Ducks Name Jim Mastro Running Backs Coach
01/21/18 | Football
EUGENE, Ore. – University of Oregon head football coach Mario Cristobal today announced the addition of Jim Mastro to his staff as running backs coach and run game coordinator.
"We are thrilled to add Jim to the staff," Cristobal said. "He has extraordinary leadership skills which will be of great benefit in developing our talented group of running backs. Jim possesses a wealth of experience both coaching and recruiting on the West Coast, and he has consistently been a tremendous innovator on the offensive side of the ball."
Mastro comes to Oregon after spending the last six seasons (2012-17) coaching running backs at Washington State. During the 2017 season, WSU's running backs combined to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing (1,096) and receiving (1,073) for the second consecutive season, finishing with a combined 2,169 yards. The year before (2016), the Cougars were just one of four teams in the country to have their running backs eclipse 1,000 yards in both rushing (1,660) and receiving (1,034).
Before coaching at Washington State, Mastro spent the 2011 season at UCLA serving as the tight ends, slots and the quarterback run game coach after spending the previous 11 seasons coaching running backs at Nevada. During his tenure with the Wolf Pack, Nevada built one of the top rushing attacks in the nation.
A Wolf Pack running back led the Western Athletic Conference in rushing five times during his time at Nevada, while nine of Mastro's running backs put together 1,000-yard seasons.
In 2009, Mastro became the only position coach in history with three 1,000-yard rushers in the same season, when a trio of Nevada running backs accomplished the feat. Also during Mastro's tenure, the Wolf Pack set the record for career rushing yards by a tandem, eclipsing the record previously held by SMU's Eric Dickerson and Craig James, and setting a record that still stands (8,700 yards, RB Vai Taua and QB Colin Kaepernick, the latter of whom also threw for 10,098 career yards and 82 touchdowns).
As a team, the Wolf Pack finished in the top three in the country in rushing for three consecutive seasons (2008-10), including running for a national-best 344.92 yards per game in 2009. Working with head coach Chris Ault, Nevada developed the Pistol offense in 2005 resulting in the Wolf Pack having at least one 1,000-yard rusher and a first-team All-WAC selection in each season with the exception of 2006.
Before joining the Nevada staff, Mastro spent two seasons (1998-99) at Idaho where he coached the 1998 Big West Player of the Year Joel Thomas while winning a Big West championship. He was a linebacker and special teams coach at San Jose State in 1996 after spending three seasons (1994-96) coaching the defensive line while serving as special teams coordinator and strength coach at Cal Poly.
Mastro started his coaching career at Cal Poly in 1989 while he was completing his undergraduate degree. He served as the Mustangs running backs coach for five seasons (1989-93).
"We are thrilled to add Jim to the staff," Cristobal said. "He has extraordinary leadership skills which will be of great benefit in developing our talented group of running backs. Jim possesses a wealth of experience both coaching and recruiting on the West Coast, and he has consistently been a tremendous innovator on the offensive side of the ball."
Mastro comes to Oregon after spending the last six seasons (2012-17) coaching running backs at Washington State. During the 2017 season, WSU's running backs combined to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in both rushing (1,096) and receiving (1,073) for the second consecutive season, finishing with a combined 2,169 yards. The year before (2016), the Cougars were just one of four teams in the country to have their running backs eclipse 1,000 yards in both rushing (1,660) and receiving (1,034).
Before coaching at Washington State, Mastro spent the 2011 season at UCLA serving as the tight ends, slots and the quarterback run game coach after spending the previous 11 seasons coaching running backs at Nevada. During his tenure with the Wolf Pack, Nevada built one of the top rushing attacks in the nation.
A Wolf Pack running back led the Western Athletic Conference in rushing five times during his time at Nevada, while nine of Mastro's running backs put together 1,000-yard seasons.
In 2009, Mastro became the only position coach in history with three 1,000-yard rushers in the same season, when a trio of Nevada running backs accomplished the feat. Also during Mastro's tenure, the Wolf Pack set the record for career rushing yards by a tandem, eclipsing the record previously held by SMU's Eric Dickerson and Craig James, and setting a record that still stands (8,700 yards, RB Vai Taua and QB Colin Kaepernick, the latter of whom also threw for 10,098 career yards and 82 touchdowns).
As a team, the Wolf Pack finished in the top three in the country in rushing for three consecutive seasons (2008-10), including running for a national-best 344.92 yards per game in 2009. Working with head coach Chris Ault, Nevada developed the Pistol offense in 2005 resulting in the Wolf Pack having at least one 1,000-yard rusher and a first-team All-WAC selection in each season with the exception of 2006.
Before joining the Nevada staff, Mastro spent two seasons (1998-99) at Idaho where he coached the 1998 Big West Player of the Year Joel Thomas while winning a Big West championship. He was a linebacker and special teams coach at San Jose State in 1996 after spending three seasons (1994-96) coaching the defensive line while serving as special teams coordinator and strength coach at Cal Poly.
Mastro started his coaching career at Cal Poly in 1989 while he was completing his undergraduate degree. He served as the Mustangs running backs coach for five seasons (1989-93).
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