COACH JOHN BAXTER and his wife, Jill, have two daughters, Kelly and McKenzie. His father-in-law, Ron McBride, is the former Head Football Coach at the University of Utah and Weber State University.
Born June 28, 1963, raised in Chicago, Illinois, and a 1981 Graduate of Loyola Academy. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Loras College in 1985 and then his master’s degree in Higher Education from Iowa State in 1987. A career college football coach, Coach Baxter has established a nationally prominent reputation as both a teacher and coach.
He was named the 2011 National Special Teams Coordinator of the Year while at USC and is known for developing some of the most prolific special teams units in the game of college football. His players have been consistently lauded for their academic and athletic achievements. The players that he has had the opportunity to mentor reads like a directory of super achievers.
Along with his coaching duties Coach Baxter has authored and copyrighted the highly-successful and nationally-acclaimed program, “The Academic Gameplan™.” His innovative and comprehensive life-skills program teaches students the rules, fundamentals and techniques to succeed in the classroom. “Academic Gameplan,” is used in homes and at schools throughout the country. The program he created was the key ingredient for the phenomenal academic success of the Fresno State football program. Going from the nations worst graduation rate in 1996, Baxter’s tenure produced 141 Academic All-WAC players and an NCAA APR score nearly 20 percentage points higher than the national average.
He is a featured speaker and community servant and was selected as the Clovis, California, Citizen of the Year in 2006.
His coaching resume highlights are:
2010: Associate Head Football Coach, Special Teams Coordinator and Tight End Coach, University of Southern California
1997 – 2009: Associate Head Football Coach, Special Teams Coordinator and Tight End Coach, California State University-Fresno
1994 – 1996: Special Teams Coordinator and Tight End Coach, Tulane University
1992 – 1993: Special Teams Coordinator and Running Back Coach, The University of Maryland
1990 – 1991: Special Teams Coordinator and Tight End Coach, University of Arizona
1989: Special Teams Coordinator and Linebacker Coach, University of Maine
1988: Graduate Assistant Coach, University of Arizona
1986 – 1987: Graduate Assistant Coach, Iowa State University
1981 – 1985: Undergraduate Assistant Coach, Loras College
