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Jim Mastro

Hometown: Fremont, Calif. Last College: California Polytechnic State University Position: Running Backs

Year at WSU: Second

Jim Mastro, a veteran in the collegiate coaching ranks for more than two decades, begins his second season as running backs coach on Mike Leach's staff.

Prior to WSU Mastro coached tight ends and F-backs at UCLA in 2011 and also played a key role in UCLA's running attack, which averaged more than 190 yards per game, third in the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.

Mastro, 46, spent the previous 11 seasons at Nevada (2000-10), building one of the top running attacks in the nation. In five of those seasons, a Wolf Pack running back led the Western Athletic Conference in rushing. In his last four years, he has helped Nevada running backs produce five 1,000-yard seasons.

In 2010, senior Vai Taua recorded his third consecutive 1,000-yard season, finishing seventh nationally with an average of 123.9 yards per contest. As a team, Nevada ranked No. 3 nationally with an average of 292.2 yards per game. The Wolf Pack led the nation in 2009 and ranked third nationally in 2008. In 2010, quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Taua broke the record of SMU's Eric Dickerson and Craig James (The Pony Express) for rushing yards by a duo that stood for 28 years. The previous season Nevada became the first team in NCAA history to have three 1,000 yard rushers in one season when Luke Lippincott, Taua and Kaepernick all exceeded 1,000 yards.

Mastro's 1,000-yard rushers at Nevada included: Taua (2008, 2009, 2010); Lippincott (2007, 2009); B.J. Mitchell (2005); Chance Kretschmer (2001, 2003); and Matt Milton (2002). Five of those running backs also led the WAC in rushing: Taua (2008 and 2010); Lippincott (2007); Mitchell (2005); and Kretschmer (2001).

The success in the Nevada backfield began in Mastro's second season (2001), when he developed Kretschmer, a walk-on redshirt freshman, into the nation's leading rusher. The following year, with Kretschmer out with injury, Mastro guided Milton to 1,000-yard season.

The creation of the Pistol offense by head coach Chris Ault began the latest onslaught by Nevada backs. Beginning with Mitchell in 2005, Nevada has had at least one 1,000-yard rusher and a first-team All-WAC selection in each season since with the exception of 2006. That year, Robert Hubbard came four yards short of the 1,000-yard mark.

Mastro also served as Nevada's recruiting coordinator and oversaw several top recruiting classes. He enjoyed tremendous success recruiting the Bay Area during most of his tenure and had recently been focused on Orange County.

Prior to coaching at Nevada, Mastro was on the staff at Idaho for two years (1998-99). During his tenure in Moscow, he coached the 1998 Big West Player of the Year and Idaho's career rushing leader, Joel Thomas.

Prior to that, Mastro was a linebackers and special teams coach at San Jose State in 1995. He spent one season (1994) as the defensive run game coordinator at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was the running backs coach for five years (1989-93) prior to that at his alma mater. His coaching career started at Cal Poly SLO in 1989, while he was completing his undergraduate degree.

Mastro, who earned his Bachelor's degree in Physical Education at Cal Poly in 1994, earned two letters as a running back at Cal Poly (1987-88). During the 1987 season one of Mastro's coaches was Mike Leach, who began his coaching career that year as Cal Poly's offensive line coach. Prior to that, he was a starting running back at San Jose City College (1985-86), earning All-America honorable mention as a sophomore.

Mastro married his wife Terri in 2002. Mastro has one son, Michael.