University of Rhode Island

Mike Flanagan enters his 11th season at Rhode Island in 2025. After helping lead the Rams to the 2024 CAA Football Championship, he was promoted to offensive coordinator. He will also coach the tight ends. 

Following the 2019 campaign, he was promoted to associate head coach while also retaining his duties as recruiting coordinator. In his time with the Rams, he has also served as the position coach for the running backs and the offensive line.

In 2022, the team rushed for 1,497 yards, its highest total in nine years. Running backs Justice Antrum and Jaylen Smith combined for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. The team's two feature backs also had 175 yards and four touchdowns through the air, helping give the Rams their most balanced and dynamic offense in several years. Fullback Joey Kenny was named to the CAA Football First Team All-Conference squad for the second year in a row. He also earned All-New England honors and an invitation to the 2022 Hula Bowl.

In the spring of 2021, Flanagan coached redshirt freshman Kevin Brown, Jr., who was the CAA Football Offensive Freshman of the Year. Brown made a strong impression in his Rhode Island debut, rushing for 141 yards and four touchdowns in the season opener at No. 6 Villanova. He led the team with 256 rushing yards in the COVID-19-shortened season, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Brown was the first player for Rhode Island to win a major year-end league award since Joe Casey was the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in 2005.

Flanagan was was promoted to recruiting coordinator following the 2018 season. He first joined the staff as a defensive quality control coach in the spring of 2015, working closely with the defensive backs that season. In 2017, he was promoted to tight ends coach. He also has served as the director of football operations.

In 2018, Flanagan coached Tyler Burke, who earned CAA Football Second-Team All-Conference honors in addition to being named to the CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. Burke also was the team's nomination for the CAA Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In addition to Burke, Flanagan coached Joey Kenny, who started nine of the 11 games the team played, as Rhode Island opened most games in a double tight end formation. True freshman Caleb Warren appeared in every game on special teams and offense.

Flanagan came to Kingston after coaching the running backs and defensive backs at Bishop Hendricken High School in 2014. Flanagan was part of a staff the led the Hawks to their fifth consecutive state championship. Bishop Hendricken averaged 195.8 rushing yards per game, running for 2,546 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2014. The team ran for 280 yards and four touchdowns in the title game victory over LaSalle Academy.

Following his career as a running back and kick returner at St. Anselm College (2010-14), Flanagan spent the spring of 2014 as a student assistant coach at his alma mater, He worked with the team's tight ends and running backs.

During his high school career at Bishop Hendricken, Flanagan was a 2009 First Team All-State running back. He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from St. Anselm in 2014.