Mark Naylor joined the EKU program as director of football sports performance in February 2018. He oversees the strength and conditioning, and sports performance needs of the football team.
In 2019, Naylor aided a program that won seven games, led the conference and finish 20th in the country in rushing, was second in the OVC in points allowed, second in total defense, second in rushing defense and third in scoring.
In his first season, he helped the Colonels win seven games, the most in a season since 2014. The conditioning and mental strength of the team was highlighted by winning three games decided by seven points or less. EKU finished fifth in the nation in interceptions and rushed for 1,105 yards more than in 2017, finishing second in the conference and 26th in the country.
Before coming to Eastern Kentucky, Naylor spent seven years as the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the University of Michigan’s football team.
He assisted in all aspects of the planning and implementation of the football team’s yearlong strength and conditioning program while working under head coaches Brady Hoke and Jim Harbaugh. He also served as liaison between the athletic medicine and strength and conditioning staffs, collaborating with the athletic trainer regarding athletes’ rehabilitation programs and exercise limitations as it pertained to strength and conditioning. In addition he designed individualized nutrition plans for individual players and managed and analyzed testing results and data.
Before joining the Wolverine program, Naylor was the director of strength and conditioning for football at Ball State University for three years (2008-11). He directed all aspects of the yearlong planning and implementation of the team’s strength and conditioning program, oversaw the team’s training table menus and pregame meals, and individualized/modified players’ strength and conditioning programs based on needs.
Naylor has also served as a strength and conditioning assistant for the Baltimore Ravens (2006-07), football strength and conditioning graduate assistant at Ball State (2004-06), assistant strength and conditioning coach at Missouri Southern State University (2003-04) and strength and conditioning intern at Michigan State University (2003).
Naylor earned a bachelor’s of science degree in exercise science and wellness at Missouri Southern in 2003 and a master’s degree in higher education sports administration from Ball State in 2006. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Naylor and his wife Melissa have three children, Macy, Matthew and Mason.
