of the Year awards, including a 20-6 record (15-1 Southern Conference) and two trips to the NCAA-Division I FCS playoffs over the past two seasons at Mercer, where he was also named SoCon Coach of the Year in 2024 and 2025.
The hire fits with recent trends, as schools have sought coaches such as Bob Chesney, Kalen DeBoer, Willie Fritz and Curt Cignetti who have had success at lower levels.