Football
Leister, John
John Leister
- Title:
- High School Relations
- Phone:
- @CoachLeister (X)
- Year at CMU:
- 6th year at CMU
- Hometown:
- Great Falls, Montana
- Alma Mater/Year:
- Michigan State/1991
- Experience:
- 30th year
Beginning his sixth year with the Central Michigan Football program, John Leister was named Central Michigan’s Director of External Operations in 2025 by head coach Matt Drinkall. Leister served the 2023 and 2024 seasons as CMU’s Director of Operations and the 2022 season as CMU Football’s Senior Director of Football Relations and Student-Athlete Engagement and three years as the program’s analyst (2019-21).
Leister joined the CMU football coaching staff in 2019 after working two years as the Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach at Lindenwood University in Belleville, Ill. in 2017 and 2018.
Previously, Leister spent nearly 21 years at Alma College as the school’s Director of Athletics (2006-14), Football Offensive Coordinator (1994-11), and Head Baseball Coach (1994-06). As the head baseball coach, Leister led the Scots to the 1999 MIAA title, their first league championship since 1987, and served as football’s offensive coordinator for 17 years before retiring from the position prior to the 2012 season. He arrived at Alma College in 1994 as an assistant football and assistant baseball coach.
A three-year starting quarterback at Michigan State who set numerous passing records with the Spartans from 1979-82, Leister moved on to play professional football with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and the USFL’s Michigan Panthers before pitching in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox.
Signed after being drafted in the final MLB re-entry Draft in 1984 by the Boston Red Sox, Leister was originally drafted by the New York Mets out of high school. His baseball career was delayed as he accepted a football scholarship at Michigan State in fall 1979. The terms of his football scholarship did not allow him to play college baseball until the completion of his football eligibility. After pitching for the Spartans during his senior year, he was drafted again in 1983 by the Oakland Athletics.
After his football career was over, he signed with the Red Sox and played five seasons in Boston’s minor league organization in Winter Haven, New Britain, and Pawtucket before being called up to the Red Sox in both 1987 and 1990.
A Great Falls, Montana native, Leister earned his bachelor’s degree in communications arts and sciences from Michigan State University in 1991.
He and his wife, Michelle, have four children: Nicole, Jarrett, Hailey, and Alyssa.
THE LEISTER FILE
Hometown: Great Falls, Montana
Family
Wife Michelle, children Nicole, Jarrett, Hailey, and Alyssa
Education
Bachelor of Science, Communications Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, 1991
Coaching Career
Director of External Operations, Central Michigan University, 2025-current
Director of Football Operations, Central Michigan University, 2023-24
Senior Director of Football Relations and Student-Athlete Engagement, Central Michigan University, 2022
Football Analyst, Central Michigan University, 2019-21
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Lindenwood University (Belleville, Ill.), 2017-18
Offensive Coordinator, Chesaning Union High School, 2016-17
Athletic Director, Alma College, 2006-14
Offensive Coordinator, Alma College, 1994-11
Head Baseball Coach, Alma College, 1994-06
Leister joined the CMU football coaching staff in 2019 after working two years as the Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach at Lindenwood University in Belleville, Ill. in 2017 and 2018.
Previously, Leister spent nearly 21 years at Alma College as the school’s Director of Athletics (2006-14), Football Offensive Coordinator (1994-11), and Head Baseball Coach (1994-06). As the head baseball coach, Leister led the Scots to the 1999 MIAA title, their first league championship since 1987, and served as football’s offensive coordinator for 17 years before retiring from the position prior to the 2012 season. He arrived at Alma College in 1994 as an assistant football and assistant baseball coach.
A three-year starting quarterback at Michigan State who set numerous passing records with the Spartans from 1979-82, Leister moved on to play professional football with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers and the USFL’s Michigan Panthers before pitching in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox.
Signed after being drafted in the final MLB re-entry Draft in 1984 by the Boston Red Sox, Leister was originally drafted by the New York Mets out of high school. His baseball career was delayed as he accepted a football scholarship at Michigan State in fall 1979. The terms of his football scholarship did not allow him to play college baseball until the completion of his football eligibility. After pitching for the Spartans during his senior year, he was drafted again in 1983 by the Oakland Athletics.
After his football career was over, he signed with the Red Sox and played five seasons in Boston’s minor league organization in Winter Haven, New Britain, and Pawtucket before being called up to the Red Sox in both 1987 and 1990.
A Great Falls, Montana native, Leister earned his bachelor’s degree in communications arts and sciences from Michigan State University in 1991.
He and his wife, Michelle, have four children: Nicole, Jarrett, Hailey, and Alyssa.
THE LEISTER FILE
Hometown: Great Falls, Montana
Family
Wife Michelle, children Nicole, Jarrett, Hailey, and Alyssa
Education
Bachelor of Science, Communications Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, 1991
Coaching Career
Director of External Operations, Central Michigan University, 2025-current
Director of Football Operations, Central Michigan University, 2023-24
Senior Director of Football Relations and Student-Athlete Engagement, Central Michigan University, 2022
Football Analyst, Central Michigan University, 2019-21
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Lindenwood University (Belleville, Ill.), 2017-18
Offensive Coordinator, Chesaning Union High School, 2016-17
Athletic Director, Alma College, 2006-14
Offensive Coordinator, Alma College, 1994-11
Head Baseball Coach, Alma College, 1994-06
Gordan and Flores Press Conf. Vs Michigan
Sunday, September 14
Coach Drinkall Press Conf. Vs Michigan
Saturday, September 13
9.12.25 - Football Insider
Friday, September 12
Jordan Kwiatkowski Post-Game Press Conference at Pitt
Saturday, September 06
