Mike Breske is in his seventh season as Idaho's defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Breske joined Paul Petrino’s staff during the spring of 2015 and the Vandal defense has been on the rise ever since.
Despite injuries and protocols, the Vandal defense was outstanding in the spring of 2021. Led by First Team All-Big Sky selections Christian Elliss and Tre Walker, the Vandals led the Big Sky in rushing defense by a significant margin. Walker would go on to lead the conference in tackles, with Elliss close behind.
Five other Vandals earned All-Big Sky honors on defense in the spring of 2021. Tyrese Dedmon and Jalen Hoover each earned second team honors, while Fa’Avae Fa’Avae, Rahsaan Crawford and Jonah Kim took home honorable mention accolades.
The Vandal defense stepped up in 2019. With all-conference selections Christian Elliss and Walker leading the way in the middle, Idaho gave up fewer points and fewer yards per game in its second year back in the Big Sky.
Three Vandal defenders were named All-Big Sky in 2018, led by first-team selection Kaden Elliss who led Idaho with 16 tackles for loss and a career-high seven sacks as a senior. In Breske's defense, Elliss blossomed from a lightly-recruited high school quarterback to an NFL Draft pick. He was selected 244th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2019 NFL Draft, Idaho's first draft pick since 2012 (Korey Toomer).
Idaho's defense was its calling card in 2017, limiting opponents to 25.8 points and 390.4 yards of total offense per game. Two Vandal defensive standouts were named All-Sun Belt First Team (Aikeem Coleman and Tony Lashley), while Elliss was named to the second team and Arie Anderson, Ed Hall and Leonard Hazewood each picked up honorable mention accolades.
Breske’s unit made its mark on the Idaho's 2016 campaign, which finished with a win over Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Coleman, the 2016 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, and honorable mention all-conference selections Elliss and Lashley anchored a formidable front seven that put constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Vandals totaled 25 sacks and 67 tackles for loss along with 17 interceptions, 41 pass breakups, 20 quarterback hurries and 11 fumble recoveries. The 17 interceptions ranked 11th nationally.
Breske most recently was at Washington State and previously coached at Montana (twice), Wyoming, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado and Wayne State. He is a 1981 graduate of South Dakota State University, where he was a four-year starter at cornerback, a team captain and all-conference selection.
Along the way, he coached All-Americans, all-conference players, future professionals and had defensive units that turned in historic efforts. His 2013 Washington State defensive unit held USC to 54 passing yards and enabled the Cougars to win at the Coliseum for the first time in a decade. His 2012 unit was eighth nationally in tackles-for-loss per game and 11th in sacks per game.
He was a part of the Montana staffs that led the Grizzlies to the FSC semifinals in 2011, to the FCS (I-AA) Championship in 2001, to the 2000 runner-up FCS runner-up finish, and the 2002 quarterfinals.
Breske has more than 30 years of coaching experience in the collegiate ranks under his belt. Prior to his second stint at Montana, he served a one-year stint as the defensive coordinator/ secondary coach at North Dakota State in 2009.
From 2003-08 he served as the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Glenn at the University of Wyoming. In 2006 the Cowboys were ranked ninth in the nation in total defense, while they were 22nd in 2007 and 43rd in 2008.
During his first stint at Montana (2000-02), the Grizzlies prospered, winning the Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA) national championship in 2001, finishing as runner-up in 2000 and advancing to the quarterfinals in 2002. In 2000 Montana finished eighth in total defense (265.00 ypg), second in rushing defense (76.64 ypg) and 33rd in scoring defense (19.27 ppg).
During that three-year stretch he coached two players to All-America status, Vince Huntsberger (2000) and Trey Young (2001-02).
Prior to Montana he was the defensive coordinator for Northern Colorado’s powerhouse teams from 1987-99. He was also the defensive coordinator at Wayne State College (Neb.) from 1983-87; the secondary coach at Yankton (S.D.) College in 1982-83, and was a graduate assistant coach at Northern Iowa from 1981-82.
