Mike Lynch begins his second season on the Nevada staff in 2025, and first as offensive line coach. Lynch reunited with Jeff Choate in 2024 two decades after the pair served together on the staffs at Utah State (2002-04) and Eastern Illinois (2005). A native of Roseville, Calif., Lynch coached Nevada’s running backs in 2024 after spending the previous eight seasons (2016-23) at Syracuse, where he oversaw the same unit since 2018.
Lynch moved to assistant offensive line coach during the 2024-25 offseason before being elevated to overseeing The Union in August 2025.
Injuries took their toll on the Nevada running backs room in 2024, but despite the limitations, Lynch’s group rushed for a combined 1,284 yards--it’s most since 2019--at a rate of 4.77 yards per carry. Savion Red (687 yards, eight touchdowns) and Patrick Garwo III (246 yards, five touchdowns) accounted for 13 of the Wolf Pack’s 21 rushing touchdowns on the year, while the other eight came from quarterback Brendon Lewis, who led the team with 775 yards on the ground.
Lynch, who has taught every position on offense over his coaching career, was Syracuse’s offensive coordinator from 2018-2019. He served as the Orange’s co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2016 and 2017.
With the Orange, Lynch oversaw an offense which rushed for the fifth-highest yardage total in program history in 2021, finishing with 2,562 yards. This attack was spearheaded by running back Sean Tucker, who ran for a program-record 1,496 yards and ranked fourth in the country with 124.7 rushing yards per game. Tucker, a two-time All-ACC selection, would finish his career third all-time at Syracuse with 3,182 rushing yards.
Lynch came to Syracuse after helping run one of the most explosive offenses in college football at Bowling Green. As the co-offensive coordinator, as well as the offensive line and running backs coach for the Falcons in 2015, Bowling Green ranked in the top 10 nationally in first downs (1st - 389), total offense (4th - 546.8 ypg), passing offense (5th - 366.8 ypg), third-down conversion percentage (5th - .502) and scoring offense (6th - 42.2 ppg). The unit powered the Falcons to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title and an appearance in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl.
Lynch’s tutelage helped produce seven 2015 All-MAC selections on offense, including linemen Alex Huettel (second team), Jacob Bennett (second team) and running back Travis Greene (first team). Huettel earned All-America honors from Phil Steele and was selected to participate in the 2016 East-West Shrine Bowl.
Before adding co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach to his duties, Lynch served as Bowling Green’s running backs coach in 2014. That season, he mentored the trio of Greene, Fred Coppet and Andre Givens. The threesome combined for 2,192 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground to help the Falcons capture the MAC East Division crown and win the inaugural Raycom Media Camellia Bowl.
Prior to his stint at Bowling Green, Lynch was an assistant coach from 2005-13 at Eastern Illinois. He spent his final two years at EIU as the running backs coach under Babers and coached two 1,000-yard rushers. All-Ohio Valley Conference honoree Jake Walker ran for 1,133 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012. The following season, Shepard Little was named to the All-OVC First Team after rushing for 1,551 yards and 15 scores.
Most of Lynch’s first six years at EIU were spent coaching the wide receivers. While in that position, he guided the career of 2006 All-American Micah Rucker and led several productive units, including a 2011 Panther receiving corps that accounted for 20 of the team’s 34 touchdowns.
Lynch got his first taste of coaching in 1999 as a restricted earnings coach at Montana. After a year with the Grizzlies, Lynch spent five seasons at Utah State. While with the Aggies, he coached three tight ends who signed with NFL teams. Chris Cooley, a two-time Pro Bowler, was the third-round selection of the Washington Redskins in the 2003 NFL Draft, while J.R. Suguturaga (Miami Dolphins) and Casey Poppinga (Pittsburgh Steelers) both signed free-agent contracts.
A Roseville, California native, Lynch was an offensive lineman for Sierra Junior College before finishing his collegiate career at Montana in 1997 and 1998. The Grizzlies combined to win 16 games with Lynch on the roster and reached the Divsion I-AA (now FCS) playoffs both seasons.
Lynch holds a bachelor’s degree from Montana and a master’s degree in secondary education from Utah State. He married the former Emily Schilling in June 2011. The couple has two children – Madison and Will.
