Football
Linehan, Mike
Mike Linehan
- Title:
- Defensive Line
- Email:
- nathan.dellinger@mso.umt.edu
- Phone:
- 243-2969
Mike Linehan enters his third season as Montana’s defensive line coach in 2025.
He joined the Grizzly program in February of 2023 after spending three years as a graduate assistant on the D-Line at San Diego State.
In 2023 he helped engineer out one of the most historic defenses in Montana history en route to the FCS National Championship. The Grizzlies allowed just 108.5 yards per game rushing that season – the third fewest in the FCS and a Big Sky-low. Those 108.5 yards were the second fewest of the last decade allowed by the Griz as well.
The 2023 Griz also gave up the third fewest total yards per game in program just over 314 yards, the third fewest in program history, and 17.2 points per game – the fewest in the Big Sky and fifth fewest in the FCS.
UM also had the third-best third down defense in the FCS in 2023, allowing teams to convert just 29 percent of the time.
That season Linehan helped mentor Big Sky Defensive MVP Alex Gubner who earned two first team and three total All-America honors that season. He's also a two-time first-team all-conference pick, a two-time team defensive MVP, and the 2023 recipient of the Steve Carlson team MVP award.
In 2024 Linehan mentored D-end Hayden Harris, who was second in the Big Sky in fumble recoveries and third in sacks and TFLs as a senior. Harris went on to sign with the Buffalo Bills and be drafted by the BC Lions in the CFL after two seasons at UM.
In three years helping coach the San Diego State D-Line, the Aztecs were one of the top three teams in the Mountain West against the rush and in total defense.
In his first two seasons at SDSU the Aztecs led the league in rush defense, allowing an average of just over 98 yards per game on the ground in 2020 and just over 80 yards per game in 2021. In 2022 the Aztecs were second in the conference in rush defense at an average of 113 yards per game.
Linehan has deep family ties to the Northwest, the place he began his collegiate career as a player at the University of Idaho, the alma mater of his father and long-time NFL coach Scott Linehan. His brother Matt Linehan is also an Idaho alum and is the Vandals’ current offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
After three years playing at Idaho, Linehan transferred to North Texas for his final two seasons of eligibility in 2018 and 2019 before starting his coaching career at San Diego State.
As a linebacker at North Texas, he totaled 20 tackles in 22 games and helped the Mean Green advance to the New Mexico Bowl. At Idaho, he saw action in 21 games for the Vandals and set a career mark in solo tackles with five in 2016’s season-opening win over Montana State. That year he also helped the Vandals defeat Colorado State 60-51 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to cap a 9-4 season, their best as an FBS member.
He graduated from North Texas with a degree in integrative studies and earned his masters from San Diego State in liberal arts and sciences.
Linehan Timeline
He joined the Grizzly program in February of 2023 after spending three years as a graduate assistant on the D-Line at San Diego State.
In 2023 he helped engineer out one of the most historic defenses in Montana history en route to the FCS National Championship. The Grizzlies allowed just 108.5 yards per game rushing that season – the third fewest in the FCS and a Big Sky-low. Those 108.5 yards were the second fewest of the last decade allowed by the Griz as well.
The 2023 Griz also gave up the third fewest total yards per game in program just over 314 yards, the third fewest in program history, and 17.2 points per game – the fewest in the Big Sky and fifth fewest in the FCS.
UM also had the third-best third down defense in the FCS in 2023, allowing teams to convert just 29 percent of the time.
That season Linehan helped mentor Big Sky Defensive MVP Alex Gubner who earned two first team and three total All-America honors that season. He's also a two-time first-team all-conference pick, a two-time team defensive MVP, and the 2023 recipient of the Steve Carlson team MVP award.
In 2024 Linehan mentored D-end Hayden Harris, who was second in the Big Sky in fumble recoveries and third in sacks and TFLs as a senior. Harris went on to sign with the Buffalo Bills and be drafted by the BC Lions in the CFL after two seasons at UM.
In three years helping coach the San Diego State D-Line, the Aztecs were one of the top three teams in the Mountain West against the rush and in total defense.
In his first two seasons at SDSU the Aztecs led the league in rush defense, allowing an average of just over 98 yards per game on the ground in 2020 and just over 80 yards per game in 2021. In 2022 the Aztecs were second in the conference in rush defense at an average of 113 yards per game.
Linehan has deep family ties to the Northwest, the place he began his collegiate career as a player at the University of Idaho, the alma mater of his father and long-time NFL coach Scott Linehan. His brother Matt Linehan is also an Idaho alum and is the Vandals’ current offensive coordinator and quarterback coach.
After three years playing at Idaho, Linehan transferred to North Texas for his final two seasons of eligibility in 2018 and 2019 before starting his coaching career at San Diego State.
As a linebacker at North Texas, he totaled 20 tackles in 22 games and helped the Mean Green advance to the New Mexico Bowl. At Idaho, he saw action in 21 games for the Vandals and set a career mark in solo tackles with five in 2016’s season-opening win over Montana State. That year he also helped the Vandals defeat Colorado State 60-51 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to cap a 9-4 season, their best as an FBS member.
He graduated from North Texas with a degree in integrative studies and earned his masters from San Diego State in liberal arts and sciences.
Linehan Timeline
| 2020-22 | San Diego State (Asst. DL) |
| 2023-Present | Montana (DL) |
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