Former Texas Tech associated head coach Mike Jinks will take over for Dino Babers at Bowling Green.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics D. Christopher Kingston announced on Wednesday morning that he has tabbed Texas Tech associate head coach Mike Jinks to lead the defending Mid-American Conference Champion football program. Jinks, who also coaches running backs for the Red Raiders, will become the 19th head coach in program history.
"I would like to welcome Mike to the Falcon family and the Bowling Green community," Mary Ellen Mazey, Bowling Green president, said. "Mike understands the important leadership role he will play in developing our student athletes for their futures. He is a great role model and will take us onward and upward."
"We are so pleased that Mike Jinks and his family have accepted the offer to be here at Bowling Green State University to lead the football program," Kingston said. "Mike is a man of impeccable character and integrity. He places a high value on education and he is a winner. I am excited to see him guide this program to continued success in the pursuit of greatness."
Jinks coached the Red Raiders' running backs for the past three seasons. Prior to his time at Texas Tech, he was a National Coach of the Year finalist while winning the 2010 Texas State Championship and compiling a record of 43-4 in his final three seasons at San Antonio powerhouse, Steele High School.
"I look forward to the opportunity to lead this incredibly successful program," Jinks began. "I am most excited about building on the winning culture and taking this incredible journey with the players and staff."
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Known for their prolific offense, Texas Tech has seen great success this season with Jinks. The Red Raiders own the second-best offense in the country, totaling 7,134 yards in 12 games (594.5 yards per game). TTU also has the second-best passing offense. The Red Raiders are averaging 46.6 points per game (second in FBS) and have had 33 touchdown drives under two minutes this season. Texas Tech also ranks inside the top five nationally for third-down conversions (.519), first downs offense (346), and plays run (1,002).
Under Jinks, Texas Tech has seen incredible success in the running game. In just his second season, Jinks tutored DeAndre Washington, who became the first Red Raiders' running back since Ricky Williams in 1998 to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a single season. Washington finished the season with 1,103 rushing yards and was named second team All-Big 12.
This season, Washington has turned into the Big 12 Conference's most prolific rusher under Jinks, totaling a league-best 1,455 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns. Washington is also second in the Big 12 in all-purpose yards (146.6 yards per game) behind only teammate Jakeem Grant (180.6 yards per game). The Texas Tech rushing attack averages 204.8 yards per game and has tallied 34 rushing touchdowns this season.
Jinks joined the Texas Tech program after a highly successful tenure at Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas – a suburb of San Antonio. Jinks was the first head coach at Steele when the school opened its doors in 2005, and it didn't take long for him to mold the program into a state powerhouse. While at Steele, Jinks compiled a 76-18 record overall, including an impressive 43-4 mark in his final three seasons. He led the Knights to the 2010 Class 5A Division II State Championship and to the state finals again in 2011.
His highly successful career at Steele led him to receiving the honor of coaching the West Team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January 2013. He was also a finalist for the Xenith National High School Coach of the Year Award. While at Steele, Jinks coached former Texas Longhorn, and All-American running back, Malcolm Brown.
Prior to becoming the head coach in Cibolo, Jinks was the head coach at Burbank High School for a season. Prior to that, he had a highly successful career as a high school assistant coach and offensive coordinator at five different schools. Jinks' coaching career began in 1995 as the quarterbacks coach at Eillison High School. In 1998, Jinks then became the quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Judson High School. Following that, he served as offensive coordinator at David Crockett High School, Galena Park High School and Robert E. Lee High School, all prior to his first head coaching position
Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury on Jinks: "Coach Jinks is one of the finest men and coaches I have ever worked with, and it was an honor having him on our staff. We are all thrilled about his new opportunity at Bowling Green and I know that he will be incredibly successful there."
Jinks is a graduate of Angelo State University where he earned his degree in kinesiology. He and his wife Meredith have three children – Jaden, Madison and Tristan.
A press conference to formally introduce Coach Jinks at BGSU will take place on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 12:30 p.m. inside the Stroh Center.
