Football
Baxter, John
John Baxter
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
- Email:
- coachbaxter@usc.edu
- Phone:
- 740-4192
John Baxter, known for producing extremely productive special teams units and also for working with tight ends for nearly half of his coaching career, begins his fourth season of his second stint at USC. He returned to USC in January of 2016 as its special teams coordinator and tight ends coach after spending a season at Michigan. In 2018, he handled just the special teams coordinator role, but re-adds the tight ends duty in 2019.
Baxter has 37 years of coaching experience.
In 2018, USC blocked 2 field goals and 2 punts (1 returned for a TD) to rank ninth nationally in blocked kicks and Troy also returned another punt for a touchdown.
In 2017, USC blocked 3 field goals and a punt, had 2 scoring punt returns and ranked 11thnationally in blocked kicks and 18thin punt returns. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. made All-Pac-12 first team as a special teams player. Blind long snapper Jake Olson had historic snaps on the final PATs in the Western Michigan and Oregon State games. USC’s tight ends had 37 receptions with 5 TDs. USC played in the 2017 Cotton Bowl.
In 2016, USC ranked fourth among all schools in FootballOutsiders.com’s Special Teams Efficiency rating. USC was sixth nationally in punt returns and 23rdin blocked kicks, blocked punts and kickoff returns. USC blocked 2 field goals and a punt and allowed only 8 of its 50 punts to be returned (for just 50 yards). Placekicker Matt Boermeester’s 18 field goals were one shy of the school record, he kicked a Rose Bowl record-tying 3 field goals (including the game-winner at the gun) and he had 43 touchbacks (USC had just 11 in 2015). Returner Adoree’ Jackson, who had 2 punt return TDs and 2 kickoff return TDs, was named an All-American first teamer by some selectors as a punt returner, won the Jet Award as the nation’s top punt returner and was an NFL Draft first rounder. USC tight ends caught 39 passes.
Baxter was Michigan’s special teams coordinator in 2015. The Wolverines finished 12thnationally in ESPN’s special teams efficiency ranking (they were No. 1 two-thirds of the way into the season) after being 96ththe previous year. Michigan was third nationally in kickoff returns, Jabrill Peppers was 19thin punt returns, Jehu Chesson returned a kickoff for a TD, UM allowed only 3 kickoff returns longer than 30 yards, Blake O’Neill had a Michigan Stadium record 80-yard punt and 43% of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and Kenny Allen hit 18-of-22 field goals and 44% of his kickoffs were touchbacks (O’Neill and Allen entered the season as non-scholarship players). Michigan won the 2016 Citrus Bowl.
Baxter, 56, spent 4 years (2010-13) at USC as the associate head coach and special teams coordinator. He added the tight ends to his coaching duties in 2013.
In 2013, fullback Soma Vainuku made the All-Pac-12 first team as a special teams player and Nelson Agholor was an All-American second team pick as a punt returner. USC blocked 6 kicks, returned 3 punts for TDs in a game to tie an NCAA record and allowed no punt return yards in 8 games. The Trojans won the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl.
In 2012, USC ranked ninth nationally on ESPN’s special teams efficiency chart. Punter Kyle Negrete was a finalist for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. USC played in the 2012 Sun Bowl.
Baxter was named the 2011 FootballScoop.com Special Teams Coordinator of the Year. For the second consecutive year, USC blocked 7 kicks in 2011. The Trojans also had a scoring kickoff return, made a 2-point conversion and converted a fake punt for a first down while ranking No. 8 nationally in special teams efficiency by ESPN. In 2011, placekicker Andre Heidari made Freshman All-American first team and All-Pac-12 first team, and his 88.2% field goal percentage was third in the nation among kickers with at least 10 made field goals (and the best among freshmen kickers). Tight end-fullback Rhett Ellison made the All-Pac-12 first team as a special teams performer.
In 2010, USC’s special teams blocked 7 kicks and punts, returned a punt and kickoff for a touchdown, scored 5 times on 2-point conversions, had a defensive PAT and made first downs on a fake punt and fake field goal. Troy was seventh nationally in ESPN’s special teams efficiency ranking. USC ranked high nationally in punt returns (seventh at 14.6) and kickoff returns (17that 24.5) with wide receiver Ronald Johnson placing 12thnationally in punt returns (14.2). Wide receiver Robert Woods made the All-Pac-10 first team as a kick returner. Johnson was a sixth round pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
In 13 years (1997-2009) at Fresno State, Baxter was the associate head coach and special teams coach in addition to handling either the tight ends (1997-2001, 2003, 2009) or wide receivers (2002, 2004-2008).
Baxter turned the Bulldogs’ special teams into one of the top units in the nation annually. During his time, Fresno State blocked 84 kicks and punts (including a national-best 49 from 2002 through 2009) and scored 39 special teams touchdowns (with 3 safeties). The Bulldogs topped the nation in fewest punt return yards allowed in 2004 and 2005. A.J. Jefferson led the nation in kickoff returns in 2007. Clifton Smith’s 189 punt return yards with 2 touchdowns against Weber State in 2005 were Fresno State game records, while his 5 career scoring punt returns also was a school mark. Six of Baxter’s Bulldog kickers and punters earned All-Western Athletic Conference first team honors.
During his time at Fresno State, the Bulldogs posted a 100-66 record, played in 10 bowls (1999 Las Vegas, 2000-01-02-03 Silicon Valley, 2004 MPC Computers, 2005 AutoZone Liberty, 2007 Roady’s Humanitarian and 2008-09 New Mexico) and won the WAC title in 1999.
Along with his coaching duties at Fresno State, Baxter developed the highly-successful and nationally-regarded program, “Academic Gameplan.” His innovative and comprehensive study-skills program teaches students the rules, fundamentals, techniques and life skills needed to succeed in the classroom. “Academic Gameplan,” which is now being used at schools throughout the country, was a key reason for the academic success of the Fresno State football program, which during Baxter’s tenure produced 141 Academic All-WAC players and an NCAA APR score nearly 20 percentage points higher than the national average.
He was selected as the Clovis Co-Citizen of the Year in 2006, along with Fresno State head coach Pat Hill.
Baxter began his coaching career at his alma mater, Loras College, where he served for 5 seasons (1981-85) as a student assistant (working with the running backs) during his undergraduate time.
He then moved on to Iowa State for 2 seasons (1986-87) as a graduate assistant working with the defensive line and special teams before the first of 2 stints at Arizona. He was with the Wildcats in 1988 (as a graduate assistant working with the defensive backs and special teams), went to Maine in 1989 for his first full-time job coaching the outside linebackers and special teams when the Black Bears made it to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and returned to Arizona in 1990 and 1991 as the tight ends and special teams coach (the Wildcats played in the 1990 Aloha Bowl). He then was at Maryland for 2 seasons (1992-93) handling the running backs and special teams and Tulane for 3 years (1994-96) in charge of the tight ends and special teams before going to Fresno State.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Loras in 1985 and then his master’s in higher education from Iowa State in 1987.
He prepped at Loyola Academy in Chicago (Ill.).
He was born on June 28, 1963. He and his wife, Jill, have 2 daughters, Kelly, 23, and McKenzie, 21. His father-in-law is former Utah and Weber State head coach Ron McBride.
NFL STARS: Josh Miller, Clifton Smith, Bernard Berrian, Nelson Agholor, Adoree' Jackson
Baxter has 37 years of coaching experience.
In 2018, USC blocked 2 field goals and 2 punts (1 returned for a TD) to rank ninth nationally in blocked kicks and Troy also returned another punt for a touchdown.
In 2017, USC blocked 3 field goals and a punt, had 2 scoring punt returns and ranked 11thnationally in blocked kicks and 18thin punt returns. Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. made All-Pac-12 first team as a special teams player. Blind long snapper Jake Olson had historic snaps on the final PATs in the Western Michigan and Oregon State games. USC’s tight ends had 37 receptions with 5 TDs. USC played in the 2017 Cotton Bowl.
In 2016, USC ranked fourth among all schools in FootballOutsiders.com’s Special Teams Efficiency rating. USC was sixth nationally in punt returns and 23rdin blocked kicks, blocked punts and kickoff returns. USC blocked 2 field goals and a punt and allowed only 8 of its 50 punts to be returned (for just 50 yards). Placekicker Matt Boermeester’s 18 field goals were one shy of the school record, he kicked a Rose Bowl record-tying 3 field goals (including the game-winner at the gun) and he had 43 touchbacks (USC had just 11 in 2015). Returner Adoree’ Jackson, who had 2 punt return TDs and 2 kickoff return TDs, was named an All-American first teamer by some selectors as a punt returner, won the Jet Award as the nation’s top punt returner and was an NFL Draft first rounder. USC tight ends caught 39 passes.
Baxter was Michigan’s special teams coordinator in 2015. The Wolverines finished 12thnationally in ESPN’s special teams efficiency ranking (they were No. 1 two-thirds of the way into the season) after being 96ththe previous year. Michigan was third nationally in kickoff returns, Jabrill Peppers was 19thin punt returns, Jehu Chesson returned a kickoff for a TD, UM allowed only 3 kickoff returns longer than 30 yards, Blake O’Neill had a Michigan Stadium record 80-yard punt and 43% of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line and Kenny Allen hit 18-of-22 field goals and 44% of his kickoffs were touchbacks (O’Neill and Allen entered the season as non-scholarship players). Michigan won the 2016 Citrus Bowl.
Baxter, 56, spent 4 years (2010-13) at USC as the associate head coach and special teams coordinator. He added the tight ends to his coaching duties in 2013.
In 2013, fullback Soma Vainuku made the All-Pac-12 first team as a special teams player and Nelson Agholor was an All-American second team pick as a punt returner. USC blocked 6 kicks, returned 3 punts for TDs in a game to tie an NCAA record and allowed no punt return yards in 8 games. The Trojans won the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl.
In 2012, USC ranked ninth nationally on ESPN’s special teams efficiency chart. Punter Kyle Negrete was a finalist for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. USC played in the 2012 Sun Bowl.
Baxter was named the 2011 FootballScoop.com Special Teams Coordinator of the Year. For the second consecutive year, USC blocked 7 kicks in 2011. The Trojans also had a scoring kickoff return, made a 2-point conversion and converted a fake punt for a first down while ranking No. 8 nationally in special teams efficiency by ESPN. In 2011, placekicker Andre Heidari made Freshman All-American first team and All-Pac-12 first team, and his 88.2% field goal percentage was third in the nation among kickers with at least 10 made field goals (and the best among freshmen kickers). Tight end-fullback Rhett Ellison made the All-Pac-12 first team as a special teams performer.
In 2010, USC’s special teams blocked 7 kicks and punts, returned a punt and kickoff for a touchdown, scored 5 times on 2-point conversions, had a defensive PAT and made first downs on a fake punt and fake field goal. Troy was seventh nationally in ESPN’s special teams efficiency ranking. USC ranked high nationally in punt returns (seventh at 14.6) and kickoff returns (17that 24.5) with wide receiver Ronald Johnson placing 12thnationally in punt returns (14.2). Wide receiver Robert Woods made the All-Pac-10 first team as a kick returner. Johnson was a sixth round pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
In 13 years (1997-2009) at Fresno State, Baxter was the associate head coach and special teams coach in addition to handling either the tight ends (1997-2001, 2003, 2009) or wide receivers (2002, 2004-2008).
Baxter turned the Bulldogs’ special teams into one of the top units in the nation annually. During his time, Fresno State blocked 84 kicks and punts (including a national-best 49 from 2002 through 2009) and scored 39 special teams touchdowns (with 3 safeties). The Bulldogs topped the nation in fewest punt return yards allowed in 2004 and 2005. A.J. Jefferson led the nation in kickoff returns in 2007. Clifton Smith’s 189 punt return yards with 2 touchdowns against Weber State in 2005 were Fresno State game records, while his 5 career scoring punt returns also was a school mark. Six of Baxter’s Bulldog kickers and punters earned All-Western Athletic Conference first team honors.
During his time at Fresno State, the Bulldogs posted a 100-66 record, played in 10 bowls (1999 Las Vegas, 2000-01-02-03 Silicon Valley, 2004 MPC Computers, 2005 AutoZone Liberty, 2007 Roady’s Humanitarian and 2008-09 New Mexico) and won the WAC title in 1999.
Along with his coaching duties at Fresno State, Baxter developed the highly-successful and nationally-regarded program, “Academic Gameplan.” His innovative and comprehensive study-skills program teaches students the rules, fundamentals, techniques and life skills needed to succeed in the classroom. “Academic Gameplan,” which is now being used at schools throughout the country, was a key reason for the academic success of the Fresno State football program, which during Baxter’s tenure produced 141 Academic All-WAC players and an NCAA APR score nearly 20 percentage points higher than the national average.
He was selected as the Clovis Co-Citizen of the Year in 2006, along with Fresno State head coach Pat Hill.
Baxter began his coaching career at his alma mater, Loras College, where he served for 5 seasons (1981-85) as a student assistant (working with the running backs) during his undergraduate time.
He then moved on to Iowa State for 2 seasons (1986-87) as a graduate assistant working with the defensive line and special teams before the first of 2 stints at Arizona. He was with the Wildcats in 1988 (as a graduate assistant working with the defensive backs and special teams), went to Maine in 1989 for his first full-time job coaching the outside linebackers and special teams when the Black Bears made it to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs and returned to Arizona in 1990 and 1991 as the tight ends and special teams coach (the Wildcats played in the 1990 Aloha Bowl). He then was at Maryland for 2 seasons (1992-93) handling the running backs and special teams and Tulane for 3 years (1994-96) in charge of the tight ends and special teams before going to Fresno State.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Loras in 1985 and then his master’s in higher education from Iowa State in 1987.
He prepped at Loyola Academy in Chicago (Ill.).
He was born on June 28, 1963. He and his wife, Jill, have 2 daughters, Kelly, 23, and McKenzie, 21. His father-in-law is former Utah and Weber State head coach Ron McBride.
BAXTER SNAPSHOT
BIRTHDAY: June 28, 1963
FAMILY: Wife, Jill; Daughters, Kelly, 23, and McKenzie, 21
HIGH SCHOOL: Loyola Academy, Chicago, Ill.
EDUCATION: Bachelor[apos]s degree, physical education, Loras College, 1985
Master[apos]s degree, higher education, Iowa State, 1987
PLAYING EXPERIENCE: None
COACHING EXPERIENCE: 37 years
| YEAR | TEAM | POSITION | BOWL |
| 1981 | Loras College | Student Assistant/Running Backs | -- |
| 1982 | Loras College | Student Assistant/Running Backs | -- |
| 1983 | Loras College | Student Assistant/Running Backs | -- |
| 1984 | Loras College | Student Assistant/Running Backs | -- |
| 1985 | Loras College | Student Assistant/Running Backs | -- |
| 1986 | Iowa State | Graduate Asst./Def. Line/Sp. Teams | -- |
| 1987 | Iowa State | Graduate Asst./Def. Line/Sp. Teams | -- |
| 1988 | Arizona | Graduate Asst./Def. Backs/Sp. Teams | -- |
| 1989 | Maine | Outside Linebackers/Special Teams | I-AA playoffs |
| 1990 | Arizona | Tight Ends/Special Teams | Aloha |
| 1991 | Arizona | Tight Ends/Special Teams | -- |
| 1992 | Maryland | Running Backs/Special Teams | -- |
| 1993 | Maryland | Running Backs/Special Teams | -- |
| 1994 | Tulane | Tight Ends/Special Teams | -- |
| 1995 | Tulane | Tight Ends/Special Teams | -- |
| 1996 | Tulane | Tight Ends/Special Teams | -- |
| 1997 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | -- |
| 1998 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | -- |
| 1999 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | Las Vegas |
| 2000 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | Silicon Valley |
| 2001 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | Silicon Valley |
| 2002 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/WRs | Silicon Valley |
| 2003 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | Silicon Valley |
| 2004 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/WRs | MPC Computers |
| 2005 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/WRs | AutoZone Liberty |
| 2006 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/WRs | -- |
| 2007 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/WRs | Roady[apos]s Humanitarian |
| 2008 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/WRs | New Mexico |
| 2009 | Fresno State | Assoc. HS/Special Teams/TEs | New Mexico |
| 2010 | USC | Assoc. HC/Special Teams Coord. | -- |
| 2011 | USC | Assoc. HC/Special Teams Coord. | -- |
| 2012 | USC | Assoc. HC/Special Teams Coord. | Sun |
| 2013 | USC | Assoc. HC/Special Teams Coord./TEs | Las Vegas |
| 2015 | Michigan | Special Teams Coordinator | Citrus |
| 2016 | USC | Special Teams Coord./Tight Ends | Rose |
| 2017 | USC | Special Teams Coord./Tight Ends | Cotton |
| 2018 | USC | Special Team Coordinator | -- |
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