Hayden Mace

Hayden Mace joined Matt Drinkall’s Central Michigan coaching staff in December 2024, as the offensive line coach.

Mace arrives at Central Michigan after working the 2023 and 2024 seasons as the offensive line coach/run game coordinator at Eastern Washington University. At EWU, Mace assisted an offense that finished the regular season ranked among the Top-10 nationally in nine major categories, including first and third down conversions (56.4%), No. 5 in rushing yards per game (229.3), No. 8 in red zone conversion (91.1%), No. 8 in yards per game (444.3), and No. 8 in points per game (35.8). The Eagles’ offense set school records for rushing attempts in a game (68), rushing yards in a game (478), and rushing touchdowns in a game (10).

Under Mace, EWU’s offensive line finished the regular season graded as the No. 1 ranked PFF pass blocking unit in the FCS and allowed the 15th fewest sacks (1.17 per game) in the nation. The offensive line was also graded as the No. 8 run blocking unit in the FCS and finished the regular season ranked No. 8 nationally in rushing touchdowns and No. 16 nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed. Mace coached All-American Wyatt Hansen and all-conference honorees Luke Dahlgren and Jack Seelye. He worked with Central Michigan Offensive Coordinator Jim Chapin on the Eagles’ staff.

Before arriving at Eastern Washington, Mace served as the offensive line coach at NCAA Division II Sioux Falls University (S.D.) from 2020-22. He added the title of offensive coordinator in 2022. Under Mace’s guidance in 2022, the Cougars’ offense ranked in the top three in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) in points per game, yards per game, and yards per play, while also leading the league and ranking 12th in NCAA Division II in rushing. Four USF players earned All-NSIC honors, including running back Thuro Reisdorfer, who led the NSIC in rushing, earned Second Team All-America honors, and was a Harlon Hill Award nominee.

In 2021, Mace helped guide a Sioux Falls offense that averaged 32.5 points and 413.3 yards per game, and 6.2 yards per play. The offense accumulated 2,394 rushing yards, which ranked No. 1 in the NSIC and No. 13 in NCAA Division II, 5.7 yards per carry, which ranked No. 1 in the NSIC and No. 8 nationally, 28 rushing touchdowns, which was No. 1 in the NSIC and No. 15 nationally, and allowed only eight sacks, which was No. 2 in the NSIC and No. 7 nationally. Mace coached All-Region honoree Brennan Moran and All-Conference selection Jasper Parks.

Mace served as a defensive graduate assistant at Utah State for one season in 2019.

During the 2017-18 seasons, Mace served as a quality control coach for the offensive line, tight ends and quarterbacks at Eastern Washington. The Eagles played in the 2019 FCS National Championship Game.

Mace played center at NCAA Division III Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., from 2008-11. He served as a team captain and twice earned All-Northwest Conference honors. Mace helped lead the Wildcats to a combined 37-7 record during his four years with the program, including a 19-3 record during his final two seasons. The Wildcats earned three consecutive NCAA Division III playoff berths from 2009-11, reaching the semifinals in 2009.

A native of Bend, Ore., Mace earned a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in communications from Linfield in 2012. Upon graduation from Linfield, Mace accepted a job with Amazon, where he worked for four years before returning to football.

He and his wife, Katie, have two children – sons Denny and Maddox.