Fontel Mines

COACHING HIGHLIGHTS

• Fontel Mines begins his third season in Blacksburg as offensive recruiting coordinator/wide receivers coach.
• During the 2023 season, Mines mentored Da'Quan Felton who tallied 38 receptions for 667 yards and eight touchdowns. He also mentored Jaylin Lane who registered 41 catches for 538 yards and six scores.
• Under the direction of Mines, Stephen Gosnell registered 22 receptions for 348 yards and three touchdowns in the 2023 season.
• Receiver Tucker Holloway led the ACC in punt return average in 2023 and was 4th in the FBS ranks. He also recorded a 33-yard rushing touchdown against Virginia.
• As a team, the Hokies' wide receivers ranked 1st in the ACC and 2nd in the FBS in yards after the catch in 2023.
• Under the tutelage of Mines, Tech's receivers ranked 2nd in the ACC in yards per reception and in wide receiver rating when targeted during the 2023 season. The group ranked 3rd in the ACC in receiving TDs.
• Mines ranked No. 6 among all ACC coaches in 247Sports coach recruiting rankings in 2022.
• Mines helped the Hokies secure six of the top 25 prospects in the state of Virginia during the 2023 recruiting cycle and five of the top 25 in the state in the 2024 class.
• The Richmond native owns previous coaching experience at the University of Richmond, James Madison and ODU and has recruited the Commonwealth of Virginia extensively throughout his career.
• Prior to joining the Hokies, Mines was promoted to associate head coach/tight ends coach at Old Dominion following the 2021 season when he served as ODU's tight ends coach. He mentored TE Zack Kuntz, who posted 73 receptions, the second-highest total by a FBS tight end last season and the best single-season tally by a tight end in ODU history. Kuntz finished the year with 692 receiving yards and five TDs – also the best seasonal marks ever by an ODU tight end – as the Monarchs earned a berth in the 2021 Myrtle Beach Bowl.
• He spent the previous two seasons as the tight ends/inside receivers coach at East Carolina (2019-20), in addition to serving as recruiting coordinator for the Pirates. Mines coached East Carolina WR Tyler Snead, helping Snead earn all-conference honors in 2020. In 2019, Snead broke the ECU freshman record for receptions (66) and touchdowns (five) in a season, while his 19 catches at SMU (11/9/19) were the most in an FBS game that season. In his two seasons under Mines’ tutelage Snead hauled in 199 catches for 1,283 yards with 10 TDs. He also returned 43 kickoffs for 890 yards with two TDs.
• As the recruiting coordinator for the Pirates, Mines helped compile the fourth-ranked recruiting class in the American Athletic Conference in 2020. Mines ranked No. 6 among all AAC coaches in 247Sports coach recruiting rankings in 2020 and 2021.
• Mines coached inside receivers/tight ends at James Madison (2017-18) and added recruiting coordinator duties to his responsibilities prior to the 2018 campaign. He coached the 2017 Colonial Athletic Association Special Teams Player of the Year WR John Miller, who collected 35 passes for 393 yards with one TD as the Dukes advanced to the FCS Championship Game. JMU advanced to the second round of the FCS Playoffs in 2018, giving the Dukes a 23-5 record during Mines’ tenure with the squad.
• He began his Division I coaching tenure with a five-year stint at Richmond (2012-16), helping the Spiders to three consecutive appearances in the FCS Playoffs. Mines coached wide receivers (2012-13, 2015-16) and tight ends (2014) at Richmond, including a trio of players who earned opportunities in the NFL. WR Brian Brown was a three-time All-CAA performer and finished his career as the school’s all-time leading receiver with 247 catches for 4,203 yards with 23 TDs. WR Ben Edwards earned all-conference honors in both 2012 and 2013 under Mines’ tutelage, hauling in 154 catches for 1,558 yards with eight TDs over that two-year span. WR Reggie Diggs was also a two-time All-CAA performer at Richmond and produced 106 catches for 1,385 yards with six TDs while working with Mines.
• Mines began his college coaching tenure at NCAA Division II Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C. He coached the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year WR Robert Holland, who ranks second in NCAA Division II history with 325 career receptions.
• Mines inaugurated his coaching career at his alma mater, Hermitage High School, where he was an all-state selection as a senior playing wide receiver and safety.

PLAYING HIGHLIGHTS

• A four-year letterwinner as a wide receiver at the University of Virginia, Mines caught 68 passes in his career for 737 yards with five touchdowns.
• He was part of squads that claimed victories in the 2003 Continental Tire Bowl and the 2005 Music City Bowl.
• He spent three seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears and also served a Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship during training camp with the Washington Football Team in 2014.

PROMINENT NFL PUPILS

TE	Zack Kuntz	Drafted-2023 – N.Y. Jets
WR	Tyler Snead	FA-2022 – Pittsburgh
WR	Brian Brown	FA-2018 – Detroit
WR	Reggie Diggs	FA-2016 – Washington
WR	Ben Edwards	FA-2015 – N.Y. Giants