I would love to see us hire an accomplished running back coach who has success in the Pistol offense. None better than Washington State Running Backs coach Jim Mastro. Hiring him away from Mike Leach might be a challenge, but he would be a home run hire. Former running backs coach of the year. Great track record. From WSU website:
Jim Mastro, a veteran in the collegiate coaching ranks for more than two
decades, begins his second season as running backs coach on Mike Leach’s staff.
Prior to WSU Mastro coached tight ends and F-backs at UCLA in 2011 and also
played a key role in UCLA’s running attack, which averaged more than 190 yards per
game, third in the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.
Mastro, 47, spent the previous 11 seasons at Nevada (2000-10), building one of the
top running attacks in the nation. In fi ve of those seasons, a Wolf Pack running back
led the Western Athletic Conference in rushing. In his last four years, he has helped
Nevada running backs produce fi ve 1,000-yard seasons.
In 2010, senior Vai Taua recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard season,
fi nishing seventh nationally with an average of 123.9 yards per contest. As a team,
Nevada ranked No. 3 nationally with an average of 292.2 yards per game. The Wolf
Pack led the nation in 2009 and ranked third nationally in 2008.
Mastro’s 1,000-yard rushers at Nevada included: Taua (2008, 2009, 2010); Luke
Lippincott (2007, 2009); B.J. Mitchell (2005); Chance Kretschmer (2001, 2003); and
Matt Milton (2002). Five of those running backs also led the WAC in rushing: Taua
(2008 and 2010); Lippincott (2007); Mitchell (2005); and Kretschmer (2001).
The success in the Nevada backfi eld began in Mastro’s second season (2001),
when he developed Kretschmer, a walk-on redshirt freshman, into the nation’s
leading rusher. The following year, with Kretschmer out with injury, Mastro guided
Milton to 1,000-yard season.
The creation of the Pistol offense by head coach Chris Ault began the latest
onslaught by Nevada backs. Beginning with Mitchell in 2005, Nevada has had at
least one 1,000-yard rusher and a fi rst-team All-WAC selection in each season since
with the exception of 2006. That year, Robert Hubbard came four yards short of the
1,000-yard mark.
Mastro also served as Nevada’s recruiting coordinator and oversaw several top
recruiting classes. He enjoyed tremendous success recruiting the Bay Area during
most of his tenure and had recently been focused on Orange County.
Prior to coaching at Nevada, Mastro was on the staff at Idaho for two years (1998-
99). During his tenure in Moscow, he coached the 1998 Big West Player of the Year
and Idaho’s career rushing leader, Joel Thomas.
Prior to that, Mastro was a linebackers and special teams coach at San Jose
State in 1995. He spent one season (1994) as the defensive run game coordinator at
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was the running backs coach for fi ve years (1989-93)
prior to that at his alma mater. His coaching career started at Cal Poly SLO in 1989,
while he was completing his undergraduate degree.
Mastro, who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education at Cal Poly in
1994, earned two letters as a running back at Cal Poly (1987-88). During the 1987
season one of Mastro’s coaches was Mike Leach, who began his coaching career
that year as Cal Poly’s offensive line coach. Prior to that, he was a starting running
back at San Jose City College (1985-86), earning All-America honorable mention as
a sophomore.
Mastro married his wife Terri in 2002. Mastro has one son, Michael.
Jim Mastro, a veteran in the collegiate coaching ranks for more than two
decades, begins his second season as running backs coach on Mike Leach’s staff.
Prior to WSU Mastro coached tight ends and F-backs at UCLA in 2011 and also
played a key role in UCLA’s running attack, which averaged more than 190 yards per
game, third in the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.
Mastro, 47, spent the previous 11 seasons at Nevada (2000-10), building one of the
top running attacks in the nation. In fi ve of those seasons, a Wolf Pack running back
led the Western Athletic Conference in rushing. In his last four years, he has helped
Nevada running backs produce fi ve 1,000-yard seasons.
In 2010, senior Vai Taua recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard season,
fi nishing seventh nationally with an average of 123.9 yards per contest. As a team,
Nevada ranked No. 3 nationally with an average of 292.2 yards per game. The Wolf
Pack led the nation in 2009 and ranked third nationally in 2008.
Mastro’s 1,000-yard rushers at Nevada included: Taua (2008, 2009, 2010); Luke
Lippincott (2007, 2009); B.J. Mitchell (2005); Chance Kretschmer (2001, 2003); and
Matt Milton (2002). Five of those running backs also led the WAC in rushing: Taua
(2008 and 2010); Lippincott (2007); Mitchell (2005); and Kretschmer (2001).
The success in the Nevada backfi eld began in Mastro’s second season (2001),
when he developed Kretschmer, a walk-on redshirt freshman, into the nation’s
leading rusher. The following year, with Kretschmer out with injury, Mastro guided
Milton to 1,000-yard season.
The creation of the Pistol offense by head coach Chris Ault began the latest
onslaught by Nevada backs. Beginning with Mitchell in 2005, Nevada has had at
least one 1,000-yard rusher and a fi rst-team All-WAC selection in each season since
with the exception of 2006. That year, Robert Hubbard came four yards short of the
1,000-yard mark.
Mastro also served as Nevada’s recruiting coordinator and oversaw several top
recruiting classes. He enjoyed tremendous success recruiting the Bay Area during
most of his tenure and had recently been focused on Orange County.
Prior to coaching at Nevada, Mastro was on the staff at Idaho for two years (1998-
99). During his tenure in Moscow, he coached the 1998 Big West Player of the Year
and Idaho’s career rushing leader, Joel Thomas.
Prior to that, Mastro was a linebackers and special teams coach at San Jose
State in 1995. He spent one season (1994) as the defensive run game coordinator at
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was the running backs coach for fi ve years (1989-93)
prior to that at his alma mater. His coaching career started at Cal Poly SLO in 1989,
while he was completing his undergraduate degree.
Mastro, who earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education at Cal Poly in
1994, earned two letters as a running back at Cal Poly (1987-88). During the 1987
season one of Mastro’s coaches was Mike Leach, who began his coaching career
that year as Cal Poly’s offensive line coach. Prior to that, he was a starting running
back at San Jose City College (1985-86), earning All-America honorable mention as
a sophomore.
Mastro married his wife Terri in 2002. Mastro has one son, Michael.