Mike Salinas begins his second season at Sam Houston State this fall.
Last year, he coached two All-Southland cornerbacks, Derrick Harris and
Scorpio Babers. Harris also was All-Southland and NCAA Division I
football championship subdivision All-America as a kick returner.
Prior to joining Todd Whitten’s staff at Sam Houston in 2006, Salinas
helped lead West Texas A&M to the 2005 Lone Star Conference
championship as the Buffalo football program’s defensive coordinator.
Salinas was part of the biggest turnaround in NCAA Division II football
as West Texas A&M went from a 2-8 season in 2004 to a 10-2 mark and
a No. 15 national rankings. The Buffaloes advanced to the NCAA Division
II national quarterfinals for the first time in school history.
West Texas A&M’s defense forced a league-high 37 turnovers
including 23 interceptions. Three Buffs defenders earned All-Lone Star
Conference honors and one earned NCAA Division II All-America honors.
Salinas was part of consecutive Lone Star champions in 2002, 2003, and
2004 as secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas
A&M-Kingsville.
He coached two All-Americans and six first time All-Conference players
as the Javelinas compiled a 30-7 overall record and earned NCAA
Division II national rankings of No. 3 (2003), No. 4 (2002), and No. 5
(2004). Both the 2002 and 2003 teams reached the national semifinals.
A graduate of Texas A&M-Kingsville who received his bachelor’s
degree in kinesiology and health in 2000, Salinas served as secondary
coach and assistant track and field coach at Flour Bluff High School in
Corpus Christi. The Hornets were bi-district champions in 2000, making
their first playoff appearance in 20 years.
He moved to Robstown High School as defensive coordinator and head basketball coach in 2001.
