Zach Tinker is in his fourth year as head coach of the Hardrocker football program.Tinker was promoted in 2016 after he spent four seasons as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Hardrocker.
Under Tinker’s direction, South Dakota Mines has become a high-energy offense able to move the ball up and down the football field with ease. Tinker’s style of play and philosophies have yielded a number of Hardrocker team records on the offensive side of the ball, including: total plays, total yards, passing yards, passing attempts, total first downs, and points scored in a season. Tinker was also instrumental in the program earning two winning seasons in the past four years.
The Hardrocker offense has also been rated high in the NCAA Div. II ranks as the team boasted the No. 1 red zone offense and the No. 25 scoring offense during the 2013 campaign.
As an offensive asset to the Hardrockers, Tinker believes the key to football success is being able to make in-game adjustments, being flexible and to attack personnel matchups. He believes an aggressive game plan will net positive results.
2018 – Rockers defeated Black Hills State 62-14 on Oct 6 to earn back the coveted Homestake Trophy … RB Connor Silveria earned RMAC and National D2 offensive player of the week when he set the NCAA D2 single-game rushing record with 425 yards in a 56-42 victory over Adams State on Oct 13 … Senior QB Jakeb Sullivan led all of D2 in passing yards averaging 325.1ypg … Sullivan also led the nation in Total Offense averaging 356ypg … Sullivan was the most prolific touchdown producer in D2 totaling 32 pass TD to accompany his 10 rush TD … Sullivan eclipsed every significant single season and career passing or quarterback statistic in school history … the Rockers offense led the nation in total first downs collecting 28.3 per game … the Rocker offense led that nation in 3rd Down conversion % at 55.5% …WR Isaiah Manley set a school record for receptions (93) receiving yards (1223) and TD receptions (13) … DB Dominick Jackson tied for RMAC best 7 INT … SD Mines finished 3rd nationally in Total Offense at 536.9ypg … DB Marken Vilson earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for his 2 INT performance in 38-21 victory on Sep 8 … Sullivan was one of 37 nominees for the prestigious Harlon Hill Award given to the nation’s best player in NCAA Div II … 18 Hardrockers earned RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll status including first-teamers DB Connor Janovy and PK Enis Sefa …
High Octane Offense National D2 Rankings
#1 3rd Down Efficiency (55.5%)
#1 First Downs (28.3 per game)
#1 Passing Offense (332.4 ypg)
#3 Total Offense (536.9 ypg)
#8 Scoring Offense (43.8ppg)
2017 – Oct 1: WR Brandon Labrie hauled in 11 catches (season best) for 182 yards (season best) and two touchdowns to be first Rocker in school history to earn RMAC Player of the Week honors for his performance against Adams State … Oct 15: QB Jakeb Sullivan earned RMAC Offensive Player of the Week carrying the ball 26 times for 120 yards (season best) and a touchdown. He also was 24-50 for 334 yards passing (season best), with two TD passes in the 37-29 victory over Colorado Mines … It was the first time in program history that the Hardrockers had won over their Colorado counterparts (1-16) dating back 100 years (Oct. 27 1917) … Oct 21: Senior LB Blake Stone earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Chadron State collecting 11 tackles - he had two for a loss, and was credited with a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception … Seniors Blake Stone & Everette Deveaux named to first team RMAC All Academic team and 8 others earn Honorable Mention … Freshman WR Brandon LaBrie named RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year by league coaches and is also named to 2nd team Offense … Junior signal-caller Jakeb Sullivan named 2nd Team All-RMAC Offense …
2016 – Tinker won his debut game as head coach with a 64-41 victory over William Jewell on September 3 … Sep 10: Rockers played their first game in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and earned a hard-fought road win 31-27 over fellow conference newcomer, Dixie State … Sep 24: Won 2nd consecutive Homestake Trophy victory (and first for Tinker as HC) with 46-17 victory over rival Black Hills State … Oct 1: defeated Adams State 62-35 on M Day … Seven (7) players earned All-RMAC Academic Team … Senior KR Rashad Ridley named All-RMAC 1st team kick returner … Senior LB David Jakpor named 2nd team All-RMAC Defense … Senior WR Marcus Sanchez set school record with his 17th pass receiving TD and earned 2nd team All-RMAC Offense … QB Jakeb Sullivan was named 2nd All-RMAC in his sophomore season …
2015 – Hardrockers earned just their 3rd winning season (6-5) since 1986 [2nd in last 3 seasons] … Rockers finished 11th nationally in 1st downs per game [24.6] … Offense averaged 191.6 rushing yards per game … 2nd in GNAC with an averaged 435.8 ypg of total offense … Rockers again averaged over 30 points per game (30.4) … Least penalized team in the GNAC in penalties per game and penalty yards per game … Freshman running back Devin Nixon was recognized as GNAC Offensive Player of the Week for week of October 5-11 … Senior signal caller, Trent McKinney was awarded GNAC Offensive Player of the Week for the week of October 12-18 … McKinney was named 1st Team All GNAC QB for 2nd consecutive season …
2014 – Recognized by the American Football Coaches Association as one of 3 Finalists for NCAA Division II “Assistant Coach of the Year” … High Octane Rocker Offense again broke several school records including total offense (5,282 yards), passing offense (3,540 yards), and first downs (286) in a season … Signal caller Trent McKinney earned GNAC Newcomer of the Year Award and was voted First Team All GNAC at Quarterback while leading the league in total offense at 333.3 ypg …
Best in the GNAC – High Octane Rocker Offense
#1 Total Offense – 480.2 ypg
#1 Passing Offense – 321.7 ypg
#1 First Downs – 26.0 per game
#1 Red Zone Offense – 35/40 Scores (.875) – 31 TD’s (.775)
2014 NCAA Division II National Offensive Rankings – SD Mines Hardrockers
#12 Passing Offense
#13 Red Zone Offense
#14 First Downs
2013 – Hardrockers finished season with 6-4 record marking only the 2nd winning season in the previous 25 years of SDSMT football … Recognized as the most prolific offense in the 109 year history of Hardrocker Football … Rocker Offense set mark for most points scored in a season (384 / 38.4 ppg) … Set school record for total yards in a season 4268 (426.8 ypg) …
2013 NCAA Division II National Offensive Statistics – SDSMT Hardrockers
#1 Red Zone Offense – 42/43 Scores (.977) – 36 TD’s (.837)
#4 Fewest Fumbles Lost (3)
#8 Fewest Sacks Allowed (8)
#25 Scoring Offense (38.4 ppg)
2012 -- Hired by new head coach, Stacy Collins, in January 2012 … Hardrockers completed final season of transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II … Rockers scored 75 points in mid-season win over Presentation College …
2011 -- EOU finished 8-3, just the second 8-win season in 82-year school history ... The 2011 Seniors became the winningest class in school history with their 25 wins over a 4-year span ... EOU led the Frontier Conference and ranked #15 nationally with 34.6 points per game ... Mounties defeated defending National Champion and #1 ranked Carroll College snapping the Saints 44-game Frontier Conference winning streak ... RB Kevin Sampson set a school record for career rushing yards ... Chris Ware finished his career as the 5th most prolific player in NAIA history for yards from scrimmage
2011 NAIA Division I National Offensive Statistics - Eastern Oregon University
#1 3RD Down Conversions – 50.3%
#7 Pass Efficiency – 155.9
#8 Total Pass Offense – 2783
#8 First Downs per Game – 22.2
#12 Total Offense per Game – 410.0
#15 Scoring Offense per Game – 34.6
#17 4th Down Conversions – 53.3%
2010 -- the Mountie offense ranked 6th nationally in 1st downs per game (24.8) . . . Ranked 11th nationally in 3rd Down Conversions (45%) . . . Junior RB Kevin Sampson had a spectacular 2010 campaign and set the single-season school rushing record (1302 yds) . . . Sampson also ranked 2nd in the nation in all-purpose yards (1892) and ranked 5th nationally at 119 ypg rushing . . . Junior QB Chris Ware ranked 6th nationally in total offense (3119 yds)
2009 -- the Mountaineer offense led the Frontier Conference and ranked tenth nationally in scoring offense at 37.5 points per game . . . Under Tinker’s tutelage Sophomore QB Chris Ware flourished in the Mountie offense en route to earning Frontier Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 . . . Ware compiled a spectacular 37-9 TD-Int ratio in 2009 . . . The Mountie offense was not a one-man show, however, as six different receivers caught 20 balls or more in 2009 led by Jordyn Jackson’s 60 receptions that included 10 TD’s
2008 -- EOU finished 2nd in the Frontier Conference in scoring at 28.2 ppg … Mounties finished with a 5-1 home record … Eastern put up a remarkable 714 total yards en route to a 76-55 week 4 victory over conference foe Rocky Mountain College
2007 -- served as Special Teams Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach at Southern Oregon University … Red Raiders finished 5-4 in 2007, their first winning season since 2004 …
2003-2007 -- served as an assistant coach at his alma matter, Western Washington University … Coached Tight Ends (’03 & ’04) and Offensive Line (’05 & ’06) … Vikings won GNAC conference crown in 2003 … In 2006, center Loren Winter received All-American recognition
1999 – 2002 -- Assisted four seasons at Meridian High School . . .Trojans won Class 2A state championship in 1999 and placed second in 2000
1995 - 1998 – Played at Western Washington University … 1995 & 1996 Conference Champions … 1996 NAIA National Runner-Up … 2 year letter-winner … Team’s Most Inspirational Award Winner in 1998.
