Fontel Mines - Football Coach - James Madison University Athletics

Fontel Mines

Title:
Inside Receivers
Email:
minesfa@jmu.edu
Phone:
540-568-6517
Physical Address:
Plecker APC 210 (220 Champions Dr.) / MSC 2201

Fontel Mines was hired on April 7, 2017, as an assistant coach with the James Madison University football team, working primarily with the inside receivers. In his role, he coaches both the tight ends and slot receivers.

Prior to the 2018 season, Mines was named the program’s recruiting coordinator.

In his first season with the program, his inside receivers combined for 73 receptions for 795 yards and nine touchdowns. John Miller, who was named CAA Special Teams Player of the Year, led the unit with 35 receptions for 393 yards and a touchdown, and Clayton Cheatham was one of the leading freshman in the CAA, with four receiving touchdowns on eight catches and 137 yards.

In 2017, JMU’s offense ranked third nationally in first downs (325), ninth in completion percentage (64.9%), 15th in scoring offense (34.4), 22nd in pass efficiency (142.46 rating) and 30th in total offense (419.0).

A native of Richmond, Va., Mines is no stranger to JMU and the Colonial Athletic Association, having spent the previous five seasons at Richmond, as well as the last three months at Delaware.

During his time with the Spiders, he coached both wide receivers (2012-13, 2015-16) and tight ends (2014), helping guide the team to three straight FCS playoff appearances, including a berth in the 2015 national semifinals. Richmond set nearly every passing record during his tenure with the program, turning in one of the nation’s best offensive units in terms of scoring and total offense. He additionally served as Richmond’s director of high school relations.

Mines coached three-time All-American Brian Brown, who finished his career in 2016 as UR’s all-time leader in every statistical category for a receiver and the eighth-most total yards by any player, with 4,203 career yards. As a senior, Brown set program records for receiving yards (1,485) and receiving touchdowns (11), en route to his third straight season earning All-CAA and All-America awards. He was a finalist for the Bill Dudley Award and also named the best pass-catcher in the state by the Touchdown Club of Richmond.

Under Mines’ tutelage, three Spiders earned professional contracts with Ben Edwards (New York Giants), Reggie Diggs (Washington Redskins) and Brian Brown (Dallas Cowboys) each signing free agent deals following their collegiate careers. Five Richmond receivers earned multiple All-CAA accolades while he was with the program.

Prior to Richmond, Mines spent the 2011 season at Division II Chowan in North Carolina. He guided Robert Holland to CIAA Offensive Player of the year honors after he set every Chowan receiving record, as well as the CIAA and NCAA Division II career receptions record (325). As a senior Hollan caught 69 passes for 943 yards, scoring 13 total touchdowns. He was later drafted by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League.

He began his coaching career in 2010 at Hermitage High School in Richmond, where he was a standout high school player. He additionally participated in the Minority Internship with the Washington Redskins during the 2015 preseason and coached in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl later that year.

A 2007 graduate of Virginia, Mines was a four-year letter winner for the Cavaliers (2003-06) where he starred as a wide receiver. He made 20 starts and recorded 68 receptions for 737 yards and five touchdowns. After earning his degree in anthropology, Mines played four years in the National Football League as a tight end with the Chicago Bears before transitioning to coaching.