Ross Jenkins joined the Southeastern football coaching staff as a special teams and offensive assistant in July 2018. Prior to the 2019 season, Jenkins was named special teams and recruiting coordinator, as well as working with the team’s tight ends. After serving as the special teams coordinator for the fall 2021 season, he once again oversaw the SLU tight ends to go with his special teams duties in 2022. He was named assistant head coach heading into the 2024 season.
Jenkins was a finalist for FCS Special Teams Coach of the Year, as the Lions led the nation in punt returns (18.22), while ranking in the FCS top 20 in blocked punts (3, 9th), kickoff return defense (15.61, 8th) and kickoff returns (24.11, 17th).
All-American Darius Lewis led FCS with 18.5 yards per punt return and was joined on the All-SLC first team by kick returner Brandon Hayes, who was 13th nationally with 26.7 yards per kickoff return. Kicker Riley Callaghan (17-22 FG) and punter Alec Mahler (45.6 yards per punt) were both second team All-Southland choices. Lewis, Hayes and Mahler also represented the Lions on the All-Louisiana squad.
In 2023, Jenkins led a Southeastern special teams that finished among the FCS national leaders in net punting (41.32, 4th) and punt return average (13.81, 19th). Punter Austin Dunlap finished seventh in punting average and Lewis was 10th nationally in punt return average, as both were All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana selections under Jenkins’ leadership.
The 2022 Lions ranked among the FCS leaders in kickoff return average (24.3, 12th) and net punting average (39.9). Dunlap was 10th nationally in punting average, Callaghan was eighth in field goals per game and 10th in field goal percentage, while kick returner Gage Larvadain was 18th in kickoff return average. All three earned All-Southland Conference accolades under Jenkins’ tutelage.
His 2022 tight end corps was led by Ivan Drobocky, who caught a team-high six touchdowns. Drobocky was an All-Southland, SLC All-Academic and HERO Sports Sophomore All-American choice under Jenkins’ direction.
In 2021, all members of his special teams units earned All-Southland Conference honors. Dunlap and kicker Mateo Rengifo were both repeat selections among the league’s best, while SLC Freshman of the Year Larvadain was a first team All-Southland and All-Louisiana selection at kick returner.
In the 2020 season that was played in the spring of 2021, Jenkins worked with three All-Southland Conference performers. Tight end/fullback Damien Dawson, Dunlap and Rengifo were all selected among the league’s best under Jenkins’ tutelage.
Jenkins coached one of the top tight ends in school history in 2019, as senior Bransen Schwebel finished with 50 catches for 609 yards and four touchdowns on the way to earning All-Southland and All-Louisiana honors. As the special teams coordinator, Jenkins helped Devonte Williams earn All-Southland Conference honors at punt returner.
A three-year starter at quarterback at Louisiana Tech, the Houston, Texas native returned to Louisiana after multiple coaching stops. During Jenkins’ playing days, Southeastern head football coach Frank Scelfo was his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Jenkins spent the spring of 2018 as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and recruiting coordinator at Lake Erie College in Ohio. Prior to heading to Ohio, he spent five seasons at the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Wingate University.
During his time at Wingate, he was also in charge of the kick return units and coached all returners. In 2017, one of his charges, BJ Muckelvene, was a second team AFCA All-American selection.
The Bulldogs won the South Atlantic Conference championship last season, ranking 24th in the final national polls after a NCAA Division II playoff appearance. Jenkins also coached wide receiver Jordan Berry to four All-Conference seasons during his time at Wingate.
Prior to Wingate, he spent a season as the wide receivers coach at Murray State. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant and inside receivers coach at Eastern New Mexico.
A 2010 graduate of Louisiana Tech, Jenkins was a three-time WAC Scholar-Athlete Award winner on the way to earning his bachelor’s degree in business economics. He helped Louisiana Tech to an appearance in the 2008 Independence Bowl – the program’s first in 31 years – and was named the Terry Bradshaw Offensive Player of the Year as a senior.
Jenkins and his wife, Sara, wed in June 2017. The couple resides in Covington and has two daughters, Tatum and Briar.
