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University of Massachusets Athletics
Football
Bajakian, Mike
Mike Bajakian
- Title:
- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Alma Mater: Williams College '96
Season at Massachusetts: First
University of Massachusetts head football coach Joe Harasymiak has announced the addition of Mike Bajakian as the program’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in January 2025. Bajakian spent the 2024 season with the University of Utah, including ending the season as the program's interim offensive coordinator. Prior to Utah, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern from 2020-23. He also boasts NFL experience, including serving as Jameis Winston's quarterbacks coach when Winston earned the Pepsi Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2015 and became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons.
Bajakian was instrumental in guiding Northwestern to a pair of Bowl Game victories. In 2023, Bajakian and the Wildcats went 8-5 overall including a win in the Las Vegas Bowl. In 2020, he helped guide the Wildcats to a win over Auburn in the Citrus Bowl, with his quarterback Peyton Ramsey earning Most Valuable Player of the 2021 Citrus Bowl honors after completing 24-of-35 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 50 yards. In 2020, Bajakian and the Wildcats won the Big Ten West and finished the season ranked 10th in the final AP Top 25 poll.
Prior to his time with the Wildcats, Bajakian spent the 2019 season as the offensive coordinator at Boston College, leading the Eagles to the top rushing attack in the ACC with the rushing offense also ranking third in the then Power Five.
Bajakian spent four seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coaching Winston in his first two seasons. In his debut season, Tampa Bay's offense had a top-five finish in the NFL and the most yards in team history with Winston setting team rookie records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completions and passer rating.
In his second season with the Buccaneers, Winston set single-season franchise records for passing yards and touchdowns, becoming the youngest player to throw for 50 touchdowns in NFL history. Also in 2017, Bajakian coached Winston to career bests in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating.
During the 2018 season, Bajakian was on staff to see Tampa Bay lead the NFL with 320.3 passing yards per game with the team wrapping up the season ranked No. 3 in total offense.
Bajakian joined the Buccaneers from the University of Tennessee, where he served as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was a part of a coaching staff that helped the Vols to their first bowl game appearance since 2010 and their first bowl victory since 2007, winning the 2015 Taxslayer Bowl.
Bajakian has had additional coaching stops which include the University of Cincinnati (2010-12, Offensive Coordinator/QBs), Central Michigan (2007-09, Offensive Coordinator/QBs) and the Chicago Bears (2004-06, Offensive Quality Control). While at Cincinnati, the Bearcats won back-to-back conference championships and led the conference in scoring offense and total offense in two of the three seasons. While at Central Michigan as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the Chippewas won two MAC championships. During that time, the Chippewas offense also posted its three highest-scoring offenses since joining the MAC in 1975 and set or broke more than 30 school records.
A native of River Vale, New Jersey, Bajakian spent his undergraduate years in Massachusetts as well. He was an All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) selection and All-ECAC quarterback honoree while playing for Williams College.
Coaching History
1996-97: Delbarton School (Quarterbacks)
1998-99: Rutgers (Graduate Assistant, Defensive Backs)
2000-01: Michigan (Graduate Assistant, Quarterbacks)
2002-03: Central Michigan (Quarterbacks)
2004-06: Chicago Bears (Offensive Quality Control, Wide Receivers)
2007-09: Central Michigan (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2010-12: Cincinnati (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2013-14: Tennessee (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2015-18: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Quarterbacks Coach)
2019: Boston College (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2020-23: Northwestern University (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2024: Utah (Interim Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2025-pres.: Massachusetts (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
Season at Massachusetts: First
University of Massachusetts head football coach Joe Harasymiak has announced the addition of Mike Bajakian as the program’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in January 2025. Bajakian spent the 2024 season with the University of Utah, including ending the season as the program's interim offensive coordinator. Prior to Utah, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern from 2020-23. He also boasts NFL experience, including serving as Jameis Winston's quarterbacks coach when Winston earned the Pepsi Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2015 and became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons.
Bajakian was instrumental in guiding Northwestern to a pair of Bowl Game victories. In 2023, Bajakian and the Wildcats went 8-5 overall including a win in the Las Vegas Bowl. In 2020, he helped guide the Wildcats to a win over Auburn in the Citrus Bowl, with his quarterback Peyton Ramsey earning Most Valuable Player of the 2021 Citrus Bowl honors after completing 24-of-35 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 50 yards. In 2020, Bajakian and the Wildcats won the Big Ten West and finished the season ranked 10th in the final AP Top 25 poll.
Prior to his time with the Wildcats, Bajakian spent the 2019 season as the offensive coordinator at Boston College, leading the Eagles to the top rushing attack in the ACC with the rushing offense also ranking third in the then Power Five.
Bajakian spent four seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coaching Winston in his first two seasons. In his debut season, Tampa Bay's offense had a top-five finish in the NFL and the most yards in team history with Winston setting team rookie records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completions and passer rating.
In his second season with the Buccaneers, Winston set single-season franchise records for passing yards and touchdowns, becoming the youngest player to throw for 50 touchdowns in NFL history. Also in 2017, Bajakian coached Winston to career bests in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating.
During the 2018 season, Bajakian was on staff to see Tampa Bay lead the NFL with 320.3 passing yards per game with the team wrapping up the season ranked No. 3 in total offense.
Bajakian joined the Buccaneers from the University of Tennessee, where he served as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He was a part of a coaching staff that helped the Vols to their first bowl game appearance since 2010 and their first bowl victory since 2007, winning the 2015 Taxslayer Bowl.
Bajakian has had additional coaching stops which include the University of Cincinnati (2010-12, Offensive Coordinator/QBs), Central Michigan (2007-09, Offensive Coordinator/QBs) and the Chicago Bears (2004-06, Offensive Quality Control). While at Cincinnati, the Bearcats won back-to-back conference championships and led the conference in scoring offense and total offense in two of the three seasons. While at Central Michigan as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the Chippewas won two MAC championships. During that time, the Chippewas offense also posted its three highest-scoring offenses since joining the MAC in 1975 and set or broke more than 30 school records.
A native of River Vale, New Jersey, Bajakian spent his undergraduate years in Massachusetts as well. He was an All-New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) selection and All-ECAC quarterback honoree while playing for Williams College.
Coaching History
1996-97: Delbarton School (Quarterbacks)
1998-99: Rutgers (Graduate Assistant, Defensive Backs)
2000-01: Michigan (Graduate Assistant, Quarterbacks)
2002-03: Central Michigan (Quarterbacks)
2004-06: Chicago Bears (Offensive Quality Control, Wide Receivers)
2007-09: Central Michigan (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2010-12: Cincinnati (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2013-14: Tennessee (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2015-18: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Quarterbacks Coach)
2019: Boston College (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2020-23: Northwestern University (Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach)
2024: Utah (Interim Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2025-pres.: Massachusetts (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
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