A veteran coach with 18 years of experience coaching defense on the collegiate level, Mike Pelton begins his first season as the defensive coordinator at the University of the South.

Pelton’s previous stop in coaching came at Georgia Tech from 2013-17. In five seasons with the Yellow Jackets, he coached five All-ACC defensive linemen, one All-American (Jeremiah Attaochu in 2013), a freshman All-American (KeShun Freeman in 2014) and five student-athletes who went on to play in the NFL, including a pair of second-round draft picks (Attaochu, San Diego – 2014, and Adam Gotsis, Denver – 2016).

Prior to coming to Atlanta, Pelton spent the previous two seasons as the defensive line coach at his alma mater, Auburn. In 2011, the Tigers finished 8-4 record and posted a Chick-fil-A Bowl victory over Virginia.

Before returning to his alma mater in 2011, Pelton coached defensive lines at Vanderbilt (2010), Iowa State (2007-08), Troy (2001-06) and Valdosta State (2000). In his two seasons at Iowa State under future Auburn head coach Gene Chizik, Pelton mentored a pair of Second Team All-Big 12 selections in nose guard Ahtyba Rubin and defensive end Kurtis Taylor. Rubin went on to become a starter for the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft.

Pelton’s six years at Troy included serving as co-defensive coordinator for his final two seasons with the Trojans. He mentored the most prolific student-athletes in school history: Demarcus Ware, the 2003 Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year who was a first-round NFL draft pick, eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos; and Osi Umenyiora, who recorded 15 sacks as a senior in 2002 and was selected in the second round of the NFL draft pick, became a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro for the New York Giants. With Pelton coaching the defensive front, Troy ranked fourth nationally in total defense in 2002 (277 ypg) and 16th nationally in 2004.

Pelton’s coaching career began as defensive line coach at Valdosta State, where he helped lead the Blazers to a 10-2 record and NCAA Division II playoff berth in 2000.

Pelton was a standout defensive tackle at Auburn from 1991-94, earning First Team All-SEC honors as a senior. A four-year letterman, Pelton was a co-captain as a senior and helped the Tigers win a school-record 20 consecutive games from 1993-94. Auburn posted a perfect 11-0 record in 1993, finishing fourth in the final Associated Press Top 25 rankings of the season. The Tigers went 9-1-1 in 1994 and finished No. 9 in the AP poll.

As a senior in ‘94, Pelton recorded 10 sacks, which was tied for the fourth-highest single-season total in Auburn history. He registered 294 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 15 sacks in his career.

Following his prolific collegiate career, Pelton was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fifth round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts before graduating from Auburn in 1999 with a bachelor’s Human and Health Education Performance.

Pelton and his wife, Staci, are the parents of four daughters – Myesa, Tyra, Peyton and Taelah.