Michael Cross joined the Aurora University football coaching staff as the offensive line coach in the spring of 2013.
Cross spent two seasons at North Central College working as an offensive assistant. In his first seaons he assisted with the offensive line coaching the tackles and tight ends in an offense that led the nation in yards per carry with 6.78. The offense also led the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) in total yards, rushing yards and points. He coached a tight end that was named D3football.com All-American / AFCA All-American / First-team All-Region and First-Team All-CCIW. In his second season, he took over as the offensive line coach for a line that averaged 214 yards rushing per game. He also coached two All-Conference tackles to First-Team All-Conference awards.
In 2013, Cross was one of the select few chosen to participate in the Future Football Coaches Academy by the NCAA and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He was one of thirty-two selected from a pool of over 150 young coaches from across the country.
Collegiately, Cross was a three-year letter-winner on the offensive line for Missouri Valley Conference member Illinois State University. He started games as a sophomore and appeared in 11 games during his career. He played both tackle and guard at Illinois State.
Cross was a four-year letterman at Normal Community High School in Normal, Ill. He was part of the 2005 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 6A State Championship runner-up with a 12-2 record. The first time NCHS had been to a state championship in over 30 years.
He earned a bachelors degree in political science from Illinois State and a masters degree in leadership studies with an emphasis on sports leadership from North Central College. Cross is originally from Austin, Texas.
