Feature Pieces
VUCommodores.com — Lynch to Lead Vandy QBs
VUCommodores.com — Mic’D Up with Joey Lynch
Joey Lynch, a veteran quarterback coach and prolific passer in his own playing days, has been at Vanderbilt since 2021 and serves as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
His second season in Nashville saw the offensive identity continue to form, as Vanderbilt controlled and protected the football. AJ Swann and Mike Wright combined to throw just six interceptions on the season, the fewest in the SEC and 12th-fewest nationally. Swann made his debut in Vandy’s win over Northern Illinois and went 159 pass attempts before throwing his first interception. It marked the longest stretch to open a career by a Commodore signal-caller since at least 1996 and the longest by an SEC quarterback since 2002. On the year, Swann had the fewest interceptions by any true freshman quarterback with at least 200 dropbacks. Will Sheppard was the primary target for the Commodores. His nine touchdown receptions were the third-most in school history and ranked second in the SEC.
The rushing attack was equally potent, as Ray Davis led the team with 1,042 yards and five touchdowns. Davis had the ninth most rushing yards in a season in school history and was the seventh Commodore to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season. Davis was also a threat out of the backfield, as he added three receiving touchdowns and ranked sixth in the SEC with 100.9 all-purpose yards per game.
Paving the way for the offensive success was a vastly improved offensive line. The group conceded just 1.25 sacks per game, fourth in the SEC and 26th in FBS. It marked an improvement of 1.08 sacks per game from 2021, making Vanderbilt one of 10 Power 5 teams to slash its sack rate by more than one per game from 2021 to 2022.
Lynch helped develop the Vanderbilt offense in his first season in Nashville while balancing two quarterbacks due to an injury to starter Ken Seals. With both Seals and Wright getting starts during the season, the offense had its best performance in the season’s penultimate game at No. 10 Ole Miss. The contest saw the Commodores rack up 454 yards, while eclipsing 200 yards through the air and on the ground for the first time on the season. Vandy held the ball for 38:57 of the contest, its fourth-largest time of possession edge since 1996, and ran 93 plays, the most since 2010.
Prior to Vanderbilt, Lynch spent the last seven years coaching quarterbacks. He was with Colorado State for the 2020 season after completing a 11-year stint at Ball State, his alma mater.
During Lynch’s season with the Rams, Colorado State played four games and averaged 22.2 points/contest and 199.5 passing yards/contest. Quarterbacks Patrick O’Brien and Todd Centeio combined to throw for 798 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for two more scores.
Lynch arrived in Fort Collins after his seasons at Ball State, including the final six as offensive coordinator and the last as the assistant head coach.
During the 2019 campaign, Lynch’s offensive attack was the most potent in the Mid-American Conference as the Cardinals led the league in scoring (34.8), total offensive yards/game (463) and plays/game (75.8). Nationally, the Cardinals ranked No. 16 in total offense and No. 22 in rushing offense in 2019. It was the program’s highest mark for total offense/game in more than 10 seasons. For his efforts, Lynch was nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant.
Six Cardinals from the offense were named All-MAC in 2019, including lineman Danny Pinter and wide receiver Justin Hall on the first team. Pinter, a converted tight end, also garnered All-America honors from Pro Football Focus and was an NFL Draft pick. Hall, a three-time All-MAC pick, finished the season with 61 receptions for 684 yards. He was one of four Ball State receivers to tally at least 500 yards receiving as the Cardinals distributed the ball throughout their receiving corps. Of the 24 MAC receivers to record more than 500 yards receiving during the 2019 season, the Cardinals’ four led the 12-team conference.
Running back Caleb Huntley’s 1,275 yards and 106.3 yards/game ranked third among MAC running backs as the Cardinals’ 219.4 yards/game on the ground was their second-highest mark in the previous 40 years. In three of Lynch’s final four seasons at Ball State, a Cardinal running back finished in the league’s top three for rushing yards/game.
Lynch’s passing attack led the conference in 2018 in yards/game and attempts/game as the Cardinals were one of only three MAC schools to have two receivers, Hall and Riley Miller, rank inside the top 12 in receiving yards/game.
Some of Lynch’s most difficult work was in 2017, when the Cardinals were forced to start four quarterbacks due to injuries.
In 2016, Ball State’s offense was one of only three in the MAC to average 200 rushing and 200 passing yards/game. Running back James Gilbert tallied 1,332 yards, the fourth most in a season in program history.
Lynch’s 2014 Ball State offense capped off a historic career for running back Jahwan Edwards as he broke Ball State’s career rushing record with 4,558 yards.
While Lynch worked with the Cardinal tight ends in 2011-13, Ball State advanced to a pair of bowl games, the 2012 Beef O’Brady’s Bowl and 2013 GoDaddy Bowl. Lynch coached Zane Fakes to All-MAC first team honors as a tight end in 2012 and 2013. Lynch also tutored Fakes to Capital One Academic All-America honors in 2013.
Lynch was promoted to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in December of 2013, prior to Ball State’s appearance in the GoDaddy Bowl.
As the Cardinals’ wide receivers coach in 2009 and 2010, Lynch guided Briggs Orsbon to a team-high 51 catches and 461 receiving yards in 2010.
Lynch spent the 2008 season as the Ashland University offensive coordinator, helping the program to averages of 324 yards passing, 146 yards rushing and 38 points per game. His work with quarterback Billy Cundiff resulted in All-America first team honors as the Eagles won their first postseason game in program history with a 27-16 victory on Nov. 15, 2008, against Minnesota State-Mankato. Cundiff was also tabbed the conference player of the year and a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the Division II football player of the year.
St. Joseph’s marked Lynch’s first coaching stop as he worked with quarterbacks and as the offensive coordinator in 2007.
A 2002 graduate of Delta High School, Lynch headed to Ball State, where he was a four-year letter man. He graduated as one of the most prolific passers in Cardinal history, completing 391 of 613 passes for 4,292 yards with 37 touchdowns and a .638 career passing percentage.
When his career ended, Lynch was ranked second in Ball State history for career completion percentage and tied for first with six games of 250 or more yards passing. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 2007.
Lynch and his wife, Danielle, have five sons, J.J., Danny, Harrison, Lux and Roland, and a daughter, Hattie.
The Lynch File
Hometown: Muncie, Indiana
High School: Delta
College: Ball State (finance, 2007)
Wife: Danielle
Children: Sons – J.J., Danny, Harrison, Lux, Roland; Daughter – Hattie
Playing Experience
2003-06 • Ball State (Quarterback)
Coaching Career
2007 • St. Joseph’s (Ind.) • Offensive Coordinator
2008 • Ashland • Offensive Coordinator
2009 • Ball State • Wide Receivers
2010 • Ball State • Wide Receivers
2011 • Ball State • Tight Ends
2012 • Ball State • Tight Ends
2013 • Ball State • Tight Ends
2014 • Ball State • Offensive Coordinator
2015 • Ball State • Offensive Coordinator
2016 • Ball State • Offensive Coordinator
2017 • Ball State • Offensive Coordinator
2018 • Ball State • Offensive Coordinator
2019 • Ball State • Assistant Head Coach • Offensive Coordinator
2020 • Colorado State • Offensive Coordinator
2021 • Vanderbilt • Pass Game Coordinator • Quarterbacks
2022 • Vanderbilt • Offensive Coordinator • Quarterbacks
Postseason Experience
2008 • Ashland • Division II Playoffs
2012 • Ball State • Beef O’Brady’s Bowl
2013 • Ball State • GoDaddy Bowl