“If we’re not coaching hard, we’re not doing it right,” Head Football Coach Jay Landstrom said. This season will be Coach Landstrom and his coaching staff’s first season with the Mount Michael Knights.

Playing as an offensive tackle at Hasting College, Landstrom brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to The Mount’s football program.

Landstrom is wellversed in the Nebraska high school football scene, formerly coaching at Lincoln High, Lincoln Southwest, Central, and Papillion-LaVista. During his time as an assistant coach at Central High School, he helped coach the 2007 Class A state championship team.

Landstrom pointed out that he is keen on setting the standard for Mount Michael football for years to come, teaching the players to play a “new style of football.” Many of his goals for the team are intangibles that reach beyond the football field, such as hard work and perseverance.

One thing that Landstrom thinks will challenge him this season is the limited practice time for the team. This is due in part to coaches’ commutes to practice and boarding players needing to eat at 6:00. Landstrom emphasized the need to practice with tempo and not waste any reps in practice.

“Every school has its quirks and differences. We’ve adjusted where we need to and made our style work in the constructs of the school,” Landstrom said.

Coach Landstrom brought several new coaches with him this season. Coaches Hyland (Offensive Cordinater), Baker (Offemsive Line), Pietramale (Defensive Coordinator), and Gates (Running Backs) have coached teams with Landstrom for many years. He feels that they are an esential part of the team, and each is a special piece of a puzzle for success.

“Coach Landstrom has had a lot of success in the past. His emphasis on the little details will be the difference between winning and losing games,” Derek Brewer ‘26 said. Many of the players on the team look forward to how Landstrom’s impact will be felt this season and in the years to come.