Paul Haynes (American football) facts for kids
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Cornerbacks coach |
| Team | Wisconsin |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | July 11, 1969 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1987–1991 | Kent State |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1993 | St. Francis DeSales HS (OH) (assistant) |
| 1994 | Bowling Green (GA) |
| 1995–1996 | Ferris State (DB) |
| 1997–1998 | Northern Iowa (RB/DB) |
| 1999 | Kent State (DB) |
| 2000 | Kent State (AHC/S) |
| 2001 | Jacksonville Jaguars (DQC) |
| 2002 | Louisville (DB) |
| 2003–2004 | Michigan State (DB) |
| 2005–2010 | Ohio State (DB) |
| 2011 | Ohio State (co-DC/S) |
| 2012 | Arkansas (DC/DB) |
| 2013–2017 | Kent State |
| 2018–2019 | Michigan State (DB) |
| 2020–2021 | Minnesota (CB) |
| 2022 | Minnesota (co-DC/CB) |
| 2023–present | Wisconsin (CB) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 14–45 |
Paul Jeffrey Haynes III (born July 11, 1969) is an American college football coach and a former player. He is currently the cornerbacks coach for the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He has held this position since 2023.
Before joining Wisconsin, Paul Haynes was the head football coach at Kent State University from 2013 to 2017. He also worked as an assistant coach for 20 years. This included coaching at high schools, colleges, and even in professional football. He was a defensive coordinator at Ohio State University and the University of Arkansas. Before he started coaching, he played as a defensive back for Kent State from 1987 to 1991.
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Early Life and College Football
Paul Haynes was born in Columbus, Ohio. He went to St. Francis DeSales High School where he played football, basketball, and ran track. He was a great athlete in high school.
In 1987, Paul graduated from high school and went to Kent State University. He joined the Kent State Golden Flashes football team as a walk-on player. This means he joined the team without a scholarship at first. In his first year, he led the team in interceptions. An interception is when a defensive player catches a pass meant for an offensive player.
Paul missed the 1989 season because of a knee injury. However, he played in 1988, 1990, and 1991. He finished his college career with 440 tackles. He was also named second-team All-MAC in his junior and senior years. The MAC is the Mid-American Conference, a group of colleges that play sports together. Paul earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kent State in 1992.
Paul Haynes' Coaching Journey
Paul Haynes started his coaching career in 1993. He went back to his old high school, St. Francis DeSales, to coach the secondary players. The secondary includes defensive backs like cornerbacks and safeties.
The next year, in 1994, he became a graduate assistant at Bowling Green State University. He was also studying counseling there. From 1995 to 1996, he coached defensive backs and special teams at Ferris State. Then, in 1997, he moved to Northern Iowa to coach defensive backs again.
Coaching at Kent State and NFL
In 1999, Paul Haynes returned to Kent State University to coach defensive backs. The next year, he became the assistant head coach.
In 2001, he got his first job in the NFL. He worked for the Jacksonville Jaguars as a defensive quality control coach. This job helps coaches review game films and prepare for opponents.
After one year in the NFL, he went back to college coaching. In 2002, he coached defensive backs at Louisville. When his head coach, John L. Smith, moved to Michigan State in 2003, Paul Haynes went with him and continued to coach defensive backs.
Ohio State and Arkansas
From 2005 to 2011, Paul Haynes was the defensive backs coach at Ohio State. He worked under two different head coaches during this time. In 2011, he also became a co-defensive coordinator. This means he helped lead the entire defense.
During his time at Ohio State, the team was very successful. They often finished in the top ten college teams in the country. They even played in the BCS National Championship Game twice, after the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
In 2012, Paul Haynes became the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the University of Arkansas.
Head Coach at Kent State
On December 18, 2012, Paul Haynes was hired as the head football coach at Kent State University. This was a big step in his career. He coached the team for five seasons, from 2013 to 2017.
During his time as head coach, Kent State had an overall record of 14 wins and 45 losses. In conference games, they won 9 and lost 30. After the 2017 season, Kent State decided to make a change, and Paul Haynes left the head coach position.
Return to Assistant Coaching
After leaving Kent State, Paul Haynes quickly found a new coaching job. He returned to Michigan State as the defensive backs coach. He stayed there for the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
In February 2020, he moved to the University of Minnesota to coach cornerbacks. He coached there until 2022, also serving as co-defensive coordinator in his last year.
Since 2023, Paul Haynes has been the cornerbacks coach for the Wisconsin Badgers.
