Ohio Wesleyan University Men's Football

Tom Watts is in his 14th season as head football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. Last year, the Battling Bishops finished 4-6 overall and finished sixth in the North Coast Athletic Conference with a 3-5 mark in conference play. The 2022 Bishops finished 6-4 overall and tied for second place in the NCAC with a 6-2 record in conference play. In 2021, the Bishops finished 8-2 overall and 7-2 in the NCAC, tying for second place in the final conference standings. The 2019 Bishops went 7-3 overall, including a mark of 6-3 in the NCAC, good for a fourth-place tie in the final standings. Watts made quite a splash in his first season as a head coach, guiding the Ohio Wesleyan football team to a 9-1 record and a share of the NCAC championship, OWU's first conference title since 1989.  Watts was named Coach of the Year by the NCAC, and was a Regional Coach of the Year selection by the American Football Coaches Association. He is only the sixth Ohio Wesleyan head football coach since 1920. Watts came to Ohio Wesleyan after 3 seasons at Baldwin-Wallace, where he served as special teams coordinator, defensive backs coach, and recruiting coordinator.  He helped the Yellow Jackets compile records of 8-2 in 2011 and 7-3 in 2010, his defensive backs earned 5 All-Ohio Conference citations during those 2 seasons, and the team ranked third in the nation in kick returns in 2010. Prior to coaching at Baldwin-Wallace, Watts was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Westminster (Pa.) College during the 2008 season, helping the Titans post their best Presidents' Athletic Conference finish in 5 seasons. Watts served as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for 4 seasons, helping the Pioneers lead the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in pass defense and post their first winning season since 1991. He began his coaching career as co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Waynesburg (Pa.) College, helping the Yellow Jackets win the PAC championship and reach the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2003. Watts is a 2002 graduate of Hanover (Ind.) College, where he helped the Panthers win a pair of conference championships.  He continued his education at Waynesburg, receiving a master's degree in education technology in 2004.  He is a native of Westfield Center, Ohio, and played both receiver and safety at Lodi Cloverleaf High School. Watts is a fourth-generation football coach.  His great-grandfather, Ray, was a legendary coach and athletic director at B-W, compiling 108 wins as head football coach and 246 wins as head men's basketball coach, and was an inaugural member of the B-W Hall of Fame.  His grandfather, Wade, also is a member of the B-W Hall of Fame and coached at the high school level in northeast Ohio, and his father, Tom Sr., played football at B-W and coached at the high school level at Strongsville, Midpark, and North Olmsted High Schools. Watts and his wife, Jessica, have 2 daughters, Taylor and Emma, and 3 sons, Lucas, Jacob, and Ryland. Watts' Career Coaching Record Year School Record Pct 2012 Ohio Wesleyan 9-1-0 .900 2013 Ohio Wesleyan 5-5-0 .500 2014 Ohio Wesleyan 6-4-0 .600 2015 Ohio Wesleyan 5-5-0 .500 2016 Ohio Wesleyan 6-4-0 .600 2017 Ohio Wesleyan 5-5-0 .500 2018 Ohio Wesleyan 4-6-0 .400 2019 Ohio Wesleyan 7-3-0 .700 2020-21 Ohio Wesleyan 0-2-0 .000 2021 Ohio Wesleyan 8-2-0 .800 2022 Ohio Wesleyan 6-4-0 .600 2023 Ohio Wesleyan 5-5-0 .500 2024 Ohio Wesleyan 4-6-0 .400 Career 13 years 70-52-0 .574

Ward is in his sixth season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University.  He is beginning his fifth season as co-offensive coordinator and coaches the Battling Bishop wide receivers. In 2013, he helped mastermind a Battling Bishop offense that ranked sixth in passing among all NCAA Division III schools. Ward came to Ohio Wesleyan after coaching stops at Marshall University and Baldwin-Wallace College.  He earned his masters degree in adult and technical education from Marshall in 2010. Ward is a 2007 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan.  During his Battling Bishop career, he lettered 4 times in football and track & field. Ward is a native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.   Mike Ward Co-Offensive Coordinator Mike Ward is in his sixth season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University.  He is beginning his fifth season as co-offensive coordinator and coaches the Battling Bishop wide receivers. In 2013, he helped mastermind a Battling Bishop offense that ranked sixth in passing among all NCAA Division III schools. Ward came to Ohio Wesleyan after coaching stops at Marshall University and Baldwin-Wallace College.  He earned his masters degree in adult and technical education from Marshall in 2010. Ward is a 2007 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan.  During his Battling Bishop career, he lettered 4 times in football and track & field. Ward is a native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.  

Delaney is in his 22nd season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. Delaney has been the Battling Bishops' defensive coordinator for 21 seasons. He coached the Bishop middle linebackers in 1995, his first season at Ohio Wesleyan. Delaney is a 1987 graduate of the University of Toledo. He was a 4-year letterman at free safety for the Rockets and served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. He was a 3-time selection to the Academic All-MAC team. Delaney is a native of Toledo, Ohio. Pat Delaney Defensive Coordinator Pat Delaney is in his 22nd season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. Delaney has been the Battling Bishops' defensive coordinator for 21 seasons. He coached the Bishop middle linebackers in 1995, his first season at Ohio Wesleyan. Delaney is a 1987 graduate of the University of Toledo. He was a 4-year letterman at free safety for the Rockets and served as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. He was a 3-time selection to the Academic All-MAC team. Delaney is a native of Toledo, Ohio.

Desmond Andrews-Ogbogu is in his first season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. Andrews-Ogbogu is making his collegiate coaching debut this season.  He comes to Ohio Wesleyan from St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky., where he served as varsity assistant cornerbacks coach and freshman secondary coach and passing game coordinator for 1 year. He is a 2023 graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, majoring in business administration.  A wide receiver, Andrews-Ogbogu was part of the Colonels' Atlantic Sun Conference co-championship squad in 2022.  He began his playing career at Jacksonville University. Andrews-Ogbogu is a native of Louisville, Ky.  

Cade Cradlebaugh is in his first season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University.  He coaches the Battling Bishop wide receivers. Cradlebaugh comes to Ohio Wesleyan from Concord (W. Va.) University, where he was running backs coach, video coordinator, and assistant recruiting coordinator in 2024. He is a 2023 graduate of the University of Pikeville (Ky.), majoring in history.  Cradlebaugh played 2 seasons as a tight end at Pikeville.  He began his playing career at Division II entity Chowan (N.C.) University, playing in 4 games as a quarterback in 2021 after redshirting in 2020. Cradlebaugh is a native of Germantown, Ohio.  

Charlie Hornacek is in his first year as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University. Hornacek is a 2025 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan, earning a degree in environmental science. He played his junior and senior seasons as a linebacker at OWU following two seasons of strong safety at Otterbein University. Hornacek is a native of Barberton, Ohio.

Morgan Cotter in his ninth season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan.  He has served as special teams coordinator or co-special teams coordinator for 8 seasons and begins his eighth season as offensive line coach.  In 2017, he coached the Battling Bishop defensive ends. Cotter came to Ohio Wesleyan after serving 5 seasons as head coach at Marysville High School.  While at the Monarch helm, he was named Central District Coach of the Year in 2013. Before taking the Marysville position, he was head coach at Fairbanks High School in Milford Center, Ohio, for 5 years, compiling a record of 38-12 and receiving conference Coach of the Year recognition in 2008 and 2010.  He was an assistant coach at Marysville for 3 seasons prior to that, and began his coaching career with 3 seasons at North Union High School. Cotter is a 2000 graduate of Kent State University.  During his playing career with the Golden Flashes, Cotter was a 4-year letterwinner as a long snapper and linebacker.  

Hayden Thomas is in his first season as a member of the Ohio Wesleyan coaching staff.  He serves as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Thomas comes to Ohio Wesleyan from Thomas More University, where he was run game coordinator and offensive line coach during the 2024 season. Prior to his time with the Saints, Thomas spent 7 seasons at Wilmington (Ohio) College, most recently serving as interim head coach.  During his last 3 seasons at Wilmington, Thomas was assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, along with coaching the Quaker quarterbacks and tight ends. In 2023, Thomas oversaw an offense that finished in the top 3 of the Ohio Athletic Conference in multiple categories and achieved historic marks at Wilmington, breaking the school single-game rushing record (384 yards) against Wooster, compiling 658 yards of total offense against Muskingum, and averaging 407.7 yards and 31.8 points per game, neither of which had been accomplished at Wilmington since 1999.  Individually, the Quaker quarterback set school single-game and single-season records for touchdown passes and was responsible for an average of 23.2 points per game, which led the OAC and ranked ninth in NCAA Division III.  Six offensive players received All-OAC recognition, and Thomas was honored as OAC Assistant Coach of the Year. During his time at Wilmington, Thomas coached almost every position on offense.  He began his stint with the Quakers as tight ends coach and assistant offensive line coach in 2017, then coached running backs and tight ends in 2018 and quarterbacks in 2019.  In the spring of 2021, Thomas took over the play-calling duties and the Quakers averaged 379 yards per game during the CoVID-shortened spring season. Thomas is a 2017 graduate of Bluffton University, where he played 4 seasons as an offensive lineman and was a part of an offense that broke a variety of Beaver all-time records.  Thomas majored in sport management and minored in coaching. He comes from a coaching family, with 2 younger brothers in the profession in Brady, who serves as the Bishops' defensive coordinator, and Quinn, who most recently coached at Utah State.  He also is the nephew of Brady Hoke, former head coach at Michigan and San Diego State. Thomas is a native of Perrysburg, Ohio.  He and his wife, Jessie, are expecting their first child in May of 2025.  

Brady Thomas is in his first season as a member of the Ohio Wesleyan coaching staff.  He serves as defensive coordinator and coaches the Battling Bishop linebackers. Thomas comes to Ohio Wesleyan from Walsh University, where he was inside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator - defense after originally serving as defensive backs coach upon joining the Cavalier staff in March of 2025. Prior to Walsh, Thomas was quality control coach - defense at Bowling Green State University for 1 year, helping the Falcons reach the 68 Ventures Bowl.  He was a graduate assistant at BGSU for 2 years before that, working with the Falcon defensive backs in 2022 and inside linebackers in 2023 and helping both teams advance to the Quick Lane Bowl. Thomas is a 2022 graduate of Bowling Green, majoring in education.  As an undergraduate, he served as a student assistant coach, working with the Falcon running backs for 2 seasons and offensive linemen for 2 seasons. He comes from a coaching family, with 2 brothers in the profession in Hayden, who serves as the Bishops' offensive coordinator, and Quinn, who most recently coached at Utah State.  He also is the nephew of Brady Hoke, former head coach at Michigan and San Diego State. Thomas is a native of Perrysburg, Ohio.  

Pat Day is in his first season as an assistant football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University.  He coaches the Battling Bishop tight ends. Day is making his collegiate coaching debut this season.  He comes to Ohio Wesleyan from Bowling Green State University, where he played safety for the Falcons. He is a 2023 graduate of BGSU, majoring in business marketing.  During his Falcon career, he moved from preferred walk-on to scholarship status after his second season, went on to appear in a program-record 56 games, and won Academic All-Mid-American Conference recognition.  He continued his education at Bowling Green, earning a master's degree in business administration in 2024. Day is a native of Hilliard, Ohio.