Mike Lucas’ defenses long have been known for forcing turnovers, something that has continued in his second stint as Northwestern State’s defensive coordinator.
Since returning to Natchitoches ahead of the 2018 season, the “Purple Swarm” defense has tallied 60 turnovers in 29 games. In 41 games under Lucas, Northwestern State has forced 90 turnovers.
In addition to producing turnovers at a rapid rate, Lucas’ defense continued its penchant for making tackles behind the line of scrimmage. In just six games in the 2021 spring season, the Demons notched 49.5 tackles for loss, led by eight from second-team All-American linebacker Jomard Valsin. The Purple Swarm also made life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks, racking up 20 sacks in those six games.
Twenty-four of those turnovers came in 2019 when Northwestern State led the Southland Conference in passing yards allowed (255.9 per game). Midway through the season, Lucas added the role of safeties coach to his responsibilities, helping NSU allow an average of 213.7 passing yards per game in the final six games of 2019.
Returning to the sidelines in Natchitoches in 2018 after a three-year absence, Lucas left his mark, putting the “Swarm” back in the Purple Swarm defense.
Northwestern State forced 26 turnovers, a number that ranked 12th nationally and helped NSU record the 13th-best turnover margin in the country (plus-0.73). The pressure-packed Demons defense also delivered an average of 2.91 sacks per game, ranking 15th nationally.
Individually, safety Hayden Bourgeois was named a first-team Sophomore All-American by HERO Sports as well as a first-team All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana performer. Bourgeois collected seven (5 interceptions, 2 fumbles) of the Demons’ 26 turnovers and ranked third nationally in turnovers forced.
Lucas returned to Northwestern State after spending the past three seasons at UL Lafayette where he was the defensive coordinator for the better part of the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
While with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Lucas’ 2016 defense ranked 23rd among FBS teams in rushing defense (129.2 yards per game) and 43rd in total defense (379.1).
Lucas also coached linebackers at UL Lafayette, tutoring a pair of All-Sun Belt selections in Dominique Tovell (2015) and Otha Peters (2016).
During his previous stop in Natchitoches, Lucas’ 2014 Purple Swarm defense ranked fifth in FCS in takeaways (30), 11th in turnover margin (plus-0.83) and 20th in interceptions (15).
From that unit, cornerback Imoan Claiborne was chosen to play in the 66th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl while he and linebacker Marion Chapman were first-team All-Southland Conference selections.
Claiborne and defensive tackle Deon Simon both reached the NFL with Simon beginning his second season with Green Bay in 2019.
Lucas was defensive coordinator at Southeastern for two seasons before moving into the head coaching post on an interim basis for the last three games of 2006, and was head coach from 2007-12, recruiting players who contributed to SLU’s 2013 Southland Conference championship.
Under Lucas’ leadership, Southeastern improved its overall record each season from 2006-09 while the Lions, for the first time since their program was restarted in 2003, became highly competitive in the Southland. Southeastern developed a school-record setting offense and a typically tough-to-attack defense guided by Lucas. After missing the final six games of the 2008 season due to a heart valve procedure, Lucas returned to win Louisiana collegiate Coach of the Year honors in 2009.
At Sam Houston as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under iconic head coach Ron Randleman, Lucas coached the Bearkats among the top 15 in FCS stat categories 11 times, and led the Southland Conference in defense five times. Among school records set under Lucas: 52 sacks in 2001, fewest points per game (13.2) in 1991.
His Berarkat defenses produced 65 All-Southland Conference honors by 41 different players, among them seven who signed NFL contracts and two who were NFL Draft picks.
He was defensive coordinator at Eastern New Mexico where his unit led the Lone Star Conference in total defense and scoring defense, and ranked third nationally in punt returns. In 1984 he was wide receivers coach at UTEP. From 1980-83, he coached the secondary, defensive line and linebackers, and assisted with strength and conditioning, at Liberty. He began coaching as a defensive student assistant in 1979 at William and Mary.
A two-year letterman at William and Mary, Lucas was a three-year letterman in football at Pemberton (N.J.) High School, where he also lettered in baseball and wrestling.
Lucas and his wife Wendy have two adult sons, Tyler, a former quarterback and 2009 graduate of Cornell, and Torin, a former catcher on the Southeastern Louisiana baseball team. Both sons welcomed their first children during the 2019 season. Lucas earned a bachelor of science degree in physical education and psychology from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1982.
