Jeff Quinn 2021-22 Football Staff

The Quinn File

Hometown: Woodridge, Illinois

College: Elmhurst College (B.A., Physical Education, 1984) /DePauw (M.A., Physical Education, 1986) / Grand Valley State (Educational Leadership Master’s Degree Endorsement, 2000)

Wife: Shannon

Children: Kyle (married to Isabel) and Ryan (married to Marissa)

Playing Career

1980-84 Elmhurst Football
1980-84 Elmhurst Wrestling

Coaching Career

Bowls/Playoffs Coached

1989 NCAA Division II Playoffs
1990 NCAA Division II Playoffs
1991 NCAA Division II Playoffs
1994 NCAA Division II Playoffs
1998 NCAA Division II Playoffs
2001 NCAA Division II Runner-up
2002 NCAA Division II National Champions
2003 NCAA Division II National Champions
2006 Motor City
2006 International
2007 Papajohns.com
2009 Orange
2010 Sugar
2013 Famous Idaho Potato
2015 Fiesta
2017 Citrus
2018 CFP – Cotton
2019 Camping World
2021 CFP – Rose

PERSONAL INFORMATION

• 1984 graduate of Elmhurst College where he was a two-sport standout in football and wrestling
• Twice named Student-Athlete of the Year at Elmhurst
• Inducted into Elmhurst’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993
• Inducted into the Downer’s Grove North High School Hall of Fame in 2007

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Enters his 37th year of college coaching
• Produced NCAA, conference and school record-breaking offenses along with winning multiple conference, bowl and national championships
• Seventh season at Notre Dame and fourth as offensive line coach in 2021
• The 2020 offensive line, a Joe Moore Award Finalist, paved the way for ACC Rookie of the Year RB Kyren Williams’ 1,000+ yard season.
• In 2020, the offensive line led the ACC and ranked seventh among all FBS teams in time of possession.
• Three Irish offensive linemen were drafted in 2021, with Aaron Banks and Liam Eichenberg going in the second round and Robert Hainsey in the third. Banks and Eichenberg were both consensus All-Americans in 2020.
• His 2019 offensive line helped the Irish rank 13th nationally in scoring offense and 11th in sacks allowed while being named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Watch List
• Mentored Liam Eichenberg in his junior and senior seasons, during which he did not concede a sack in either year.
• Junior Robert Hainsey also did not allow a sack in 2019 on 423 snaps (252 pass plays)
• His 2018 offensive line, which replaced top-10 NFL Draft picks Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey, was named semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award
• Mentored graduate center Sam Mustipher to an All-American campaign in 2018, Mustipher, who was a finalist for the Rimington Award – given to the nation’s top center, was named a First Team All-American by ESPN.com
• His offensive line paved the way in 2018 for senior running back Dexter Williams’ breakout season in 2018; Williams rushed for 995 yards and 12 TDs, including four 100-yard rushing games; he averaged 110.6 rushing yards per game
• Other high-profile offensive line protégées include Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce (Cincinnati), San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley (Central Michigan), Jeff Linkenbach (Cincinnati), Trevor Cantfield (Cincinnati), Drew Mormino (Central Michigan), Eric Ghiaciuc (Central Michigan), Josh Bourke (Grand Valley State – CFL) and Mike Sheldon (Grand Valley State – XFL), among others.
• Kelce — starting center for the 2017 Super Bowl Champion Eagles — has been selected to a pair of NFL Pro Bowls (2014, 2016) and twice has been named All-Pro (2013, 2017); In 2011, Kelce became the first rookie in team history to start every game at center and first Eagles rookie offensive lineman to start all 16 games since Doug Brzezineski (1999); In 2014, Kelce was the first Eagles center named to the Pro Bowl since Jim Ringo after the 1967 campaign
• A former walk-on linebacker that converted to offensive line, Kelce was a two-time All-BIG EAST Conference performer at both guard and center at Cincinnati
• Staley — 11th year starting left tackle for the 49ers — has been selected to six NFL Pro Bowls (2011-15, 2017) and three times has been named All-Pro (2011-13); In 2007, Staley became the first San Francisco rookie offensive lineman to start every single game in a season since Cas Banaszek in 1968
• Staley arrived on Central Michigan’s campus as a 225-pound tight end in 2003, but prior to his sophomore season, Quinn asked him to make the switch to offensive tackle
• Served as the head coach at the University at Buffalo (2010-14), which included a 2013 campaign that saw the Bulls finish with an 8-5 record; the eight wins equaled the most for Buffalo in the regular season since it moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1999
• The Bulls also won a school-record six Mid-American Conference games and registered a seven-game winning streak in 2013; Buffalo participated in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — the program’s second bowl appearance
• Three of his players selected in the National Football League draft, including linebacker Khalil Mack, who was chosen fifth overall by the Oakland Raiders in 2014; Mack was the highest NFL Draft pick in school history and the highest defensive player ever selected from the Mid-American Conference
• As offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Cincinnati (2007-2009), Quinn helped the Bearcats to a 12-0 regular-season record in 2009 and served as the interim head coach for the Sugar Bowl meeting with defending national champion Florida
• Named a finalist for the 2009 Broyles Award, which is given to the nation’s top assistant coach
• Unranked in preseason polls, Cincinnati’s undefeated regular season catapulted the Bearcats to No. 3 in the BCS standings and earned them an invitation to the Sugar Bowl, the school’s second consecutive BCS game
• Served as associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Central Michigan (2004-06)
• Helped the Chippewas to the 2006 MAC title; Served as interim head coach for Central Michigan in its 31-14 victory over Middle Tennessee in the 2006 Motor City Bowl
• Worked 15 seasons at Grand Valley State (1989-2003); Part of the staff that led the Lakers to back-to-back national championships in 2002 and 2003

Dynamic Disciples

OL Liam Eichenberg (Notre Dame)

• 2020 Consensus All-American
• 2020 ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner (best blocker in the conference)
• 2020 Outland Trophy Finalist
• 2021 NFL Draft Second Round pick (Miami Dolphins)

OL Aaron Banks (Notre Dame)

• 2020 Consensus All-American
• 2021 NFL Draft Second Round pick (San Francisco 49ers)

OL Robert Hainsey (Notre Dame)

• Senior CLASS Award All-America First Team, All-ACC Second Team, Associated Press Second Team All-ACC, William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
• 2021 NFL Draft Third Round pick (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

OL Sam Mustipher (Notre Dame)

• 2018 Rimington Award Finalist
• 2018 ESPN.com First Team All-American

LB Khalil Mack (Buffalo)

• 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
• Two-time NFL All-Pro
• Three-time NFL Pro Bowl selection
• 2014 NFL Draft First Round pick (Oakland Raiders)

OL Jason Kelce (Cincinnati)

• 2018 NFL Super Bowl Champion
• Two-time NFL Pro Bowl selection
• 2017 NFL All-Pro

OL Joe Staley (Central Michigan)

• Six-time NFL Pro Bowl selection
• Three-time NFL All-Pro
• 2007 NFL Draft First Round pick (San Francisco 49ers)