Jon Osterhout

Head Coach

Former All-American Jon Osterhout amassed 11 years of experience coaching at the Division I level prior to creating Linemen Win Games, LLC in 2011. In its inaugural year, 11 LWG clients signed scholarships to play at the next level.  Through 6 years in business, over 50 LWG student-athletes have earned collegiate football scholarships.  In addition, numerous other alumni have matriculated on to play at the college level.

In conjunction with coordinating the elite training program, Osterhout joined the American River College football staff as the Offensive Line Coach in 2011.  Osterhout helped the Beavers to their first undefeated season as the team shattered numerous offensive records.  Prior to being named Head Coach in 2014, Osterhout held the titles of Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator.  During Coach O's tenure the Beavers have been to the Nor-Cal Championship game four times ('12, '14, '16, '17)) and advanced to the California State Championship game in 2016.

Prior to 2011, Coach Osterhout spent three years (in his second tenure) as Sacramento State’s defensive line coach. In 2008, Osterhout’s impact on the line was directly felt as the team limited the opposition to just 97.2 yards per game. That total was the lowest in the Big Sky Conference, the best in the school’s Div. I-AA/FCS era, and the second best all-time in Hornet history.

The defensive line also proved to be strong against the pass, tallying 31 sacks on the season. By 2010, Osterhout had helped Christian Clark and Zach Nash to postseason accolades including 2nd Team All-America honors by The Sports Network and the Associated Press (Nash).  Clark earned his third Big Sky postseason honor after recording 36 total tackles, including 5.5 for loss. Clark finished his career ranked sixth in school history with 31 career tackles-for-loss. He is also tied for third with 19.5 career sacks.  Zach Nash led the Big Sky in sacks (13.0) and tackles-for-loss (16.5) that year and went on to play for the Arizona Cardinals.  Coach O also recruited, coached and mentored Todd Davis, an All-American, starting linebacker and Super Bowl Champion for the the Denver Broncos.

Osterhout also took over as the team’s recruiting coordinator in 2008 and guided the Hornets first recruiting class to the second best in the Football Championship Subdivision by Rivals.com.

From 2006-2008 Coach Osterhout was a Graduate Assistant Coach for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, working exclusively with the defensive line. In 2007, he helped the Huskers break in four new starters on the defensive front. In his first year at NU, Osterhout developed a unit that included 2006 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Adam Carriker, who was selected as the 13th overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams.  Additionally, Defensive end Jay Moore was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round.

He also mentored Miami Dolphins Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh for two years. As a senior in 2009, Suh became one of the most decorated defensive players in college football history. He won numerous awards including the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. He was also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, finishing fourth.

 Prior to Nebraska, Osterhout spent four of his six years on the Hornet coaching staff as the team’s defensive line coach. He also served as camp director for two years. He began coaching the defensive line in 2002 and under his leadership; Sacramento State allowed nearly 90 fewer rushing yards per game and had 12 more quarterback sacks. That same season, defensive linemen Eric Broden, Bilal Watkins and Brad Osterhout (his brother) each garnered all-Big Sky honors.

Two years later, the defense set the school’s FCS/Div. I-AA era record with 33 sacks during the season. Nearly one third of that total came from defensive end Jacob Houston who earned second team all-Big Sky honors. Osterhout continued the unit’s progress the following year and saw two of his players (Mike Brannon and Walter Brock) earn all- Big Sky honors.

As a player, Osterhout starred for the Hornets from 1995-99. During that span, he played nearly every position on the offensive line and was integral in helping Charles Roberts shatter numerous school, Big Sky and national records. Following his senior season, Osterhout was a first-team All-America and signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins.

Osterhout is regarded as one of the toughest players ever to wear a Hornet uniform as he started on the offensive line in each of his four active seasons. He was also a two-time all-Big Sky Conference selection and was the team’s captain, most valuable player and most inspirational player as a senior. He was one of nine players inducted to the school’s football hall of fame in May 2008.

A native of Roseville, CA, Osterhout was a football and baseball player at Oakmont High School. In football, he was a first team all-Capital Athletic League selection and a second team all-Metro pick by the Sacramento Bee as a senior.  He capped his high school football career as a member or the North Optimist football team, with a last minute game winning drive over Angus McClure's South defense.

Osterhout graduated from Sacramento State with a degree in Communication Studies and Masters in Kinesiology from Fresno Pacific. He married former Hornet volleyball player Alison Gahr in the summer of 2005 and the couple are currently raising two wonderful children, Hudson & Chelsea.

Mason Mitchell

Defensive Line

Coach Mitchell has been coaching with LWG since 2012 with an emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.

Coach Mitchell joined the American River College staff in 2013 as Defensive Line Coach.  Mason started his football career at Powerhouse Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, CA. He played all 4 years at Poly earning 1st team honors in the Moore League. He also led 3 championship teams to 2 out of 3 championship victories.

After graduating from Long Beach Poly in 2000 he earned a Football Scholarship to Sacramento State.  Mitchell played for the Hornets under current Defensive Line Coach, Jon Osterhout and Defensive Coordinator, Lou Baiz.  Mason earned his B.S. degree in Social Science in 2005. He pursued his football career and played two years of Arena Football for the Stockton Lightning.  He started his coaching career at local high school Luther Burbank and assisted their team and staff in gaining playoff berths in the 2011 and 2012.

Coach Mitchell is currently furthering his education in a master’s program in Athletic Administration so he can become an Athletic Director of his own program someday. Coach Mitchell is fortunate to have assisted 16 defensive linemen move on to the 4-year level. Four years in a row he has had defensive lineman garner All-American honors.

Bob Barnes

Offensive Line / Defensive Line / Youth Specialist

The Player

Grace Davis High School (Modesto, CA.) 1982-1986, 1986 Team Captain, All Central California Conference, Lion’s All-Star Game.  Selected to Davis High School Sports Hall of Fame

Modesto Jr College 1988-1989:  1989 Team Captain, All-League and earned scholarship to play at Sacramento State.  Selected to Modesto Junior College Sports Hall of Fame

Sacramento State 1990-1991:  Played for Coach Bob Mattos and NFL Coaches Greg Knapp and Clancey Barone.  2 Time All-Conference, 1991 All-American, Team Captain, Offensive MVP and 2 time Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Hornet Bookstore Scholar Athlete of the Week.  Selected to the Sacramento State Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

The Coach

Sacramento State 1993-1997:  Assistant Offensive Line Coach ’93, ’94.  One of 4 staff members to help pass football referendum to keep football at Sac State.  1995 Assistant Defensive Line Coach and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. 1996-’97 Offensive Line Coach. 

Del Campo High School 1997-1999: Varsity Offensive Line Coach

Rocklin Jr Thunder 2007-2015:  Coached both son’s teams at every level of youth football.  Ages ranging from 6 year olds to 14 year olds.  Coached multiple positions including being the Head Coach for 3 years. 

Rocklin High School 2015-2016:  Varsity Defensive Line Coach

The Man

Married to wife Brenda and will be celebrating 20 years of marriage in June of ’18.  Proud father of two sons, Trevor who attends San Diego State and Grayson who is a Varsity football and Golf player at Rocklin HS. 

Barnes' highlights include:  Being selected to his high school, junior college and University Hall of Fames, playing/coaching for a season in Monheim, Germany, recruiting and coaching Jon Osterhout at Sacramento State and signing 7 St. Mary's High School student-athlete's from a single class.

James Greule

Defensive Line / Youth Specialist

The Player

Casa Roble, 1994 grad 2 year starter at Center and Defensive End. 2nd team all league.

Sacramento City College 1994-1996. '96 NJCAA All American, NJCAA Academic All American (3.8 GPA), League Defensive Player of the Year, 39 career sacks in 2 years, Team Captain, 1st Team All Nor Cal, 1st Team All State, JuCo single season sack record, rated #67 division 1 prospect in the nation by Superprep, over 35 division 1 scholarship offers to every BCS conference in the nation.

Oregon State University 1997-1998. Awarded full ride scholarship to play in Pac 10 conference, switched position to DT/NG, played more reps at DT than any other player on team, 9 career sacks including multiple sack game against Stanford. Awarded free agent contract and attended camp with Jon Gruden coached Oakland Raiders in 1999.

The Coach

Casa Roble High School Varsity 2001-2002, Offensive and Defensive line coach, new staff took a program that had gone 1-29 the previous three seasons and led them to an 18-1-1 regular season record over 2 years including the schools first perfect regular season record of 10-0 in 2001. Coached 1 first team, 2 second team, and 2 honorable mention all city DL and OL in his 2 years. Also ran conditioning and agility program for all 3 levels of football.

Oak Ridge Junior Trojans 2010-current, James has enjoyed coaching both of his sons for the past 3 years in the junior Trojan program both as a coordinator and head coach and plans on continuing to coach his sons as long as they choose to continue playing.

First Team Football Academy 2008-current, James has been doing 1 on 1, small group training and running multiple youth camps in the Sacramento area and has worked with several varsity players who have gone on to play college ball as well as achieving all league, all city, all region, and all state honors. Several first year youth players who have attended his camp before their first year playing have gone on to make their respective teams, start, and even get team MVP awards their FIRST YEAR!

Ehsan TaghavI

Offensive / Defensive Line

Coach Tag enters his 2nd year working with Linemen Win Games and is excited to assist in the development of the next batch of great LWG players. His emphasis is the offensive line and his background reflects that.

Coach Tag grew up in Sacramento and was a three-sport athlete at Mira Loma High School.  He attended UC Davis where he received his B.S. in Managerial Economics with a minor in History. His football background includes working for the San Francisco 49ers scouting department as well as working with the UC Davis football program under legendary Coach Bob Biggs. His high school background includes stints at Bella Vista High School as the Varsity Linebackers coach and Casa Roble High School as the Varsity Offensive Line coach.  Most recently he’s worked with the Offensive Line at American River College, helping them win the 2016 Northern California Championship. During his career Coach Tag has had the privilege of working with many amazing group of student-athletes and has watched many go on to compete at the next level. These include Nick Kelly (ASU), Kyle Mitchell (Missouri), and Jack Reichel (Texas Tech).

Coach Tag has a passion for helping young student-athletes develop and reach their goals, both on the field and in the classroom. He’s a math teacher in Natomas and was nominated as teacher of the year. Additionally, he coached his schools basketball program to a 2nd place finish in 2017. He’s currently completing his masters degree at CSUS.

Jason Cutone

Offensive / Defensive Line

Aaron Goldfrey

Defensive Line