A former FBS head coach, Jeff Genyk is in his first season on the Nevada coaching staff and will oversee special teams and running backs. He joined the Wolf Pack coaching staff in January of 2013.
Genyk, who was the head coach at Eastern Michigan from 2003-08, spent the past three seasons at Cal, serving as the Bears' special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. While Berkeley, Genyk led dramatic improved with the Cal special teams units, including back-to-back first-team All-Pac 12 selections at kicker and punter.
Genyk tutored punter Bryan Anger to first-team all-conference honors in 2011 and helped Anger become a Ray Guy semifinalist. Anger was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft - the highest selection for a punter over the past 17 years. Anger is one of just two Cal players in history to earn all-conference honors in three straight seasons.
Cal kicker Giorgio Tavecchio earned first-team all-conference honors under Genyk's guidance in 2011 and his successor, Vincenzo D'Amato, followed suit for Genyk and the Bears in 2012. Genyk also guided punt returner Keenan Allen to a 14.13 ypr average, which was tops in the Pac-12 and fifth nationally.
Before coming to Cal, Genyk served as the head coach at Eastern Michigan from 2004-08. He coached the Eagles to their best conference finish in seven years in 2004 with a third-place showing in the West Division of the Mid-American Athletic Conference. His 2006 squad ranked third nationally in punt return yardage defense (3.08 ypr) and 15th in the nation (5.67 ypr) the following season. Eastern Michigan also set three NCAA passing records as well as multiple MAC and school records during his tenure.
While at Eastern Michigan he coached three players (LB Daniel Holtzclaw, DE Jason Jones, PK Andrew Wellock) who earned All-American recognition. Jones was a second-round selection of Tennessee in the 2008 NFL Draft who played 49 NFL games with 31 starts over four seasons with the Green Bay (2008-11) before signing with his current team Seattle. Wellock was a finalist for the 2004 Lou Groza Award given annually to the nation's top placekicker. He also coached OT T.J. Lang, who was selected by Green Bay in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft and over the last three-plus campaigns has played in 56 regular-season games and six post-season contests for the Packers, including Super Bowl XLV won by Green Bay. In 2011, Lang was the Packers' recipient of the NFL's Ed Block Courage Award given to one player on each of the league's 32 teams to a player who exemplifies commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage.
After his tenure at Eastern Michigan, Genyk spent one season at ESPN, serving as a color analyst for ACC games on ESPN Regional Television.
Genyk previously spent 12 seasons at Northwestern (1994-2003), with responsibility for the special teams unit during each of his final five campaigns with the Wildcats. He was also the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator for five seasons (1999-2003) after having worked with the safeties in 1998 and the outside linebackers in 1997. During his first five campaigns, he was the school's Director of Football Operations (1994-96) and a defensive graduate assistant (1992-93).
Genyk was on the Northwestern football staff for three Big Ten championship teams and four bowl appearances. The 1995, 1996 and 2000 teams all won Big Ten titles. The 1995 squad played in the Rose Bowl, the 1996 team was in the CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl and the 2000 club played in the Alamo Bowl. The 2003 squad participated in the Motor City Bowl.
Genyk began his coaching career as an assistant at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan, where he worked with quarterbacks and tight ends from December 1990 through the spring of 1992.
Prior to joining the coaching ranks, he worked in private business from 1982-91.
A native of Milan, Mich., Genyk was an all-state quarterback at Milan High School before moving on to Bowling Green State, where he played quarterback and also served as the punter.
The File on Jeff Genyk
Born: Aug. 22, 1960
Hometown: Milan, Mich.
Education
Bachelor's, Business Administration, Bowling Green State. MBA, Western Michigan, 1989. Master's, Education, Northwestern, 1994.
Coaching Experience
2010-12: Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends, California
2003-08: Head Coach, Eastern Michigan
1999-02: Special Teams/Running Backs, Northwestern
1996-98: Special Teams/Linebackers and Safeties, Northwestern
1994-95: Director of Football Operations, Northwestern
1992-93: Graduate Assistant, Northwestern
1990-91: Quarterbacks/Tight Ends, Grand Rapids Community College
Playing Experience
Bowling Green State: Quarterback and Punter (1978-81).
Recruiting Area: TBA
