University of Minnesota Athletics
Football
Haynes, Paul
Paul Haynes
- Title:
- Co-Defensive Coordinator / Cornerbacks
NOTABLE:
Paul Haynes joined the University of Minnesota coaching staff in February 2020 and coaches the cornerbacks. In February 2022, he was promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator.
Haynes, who has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, came to Minnesota from Michigan State where he coached the defensive backs since 2018. This was his second stint at Michigan State, as he also coached defensive backs from 2003-04.Â
This past season, the Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense at 278.8 yards per game (best since 1966, 225.1 yards per game), tied for sixth in the NCAA in scoring defense at 17.31 points per game (best since 1977, 15.5 points per game) and ranked eighth in the nation in rushing defense at 97.5 yards per game (best since 1962, 52.2 rushing yards per game).
Senior cornerback Coney Durr started all 13 games and finished fifth on the team with 40 tackles, adding 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, five pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Freshman Justin Walley made an instant impact in his first season as he was named to the 247Sports True Freshman All-American team and was PFF’s highest graded true freshman cornerback. Walley played in all 13 games and started the final six of the season, making 29 tackles, breaking up seven passes, recovering two fumbles, forcing one fumble and recoding one interception.
In his first year at Minnesota, Haynes mentored starters Benjamin St-Juste and Durr. St-Juste made 14 tackles and broke up three passes before being selected in the 2021 NFL Draft in the third round with the 74th overall pick by the Washington Football Team. Durr finished fourth on the team with 29 tackles and led the team with five pass breakups. He also notched one interception and one tackles for loss.Â
Haynes was the head coach at Kent State from 2013-17 and also has collegiate coaching experience at Arkansas (2012), Ohio State (2011 and 2005-10), Louisville (2002), Kent State (1999-2000), Northern Iowa (1997-98), Ferris State (1995-96) and Bowling Green (1994). He spent the 2001 season as a defensive quality control coach with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.Â
The veteran coach was on the Ohio State staff in 2006 when Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes. Haynes has coached four first-team All-Americans and 16 NFL Draft picks, including two first-round selections, during his collegiate coaching career.
In 2019, Michigan State made 12 interceptions, totaling 124 return yards and scored one touchdown. The Spartans allowed only 22.5 points per game and ranked 37th in the nation with a passing yards allowed average of 207.8.Â
In 2018, Haynes mentored a secondary that helped Michigan State to the No. 1 scoring defense in the Big Ten (17.2 ppg) and the No. 10 defense overall in the FBS. The Spartans ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in pass break-ups (67) and passes defended (81), totals which also ranked among the best in the country. In addition, the Spartans also grabbed 14 interceptions.Â
Prior to rejoining the Spartan staff in January 2018, Haynes spent five seasons (2013-17) as the head coach at Kent State. While in charge of the Golden Flashes, Haynes coached 17 players who earned Mid-American All-Conference accolades, including seven first-team selections. At least three players earned all-league plaudits in all five seasons, including four in both 2017 and 2016, five in 2013, three in 2014 and five in 2013. In the classroom, 55 Kent State players earned spots on the Academic All-MAC Team in Haynes’ five years, including first-team Academic All-Americans Jordan Italiano and Nick Cuthbert.
While at KSU, Haynes coached some of the top passing defenses in the MAC. The Golden Flashes finished in the top 45 of the FBS in pass defense all five of his seasons at the helm, including No. 27 in 2013, No. 22 in 2016 and No. 27 in 2017. In addition, Kent State led the MAC in passing defense in 2014 and pass efficiency defense in 2016. In 2015, KSU ranked first in the conference and No. 22 in the FBS in sacks and No. 27 in the FBS in total defense.
Prior to his time at Kent State, Haynes was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2012, also serving as the Razorbacks’ secondary coach.
Before Arkansas, Haynes was at Ohio State from 2005-2011, holding the position of co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach in 2011 after being the secondary coach from 2005-10. He helped the Buckeyes win six Big Ten Championships while coaching in six BCS Games, including two BCS National Championship Games (2007, 2008). Haynes’ players in the secondary at OSU earned first-team All-America honors five times and first-team All-Big Ten accolades 10 times, including two-time All-American cornerback and 2008 Thorpe Award winner Malcolm Jenkins. He also worked with nine NFL Draft choices in Columbus, including two first-round selections (Jenkins in 2009; Donte Whitner in 2006). A nine-year NFL veteran and two-time Pro Bowler, Jenkins earned a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles in 2018.
Haynes’ first stint at Michigan State was during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, serving as secondary coach. He mentored safety Jason Harmon, who earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in both seasons under Haynes.
Before Michigan State, Haynes was at Louisville as the secondary coach in 2002 after serving as the defensive quality control coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2001.
Haynes also had an earlier stint at Kent State, serving as the assistant head coach/safeties in 2000 after being the secondary coach in 1999. Haynes’ coaching career also includes stints as the running backs and secondary coach at Northern Iowa from 1997-98, defensive backs coach at Ferris State from 1995-96 and graduate assistant at Bowling Green in 1994. Haynes started his coaching career as an assistant coach at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993.
Haynes played at Kent State, walking on in the fall of 1987 and going on to lead the team in interceptions as a freshman. In his sophomore season, Haynes led Kent State with 116 tackles. He missed the 1989 season with a knee injury, before earning All-MAC accolades as a junior and senior. For his career, Haynes amassed 440 tackles, ranking seventh in Kent State history.
As a multiple sport standout at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Haynes was a three-year letterwinner in football, leading the team to the 1985 state championship. Haynes was also a four-year letterman in track and field and a two-year letterman in basketball, helping the Stallions to the state tournament.
Â
THE HAYNES FILE
Â
COACHING EXPERIENCE:Â
2022-present: Minnesota - Co-Defensive Coordinator / Cornerbacks
2020-2021: Minnesota - Cornerbacks
2018-19: Michigan State - Defensive Backs
2013-17: Kent State - Head Coach
2012: Arkansas - Defensive Coordinator / Defensive BacksÂ
2011: Ohio State - Co-Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
2005-10: Ohio State - Defensive BacksÂ
2003-04: Michigan State -Â Defensive Backs
2002: Louisville - Cornerbacks
2001: Jacksonville Jaguars -Â Defensive Quality Control
1999-2000: Kent State - Assistant Head Coach / Secondary Coach / Safeties
1997-98: Northern Iowa - Running backs / Secondary
1995-96: Ferris State - Secondary
1994: Bowling Green Graduate Assistant
Bowls Coached
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Minnesota)
2019 Pinstripe Bowl (Michigan State)
2018 Redbox Bowl (Michigan State)
2012 Gator Bowl (Ohio State)
2011 Sugar Bowl (Ohio State)
2010 Rose Bowl (Ohio State)
2009 Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State)
2008 BCS National Championship Game (Ohio State)
2007 BCS National Championship Game (Ohio State)
2006 Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State)
2003 Alamo Bowl (Michigan State)
2002 GMAC Bowl (Louisville)
Playing Experience: Kent State (safety), 1987-88, 1990-91
Birthday: July 11, 1969
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: St. Francis DeSales, 1987
Alma Mater: Kent State, 1992 (criminal justice)Â
Wife: Danita
Children: Jordyn, Kennedy Rose and Tarron
- Third year at Minnesota as cornerbacks coach and in first as co-defensive coordinator (30th year overall in coaching)
- Has coached four first-team All-Americans and 16 NFL Draft picks, including two first-round selections, during his collegiate coaching career
- Justin Walley was named to the 2021 247Sports True Freshman All-American team and was PFF’s highest graded true freshman cornerback
- Helped Benjamin St.-Juste get drafted in the 3rd Round in 2021
Paul Haynes joined the University of Minnesota coaching staff in February 2020 and coaches the cornerbacks. In February 2022, he was promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator.
Haynes, who has more than 25 years of collegiate coaching experience, came to Minnesota from Michigan State where he coached the defensive backs since 2018. This was his second stint at Michigan State, as he also coached defensive backs from 2003-04.Â
This past season, the Gophers ranked third in the nation in total defense at 278.8 yards per game (best since 1966, 225.1 yards per game), tied for sixth in the NCAA in scoring defense at 17.31 points per game (best since 1977, 15.5 points per game) and ranked eighth in the nation in rushing defense at 97.5 yards per game (best since 1962, 52.2 rushing yards per game).
Senior cornerback Coney Durr started all 13 games and finished fifth on the team with 40 tackles, adding 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, five pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Freshman Justin Walley made an instant impact in his first season as he was named to the 247Sports True Freshman All-American team and was PFF’s highest graded true freshman cornerback. Walley played in all 13 games and started the final six of the season, making 29 tackles, breaking up seven passes, recovering two fumbles, forcing one fumble and recoding one interception.
In his first year at Minnesota, Haynes mentored starters Benjamin St-Juste and Durr. St-Juste made 14 tackles and broke up three passes before being selected in the 2021 NFL Draft in the third round with the 74th overall pick by the Washington Football Team. Durr finished fourth on the team with 29 tackles and led the team with five pass breakups. He also notched one interception and one tackles for loss.Â
Haynes was the head coach at Kent State from 2013-17 and also has collegiate coaching experience at Arkansas (2012), Ohio State (2011 and 2005-10), Louisville (2002), Kent State (1999-2000), Northern Iowa (1997-98), Ferris State (1995-96) and Bowling Green (1994). He spent the 2001 season as a defensive quality control coach with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars.Â
The veteran coach was on the Ohio State staff in 2006 when Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck was a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes. Haynes has coached four first-team All-Americans and 16 NFL Draft picks, including two first-round selections, during his collegiate coaching career.
In 2019, Michigan State made 12 interceptions, totaling 124 return yards and scored one touchdown. The Spartans allowed only 22.5 points per game and ranked 37th in the nation with a passing yards allowed average of 207.8.Â
In 2018, Haynes mentored a secondary that helped Michigan State to the No. 1 scoring defense in the Big Ten (17.2 ppg) and the No. 10 defense overall in the FBS. The Spartans ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in pass break-ups (67) and passes defended (81), totals which also ranked among the best in the country. In addition, the Spartans also grabbed 14 interceptions.Â
Prior to rejoining the Spartan staff in January 2018, Haynes spent five seasons (2013-17) as the head coach at Kent State. While in charge of the Golden Flashes, Haynes coached 17 players who earned Mid-American All-Conference accolades, including seven first-team selections. At least three players earned all-league plaudits in all five seasons, including four in both 2017 and 2016, five in 2013, three in 2014 and five in 2013. In the classroom, 55 Kent State players earned spots on the Academic All-MAC Team in Haynes’ five years, including first-team Academic All-Americans Jordan Italiano and Nick Cuthbert.
While at KSU, Haynes coached some of the top passing defenses in the MAC. The Golden Flashes finished in the top 45 of the FBS in pass defense all five of his seasons at the helm, including No. 27 in 2013, No. 22 in 2016 and No. 27 in 2017. In addition, Kent State led the MAC in passing defense in 2014 and pass efficiency defense in 2016. In 2015, KSU ranked first in the conference and No. 22 in the FBS in sacks and No. 27 in the FBS in total defense.
Prior to his time at Kent State, Haynes was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas in 2012, also serving as the Razorbacks’ secondary coach.
Before Arkansas, Haynes was at Ohio State from 2005-2011, holding the position of co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach in 2011 after being the secondary coach from 2005-10. He helped the Buckeyes win six Big Ten Championships while coaching in six BCS Games, including two BCS National Championship Games (2007, 2008). Haynes’ players in the secondary at OSU earned first-team All-America honors five times and first-team All-Big Ten accolades 10 times, including two-time All-American cornerback and 2008 Thorpe Award winner Malcolm Jenkins. He also worked with nine NFL Draft choices in Columbus, including two first-round selections (Jenkins in 2009; Donte Whitner in 2006). A nine-year NFL veteran and two-time Pro Bowler, Jenkins earned a Super Bowl ring with the Eagles in 2018.
Haynes’ first stint at Michigan State was during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, serving as secondary coach. He mentored safety Jason Harmon, who earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in both seasons under Haynes.
Before Michigan State, Haynes was at Louisville as the secondary coach in 2002 after serving as the defensive quality control coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2001.
Haynes also had an earlier stint at Kent State, serving as the assistant head coach/safeties in 2000 after being the secondary coach in 1999. Haynes’ coaching career also includes stints as the running backs and secondary coach at Northern Iowa from 1997-98, defensive backs coach at Ferris State from 1995-96 and graduate assistant at Bowling Green in 1994. Haynes started his coaching career as an assistant coach at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993.
Haynes played at Kent State, walking on in the fall of 1987 and going on to lead the team in interceptions as a freshman. In his sophomore season, Haynes led Kent State with 116 tackles. He missed the 1989 season with a knee injury, before earning All-MAC accolades as a junior and senior. For his career, Haynes amassed 440 tackles, ranking seventh in Kent State history.
As a multiple sport standout at St. Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Haynes was a three-year letterwinner in football, leading the team to the 1985 state championship. Haynes was also a four-year letterman in track and field and a two-year letterman in basketball, helping the Stallions to the state tournament.
Â
THE HAYNES FILE
Â
COACHING EXPERIENCE:Â
2022-present: Minnesota - Co-Defensive Coordinator / Cornerbacks
2020-2021: Minnesota - Cornerbacks
2018-19: Michigan State - Defensive Backs
2013-17: Kent State - Head Coach
2012: Arkansas - Defensive Coordinator / Defensive BacksÂ
2011: Ohio State - Co-Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
2005-10: Ohio State - Defensive BacksÂ
2003-04: Michigan State -Â Defensive Backs
2002: Louisville - Cornerbacks
2001: Jacksonville Jaguars -Â Defensive Quality Control
1999-2000: Kent State - Assistant Head Coach / Secondary Coach / Safeties
1997-98: Northern Iowa - Running backs / Secondary
1995-96: Ferris State - Secondary
1994: Bowling Green Graduate Assistant
Bowls Coached
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Minnesota)
2019 Pinstripe Bowl (Michigan State)
2018 Redbox Bowl (Michigan State)
2012 Gator Bowl (Ohio State)
2011 Sugar Bowl (Ohio State)
2010 Rose Bowl (Ohio State)
2009 Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State)
2008 BCS National Championship Game (Ohio State)
2007 BCS National Championship Game (Ohio State)
2006 Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State)
2003 Alamo Bowl (Michigan State)
2002 GMAC Bowl (Louisville)
Playing Experience: Kent State (safety), 1987-88, 1990-91
Birthday: July 11, 1969
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: St. Francis DeSales, 1987
Alma Mater: Kent State, 1992 (criminal justice)Â
Wife: Danita
Children: Jordyn, Kennedy Rose and Tarron
Game Trailer: Gophers-Bears
Friday, September 12
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Rout Demons
Tuesday, September 09
Highlights: Gophers 66, Northwestern State 0
Saturday, September 06
Sights & Sounds: Gophers-Demons
Saturday, September 06
