Mike Lynch - Assistant Offensive Line - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Mike Lynch

Title:
Assistant Offensive Line

Mike Lynch is in his first year assisting with the offensive line at Michigan. He has spent 26 seasons as a position coach and coordinator at the FBS level, working with every offensive position group during his coaching career.

Before joining the staff in Ann Arbor, Lynch spent the 2024-25 seasons at Nevada, coaching the running backs in his first season before working with the offensive line in his second year. The offense produced 1,284 yards on the ground in 2024, its most since 2019, with 21 rushing touchdowns.

Lynch was at Syracuse from 2016-23, working with the offensive line while co-coordinating the offense in his first two seasons (2016-17). He took over the lead offensive coordinator position for two seasons (2018-19) and also began working with the running backs in 2018, a room he led for his final six years until his move to Nevada.

At Syracuse, Lynch oversaw an offense that rushed for the fifth-highest yardage total in program history, gaining 2,562 yards in 2021. The rushing attack was led by 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. In his first year as sole offensive coordinator, Lynch directed a 2018 Syracuse attack that propelled the program to its first double-digit win season in 17 years and the No. 15 final ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches polls. Behind record-setting quarterback Eric Dungey, the Orange ranked 11th nationally in scoring (40.2 ppg) and set the school records for season plays (1,063) and points (523). The Orange tied the program mark with 62 total touchdowns, including a record 38 rushing scores. After the season, Lynch pupil Dontae Strickland signed as a free agent with the Arizona Cardinals.

Before working with the Orange, Lynch helped direct an explosive offense at Bowling Green. As the co-offensive coordinator, as well as the offensive line and running backs coach in 2015, the Falcons ranked in the top 10 nationally in first downs (first), total offense (fourth), passing offense (fifth), third-down conversions (fifth) and scoring offense (sixth). Bowling Green won the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title and played 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).

Lynch was the Falcons running backs coach in 2014, mentoring the trio of Greene, Fred Coppet and Andre Givens. The unit 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.

Lynch was an assistant coach at Eastern Illinois (2005-13), spending the first six seasons mentoring the wide receivers and the final two as the running backs coach. He had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers and all-conference performers in Jake Walker (1,133 yards, 12 TDs) in 2012 and Shepard Little (1,551 and 15 TDs) in 2013. Lynch mentored 2006 All-American Micah Rucker during his time coaching the receivers.

He joined the Montana staff in 1999 as a restricted earning coach. After that season, Lynch joined the staff at Utah State for five seasons (2000-04), where he worked with the tight ends. Lynch worked with three tight ends that signed with NFL teams: two-time Pro Bowl selection Chris Cooley (Washington), J.R. Suguturaga (Miami Dolphins) and Casey Poppinga (Pittsburgh Steelers).

A Roseville, California native, Lynch was an offensive lineman for Sierra Junior College before finishing his collegiate career at Montana (1997-98). The Grizzlies combined to win 16 games with Lynch on the roster and reached the Division I-AA (now FCS) playoffs both seasons. Lynch earned his bachelor’s degree from Montana and a master’s degree in secondary education from Utah State.

He and his wife, Emily, have two children, Madison and Will.

The Lynch File
Hometown: Roseville, California
High School: Oakmont
College: Montana (1998), Utah State (Master's, secondary education)
Family: Wife, Emily; children Madison and Will