Mills joins the Penguin program after spending the last three campaigns at the University of Idaho. Last season he served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Dennis Erickson. In the two years prior, he was the assistant head coach and was also in charge of the safeties.

    Heacock said Mills has coached every defensive position and brings a wealth of experience with him to the program.

    "Most importantly he comes as a highly-recommended person and football coach," Heacock said. "Everybody just raves about what kind of person he is. He is a family man of great character."

    Mills has coached on the defensive side of the football the past 15 years. In that span he spent eight seasons with the Vandals, four with Nevada and three at Montana State.

    Making the transition from Pacific Northwest to Northeast Ohio is one Mills said he is excited to make.

    "I'm very excited to be a part of the Youngstown State family," Mills said. "This is a great opportunity for me to join a program with a rich, storied tradition. I am very aware of the past success of the program and that's one of the reasons I'm here.
    "I'm also looking forward to the opportunity to work for Coach Heacock and a great group of coaches who care about players both off and on the field. My family is excited to move to the Youngstown area and be active in the community."
    He spent four years at Nevada (2000-2003) serving as the defensive coordinator while coaching the linebackers in some capacity. He worked with the outside backers in 2000 and 2001 before coaching the outside group in 2002 and 2003.
    During his tenure with the Wolf Pack, it beat a Pac-10 team for the first time in 55 years and knocked off a top-25 ranked Football Bowl Subdivision team for the first time in school history. The program increased its win total in each of his four seasons.
    In his first stint with the Vandals (1995-99), he worked under Coach Chris Tormey, whom Mills later followed to Nevada. Mills was part of a coaching staff that helped the program move from Division I-AA status to Division I-A.

    Before joining the Idaho staff, he spent three years as the secondary coach at Montana State (1992-94).

    A native of Urbandale, Iowa, he is a 1988 graduate of Western Washington University.