Mike Jinks is out. The ex-FAU coach and Nebraska DC is in.
Bowling Green fired head coach Mike Jinks on Sunday, making Jinks the first fired head coach of an FBS team this season. Amid various scandals, it appeared at points like either Ohio State’s Urban Meyer or Maryland’s DJ Durkin would be the first. But Meyer wasn’t fired, and Durkin hasn’t been yet, so the first firing has resulted from on-field performance.
The firing is well-earned. Bowling Green was in pretty good shape when Jinks took over for Dino Babers, who left for Syracuse after the 2015 season. Jinks went 7-24, including 2-10 last year and 1-6 to start this year. The Falcons are really bad. They clocked in at No. 128 out of 130 FBS teams in the post-Week 7 S&P+ ranking.
Undoubtedly, it was time, though it’s a bit curious that Jinks’ firing comes right after a decent performance in a 42-35 loss to Western Michigan on Saturday.
The interim head coach? That’ll be CARL PELINI.
That’s the brother of ex-Nebraska and current Youngstown State coach Bo Pelini. After a sting as Bo’s Nebraska defensive coordinator, Carl was FAU’s coach in 2012 and into 2013, when his ouster came under these circumstances:
Carl Pelini resigned from his position as head football coach at Florida Atlantic University on Wednesday after two affidavits alleged he used both marijuana and cocaine during his time at the school.
In documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by SB Nation, a man named Matt Edwards and a woman named Allison Stewart state they witnessed Pelini’s use of illegal drugs. Matt Edwards is also the name of FAU’s defensive line and special teams coach and a longtime assistant tied to former FAU defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis, who also resigned.
Edwards claimed to have seen Pelini smoking marijuana in Key West on Oct. 19, 2013. He also claimed to “have personally seen Carl Pelini use both marijuana and cocaine” in the 12 months prior to his statement. Edwards made the same claim about Rekstis.
Stewart’s statement corroborates the specific use of marijuana on Oct. 19, but only mentions receiving a text message from Pelini admitting on Oct. 20 that “he uses drugs on occasion.”
Carl Pelini’s been serving as Bowling Green’s defensive coordinator. BGSU is 123rd in the country in yards allowed per play, but someone had to coach out the year.
With any luck, this somehow leads to Bo Pelini coaching in the MAC next year.