Mike Papas is in his 11th year at East Texas Baptist University and his 5th as the full-time strength and conditioning coordinator. After six years coaching football, he was promoted to overlook and start the strength and conditioning programs for ETBU athletics. He came on staff in 2010 as an offensive coach and has coached quarterbacks and the offensive line while also being the offensive coordinator for two seasons.
Papas coached several offensive positions at ETBU with his last being the running backs coach in 2014. He was offensive coordinator in 2011 and 2012 and worked with quarterback Sed Harris and running back Jair Stover as they became the first pair of ETBU players to record 1,000-yard rushing seasons in the same season. Harris finished his career as the ETBU's leader in career yards per carry and completion percentage and also set new single-season records in the program for pass attempts, completions and completion percentage.
In 2010 with Papas serving as quarterbacks coach, Harris became the first player in the history of the program to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a single season. Harris also was the ETBU's second player in history to amass 1,000 yards rushing in a single season, earning honorable mention All-American Southwest Conference honors for the first time in his career.
He joined the ETBU staff in June of 2010 after serving as head coach at North Crowley High. Papas was named the first head football coach at North Crowley in 1998, when the school opened. The Panthers evolved through the Class 3A, 4A and 5A ranks under Papas' direction, which included a run to the 2003 Class 4A Division I state title.
Papas' teams competed in brutal district alignments that featured such Texas powerhouses as Aledo, Stephenville, Brownwood, Mansfield Summit and Abilene.
In the team's first year of completion in Class 5A, North Crowley finished second in District 4-5A and qualified for the playoffs. The following year, North Crowley won the district title with a 9-1 mark. In 2005, Papas was named the district's Coach of the Year.
In his career at North Crowley, Papas was recognized as Coach of the Year twice in district play, and by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fox Sports Southwest, Texas PrepXtra, High School Xtra and the Texas Sportswriters Association. He was also selected as the Riddell Southwest Regional Coach of the Year.
Prior to coaching at North Crowley, Papas was offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Corsicana High School from 1986-98. He also served as the Tigers' scouting coordinator and was the head powerlifting coach.
Papas was offensive coordinator at Crowley High School from 1983-85, and he was freshman and junior varsity coach at Sherman High School from 1981-82.
A native of Raytown, Mo., Papas graduated from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, in 1980 with degrees in Biology and Physical Education. He received his Master's degree in Education from Austin College in 1991 and has teaching certifications in Biology, Health and Physical Education.
Papas and his wife, Leska, have two children, Casey and Kellie. He enjoys snow skiing, bicycling, computer technology and reading in his spare time.
