Mike Gardner is a 1990 graduate of Baker University where he was a three-time NAIA All-American kicker. In 1986, he played in the national championship game for the Wildcats.
Gardner brings over 32 years of coaching experience into the 2020 season. He started his coaching career as the special teams and recruiting coordinator at Hastings (Neb.) College from 1990-92. From 1993-95, Gardner was the receivers and quarterbacks’ coach at Bethel College. From 1996-99, he was the special teams and recruiting coordinator for Lindenwood (Mo.) University. He coached the defensive line in 1997, tight ends in 1998, and linebackers in 1999. He then became the defensive coordinator for the Lions in 2000.
Gardner came to Tabor in 2001, as the defensive coordinator under then head coach Tim McCarty. Two years later, he helped the Bluejays earn their first trip to the NAIA national playoffs and a No. 15 national ranking. He earned AFCA NAIA assistant coach of the year, and AFLAC assistant coach of the year honors. Under his leadership, Tabor had two nationally ranked defenses, finishing second in 2002 and 11th in 2003.Â
He was named head coach at Tabor in 2004 and finished 9-2, winning the first KCAC football championship in Tabor College history. The program ended the year No. 14 nationally.Â
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| GARDNER'S CAREER RECORD |
|
|
OVERALL |
BISSELL |
| TEAM |
YEAR |
W |
L |
W |
L |
| TABORÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â |
2024 |
6 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
| TABOR |
2023 |
3 |
8 |
2 |
3 |
|
|
OVERALL |
KCAC |
| TABOR |
2022 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| TABOR |
2021 |
3 |
8 |
2 |
8 |
| TABOR |
2020 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
7 |
| TABOR |
2019 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
| TABOR |
2018 |
6 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
| TABOR |
2017 |
8 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
| TABOR |
2016 |
8 |
3 |
8 |
1 |
| TABOR |
2015 |
11 |
2 |
9 |
0 |
| TABOR |
2014 |
7 |
4 |
5 |
4 |
| TABOR |
2013 |
10 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
| TABOR |
2012 |
8 |
2 |
7 |
1 |
| TABOR |
2011 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
7 |
| TABOR |
2010 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
| TABOR |
2005 |
11 |
1 |
9 |
0 |
| TABOR |
2004 |
9 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
| TOTAL AT TABOR |
112 |
74 |
85 |
50 |
|
|
OVERALL |
MSFA MIDEAST |
| MALONE |
2009 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
5 |
| MALONE |
2008 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
| MALONE |
2007 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
| MALONE |
2006 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
| TOTAL AT MALONE |
24 |
18 |
13 |
13 |
| CAREER TOTAL |
137 |
92 |
98 |
63 |
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Gardner’s 2005 squad finished 11-1 and repeated as conference champions. They also won their first-ever playoff game, defeating Graceland University (Iowa), 17-14. The Bluejays finished No. 6 nationally and Gardner was listed in American Football Monthly as one of the nation’s top small college football coaches and was named Midwest Region NAIA Coach of the Year.
In 2006 he became the head coach at Malone (Ohio) University. The program was without a winning season in the seven years prior to his arrival. He orchestrated a drastic turnaround, garnering three winning seasons and a Victory Bowl Championship. During his tenure, his Malone team received three top 25 rankings, and he is the only coach to take the Pioneers to the Victory Bowl three times.Â
He returned to Hillsboro in 2010 for a second tenure as Tabor’s head coach. From the beginning the tide was turning. Gardner’s third year back in Hillsboro brought an 8-2 finish and a second-place conference finish. It culminated with a No. 18 ranking in the final polls, leading to 76 consecutive weeks with a national ranking.
Gardner and the Bluejays continued to build on their success in 2012.Â
The 2013 season saw a playoff qualifying team and a win as the Bluejays defeated Benedictine College in the first round on the road, 14-13. The win was Tabor’s first-ever road victory in the playoff era. Tabor finished second in the conference, 7-2, for a second-straight year. It finished 10-3 and was ranked No. 8 in the final NAIA poll.
The 2014 season led to Tabor’s best ranking in school history. After starting off the year 3-0 - which included a 27-17 win on the road over NAIA powerhouse Missouri Valley College, the Bluejays climbed as high as No. 3 in the NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Bluejays finished No. 24 nationally.Â
The 2015 season led to unprecedented success for the Bluejays with an undefeated conference slate, 9-0. It was their first outright title in 10 years. Tabor was selected to host the playoffs for a second time, welcoming No. 9 Doane College (Neb.) to Hillsboro in a 16-14 victory, and a final No. 8 ranking and 11-2 overall record.Â
2016 was another successful run for the Bluejays, winning the KCAC title with an 8-1 conference record. They advanced to the playoffs, but saw their season come to an end. Eighteen players were named to the KCAC postseason teams, and the Bluejays were honored as KCAC Team of Character. Additionally, Spencer Baalman and Evan Sprayberry were named to the 2016 AFCA-NAIA Coaches All-America team.
A third-straight conference title came for the Bluejays in 2017. They dropped the season opener, but won eight of their next nine games to finish the season with a KCAC record of 8-1.
The Bluejays finished fourth in the KCAC in 2018. That finish was aided by four-straight wins to end the season, including a victory over No. 22 Avila University. The offense was led by second team All-American running back Drevion Cooper, while the defense was anchored by honorable mention All-American linebacker Melvin Williams.
The 2019 season was highlighted by a very young Bluejay roster. Tabor finished the season strong, winning four of its last six games. Among those wins were a 29-21 win over rival Bethel College and a victory against Sterling College, 34-30, in its season finale. Gardner led Tabor to a 6-4 finish
Over the past two seasons, the Bluejays have taken a young team and competed in a conference that has gotten better. Under his leadership TC has seen 3 playoff wins, 5 KCAC titles, 38 Academic All-Americans, 5 Assistant Coaches of the Year, 1 national Assistant Coach of the Year, 135 All-Conference players, 12 NAIA All-Americans and 8 consecutive winning seasons.Â
In 2022 Gardner led the Bluejays to a 6-5 overall record, with a 5-5 KCAC record, good for a fifth-place finish in the conference. Ten Bluejays earned All-Conference honors in 2022.
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The 2024 season saw Tabor finish the season with a 6-5 overall record and a 4-1 record in the KCAC Bissell Division, good for a second-place finish in the division. Under Gardner’s leadership, multiple program records were broken, 15 Bluejays earned All-Conference honors, and Brooks Gardner was named an American Football Coaches’ Association (AFCA) NAIA First Team All-American selection. Coach Gardner capped off the season being named the KCAC Bissell Division Coach of the Year.
Gardner’s success on the gridiron has led to KCAC coach of the year honors in 2004, 2005, 2012, and 2015. He is fifth in wins among active NAIA coaches, accumulating 122 wins. He is currently the most successful coach in Bluejay football history, carrying a 128-79 overall record and a record of 103-61 at Tabor. He was inducted into the Tabor College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019 due to his years of success on the sideline. In its 57-year history, Tabor football has had just 15 winning seasons and Coach Gardner has been part of 13 of them.
Gardner is married to his wife of 32 years, Julie. Their family includes son, Ben (30), his wife Chelsea and their two children Rylin and Bodie, and son Brooks (23), who recently earned his Master’s Degree from Tabor.
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