Alabama State University Athletics

Brian Jenkins is entering his third season at the helm at Alabama State University.

Jenkins, who was tabbed the head coach in December of 2014 and the 25th coach in school history, has compiled a 10-12 overall record and 8-10 mark in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division play in two years.

In his first season for the Black and Gold, the Hornets began the year with three straight losses, but Jenkins was able to keep them on path and finished winning six of their last eight games.  Among those wins was Jenkins’ first win as head coach over Alabama A&M in the State Farm Magic City Classic (35-20) and a win in his first Turkey Day Classic over Miles College (26-7).

During his second season, Alabama State began the season losing five out of its first six games, but rebounded down the stretch as the Hornets won three of their final five games, including a 53-20 victory over Miles in the 93rd Turkey Day Classic.

In five seasons as head coach at Bethune-Cookman University (2010-14), Jenkins’ Wildcats won more than 76 percent of their games (46-14), winning or tying for four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) titles, earning three FCS playoff berths and two HBCU national titles. B-CU won at least eight games each season, including a pair of 10-win seasons, and never finished below second place in the conference standings in posting a 34-6 record in MEAC contests, including a perfect 8-0 mark in 2012. The Wildcats also won 18 straight conference games between 2011-13, the second-longest streak in league history.

A three-time MEAC Coach of the Year winner, Jenkins’ teams also defeated rival Florida A&M four straight seasons (2011-14) for the first time in school history.

Jenkins’ success was not limited to FCS opponents. In both 2013 and 2014, the Wildcats defeated FBS member Florida International University, with both triumphs coming on the road.  Of Jenkins’ 14 losses as a head coach, four are to BCS schools (Miami 2011, ’12; eventual national champion Florida State 2013, eventual American Conference Champion Central Florida 2014), and three came in the FCS Playoffs.
In six years as a head coach between Alabama State and Bethune-Cookman, Jenkins has posted a .682 career winning percentage (56-26).

One of the bright young coaches in college football, the 43-year old Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. native was an assistant coach for 16 years in collegiate and professional football before taking the head coaching reigns at B-CU. Jenkins began his career as wide receivers coach at Western Kentucky (1994), before coaching both receivers and running backs for five seasons at Eastern Illinois (1995-99). After a one-year stint as running backs coach at Bowling Green (2000), Jenkins coached one season as running backs / special teams coach for the Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe in 2011.

Jenkins also worked in the dual role of coaching running backs and special teams at Louisiana-Lafayette for seven seasons (2002-08), and had a one-year stint as receivers coach at Rutgers (2009) prior to being named head coach at Bethune-Cookman.

Jenkins played college football as both a wide receiver and running back at the University of Cincinnati. He was among the all-time leaders in kickoff return yards for a season (505) and ended his career as the Bearcats’ career leader in kickoff returns (62) and kickoff return yards (1,506). He graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor’s degree in social work and an Associate’s degree in education.
 

THE BRIAN JENKINS FILE