Ed Pinkham enters his second season in 2020 as a member of the A-State coaching staff, serving as the Red Wolves’ Defensive Pass Game Coordinator.
Pinkham possesses over 41 years of collegiate coaching experience, including 31 as a defensive coordinator. Prior to A-State, he most recently spent two seasons as defensive coordinator at UMass, but also had FBS stops in the role at Rutgers and Western Michigan. He served as the secondary coach at Minnesota from 1989-91 as well.
Pinkham’s first year at A-State saw the program complete the 2019 season with an 8-5 overall record with victories in four of its last five games, including a 36-24 win over Florida International in the Camellia Bowl.
The Red Wolves’ proved to have an opportunistic defense in 2019 with Pinkham on the staff, posting 19 turnovers gained that ranked second in the Sun Belt and 48th in the nation. The unit turned three of those turnovers into touchdowns, which ranked third in the league and 12th in the country. The Red Wolves’ recorded 12 interceptions that ranked second in the conference and 31st in FBS, while they also added seven fumble recoveries.
Pinkham helped mold a defense that thrived when backed up near its own end zone, ranking second in the Sun Belt and 24th in the nation in red zone defense.
The Red Wolves also ranked fourth in the Sun Belt in third-down defense (.379), and they compiled a 134.3 pass efficiency defense rating that was good for third in the league. A-State ranked fourth in the league in both sacks and tackles for loss as well.
Pinkham’s time at UMass saw the program record its most wins in back-to-back seasons in its seven-year history as an FBS member, while also collecting its first win over a team from one of the power-five conferences.
He went to UMass after spending 2013-16 as the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan.
The 2016 season saw the Broncos post an undefeated 13-0 regular-season record and a final No. 12 ranking, while also earning a berth in the Cotton Bowl, where it dropped a narrow 24-16 decision to Wisconsin. Pinkham’s unit ranked No. 8 in defensive touchdowns across the nation, No. 15 in scoring defense, No. 18 in turnovers gained, No. 22 in interceptions forced and No. 26 in total defense.
Prior to spending 2011-12 as Elon’s defensive coordinator, Pinkham held the same position at Rutgers from 2009-10 and was the program’s secondary coach in 2008. He guided the 2009 Rutgers defense, which included Devin and Jason McCourty, to national top-20 rankings in five statistical categories: tackles for loss (No. 1), turnover margin (No. 2), rush defense (No. 15), scoring defense (No. 16) and total defense (No. 18). Also in 2009, Rutgers’ defense held opponents to 15 points or less seven times and the Scarlet Knights’ secondary ranked second in the Big East defending the pass.
Pinkham spent the 1996-2007 seasons at Colgate. His units led the Patriot League in defense in 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2006 and, in 2007, the Raiders ranked No. 10 nationally against the run, No. 22 in total defense and No. 26 in scoring defense.
Pinkham’s previous stops also included Holy Cross (1992-95), New Hampshire (1977-88) and Allegheny College (1975-76).
A 1975 graduate of Allegheny College, Pinkham is a native of Clark, New Jersey. He was a four-year letterwinner, four-time all-conference honoree and an Associated Press Second-Team All-American at safety for the Gators.
Pinkham and his wife, Karen, are the parents of Matt, Kelly and Jessica.
