Jas Bains

Jas Bains

Jas Bains enters his 13th season at the helm of the Western Colorado football team in 2023, the second-longest consecutive tenure in the program's history.

In 2022, Bains led the Mountaineers to a 7-4 overall record and a 7-2 RMAC record. The strong regular-season record earned the team a third place ranking inside the conference and nine players receiving All-RMAC recognition. 

In 2021, Bains led the Mountaineers to a 10-1 overall record, 8-1 RMAC, and their first RMAC championship since 1998. That dominant regular-season performance from the Mountaineers resulted in the team earning its first playoff appearance since 1997. The American Football Coaches Association named Bains as the 2021 AFCA D-II Region 5 Coach of the Year. Bains was also the 2021 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Coach of the Year. Additionally, 20 players received All-RMAC recognition.

Due to COVID-19, the Mountaineers were limited to just one game in 2020 - a loss to NCAA Division I FCS Stephen F. Austin in Texas.

In 2019, the Mountaineers went 5-5 in RMAC play under Bains (5-6 overall). This included a win at Colorado Mesa for the first time since 2001, the team's first win at home and second overall against Chadron State since 1997 and the team's first shutout since 2016 in a 31-0 win at home over Fort Lewis.

In 2016, Western recorded seven wins, the most wins for the program since 1998, and finished the season fourth in the conference standings, just one win behind three teams tied for first place. Bains’ defense ranked top-10 in Division II for scoring defense and red zone defense. Offensively, Bains helped coach the first Harlon Hill Trophy finalist in Western history in running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers of the NFL, and after three successful seasons - including 1,550 combined rushing and receiving yards and 11 combined touchdowns in 2019 - signed a four-year, $24.5 million deal in 2020 with the Chargers.

Bains’ first few seasons at Western were known for his overpowering defense. However, in 2015, the Mountaineer offense was a juggernaut finishing in the top 15 of all Division II teams in total offense. Western’s four wins in conference were the most RMAC victories in 12 seasons. 

In 2012, the Mountaineer defense led the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in rush defense and ranked 16th in all of NCAA Division II, allowing only 1,139 yards. The Mountaineer defense followed that with another impressive defensive showing in 2013, again leading the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in rush defense allowing 1,358 yards on the ground.

In 2014, Bains led the Mountaineers to their highest win total since 2003 and the first Colorado Classic win over Adams State University in 12 seasons. Bains’ squad also produced 44 academic awards including the RMAC Academic Player of the Year, a CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America selection for the first time since 1988, and the Brechler Award for the RMAC team with the highest GPA.
 
After a season as defensive and special teams coordinator for the Mountaineer football program in 2010, Bains began his first season as Head Coach during the 2011 season.
 
While Head Coach, Bains has spearheaded community engagement projects with the Gunnison County Partners Organization, the Colorado Department of Transportation and Gunnison County youth. The Mountaineers also hosted a free kids clinic in the spring of 2011 and will established Mountaineer Buddies,  a mentoring program with the Gunnison Community Schools.
 
Bains coached the top kick-blocking team in the RMAC in 2010 and one of the top kick-blocking teams in Division II. His defense was also ranked among the top half of the conference in interception return average and opponent fourth-down conversion.
 
Bains spent five seasons as a member of the coaching staff at Chadron State, with the final three as special teams coordinator and defensive secondary coach. He was part of a defensive staff that led the RMAC in total defense, passing defense and opponent first downs. He coached a punter and kicker to All-America honors as the special teams coordinator and tallied 30 blocked kicks in his five seasons. His punt and kickoff returners were consistently ranked among the top five in the nation.
 
Bains graduated from Fresno State in 2004 where he helped lead the Bulldogs to three bowl victories as a defensive back and special teams player against Georgia Tech, UCLA and Virginia. He transferred to Fresno State from Willamette University, where he started at safety as a true freshman.
 
A native of Fresno, Calif., Bains was the Clovis High School Athlete of the Year in 1999-2000. He was a two-time all-conference safety, a member of state tournament wrestling teams and was a member of the baseball team.
 
Bains is often a featured speaker at conventions, workshops and clinics on the role of defense and special teams. He is also a talented and respected recruiter in the state of California, as evidenced by the significant increase of West Coast athletes on the Western roster.
 
Bains was a member of the Chadron State College staff as a graduate assistant before becoming a member of the full-time staff in early 2007. He earned his master’s degree from Chadron State in December 2006.

Bains lives with his wife Sukhi and son Anik in Gunnison.