‘Timing is right’ for longtime Merced College football assistant to take over program
Justin Pinasco says Merced College has basically been like home for him.
Pinasco, 48, played football at Merced College and when knee injuries derailed his playing career, he started coaching under former Blue Devils coach Tony Lewis.
After 27 years as an assistant coach, Pinasco is gearing up for his first season as the Merced College head coach.
“I’ve spent almost my whole adult life here at Merced College,” Pinsasco said. “It’s a big deal for me and my family. I played here, my kids played sports here, my dad played sports here. Me and my family are really excited.”
Pinasco was named just the sixth Merced College head football coach after former coach Bob Casey stepped down at the end of the season to become the Associate Dean of Kinesiology and Athletic Director at Merced College.
Casey coached the Blue Devils from 2010 through 2021, leading Merced College to a 53-59 record during his tenure.
“He will be a great transition,” Casey said of Pinasco, after he announced he was stepping down in December. “He played here back in 1993. He’s been coaching for almost 30 years. He knows everything he needs to know.”
Pinasco is proud of the culture and success the program has had in recent years under Casey. The team has played in bowl games in three of the past five seasons.
However, one of the first additions Pinasco added to the Merced College football coaches office was a sign he made made that reads, “Do Better.”
That’s been the motto Pinasco has taken on as the new Blue Devils head coach.
“That’s really what we want is to do better,” Pinasco said. “I really want to help these guys. We want to do better in everything we do.”
With 60 players currently working out, Pinasco says they have more players at this point in the offseason than they’ve ever had.
“Forty players is a high number for us at this point,” Pinasco said. “We have a huge number of local kids.”
Players will have to make a small adjustment with Pinasco taking over the program. He says three things he’s big on are accountability, communication and transparency with his players.
“I’m not trying to recreate anything here,” Pinasco said. “I helped created where we’re at and what we have going, but there will be little differences here and there. I’m big on do more now so you can do less later.”
It’ll be a busy first season as head coach for Pinasco because he’ll also still run the defense. As of now, he’s also coaching linebackers.
Pinasco says during his career he never really had aspirations of becoming a head coach. He was fine being the guy grinding away in the shadows.
He said they only time he wanted the job was when he found out his good friend and former college teammate Casey was stepping down.
“The timing is right for me,” Pinasco said. “My kids are basically older. I don’t have to drive them around to practice. When Bob said he wanted to take an administrative role, it’s the one time I said, ‘I want to do it.’”
Pinasco said one of the main reasons he’s stayed in coaching for almost three decades is the relationships he’s built with his players. He says he’ll have players who are now in their 40s that come back to see him.
“As coaches we have an ability to make an impact on their lives,” he said. “That part has been missing the last couple years because of COVID. We didn’t have that camaraderie in the locker room because guys couldn’t hang out in the locker room. As coaches we could only be with the players while we were on the field.
“I’m looking forward to building those relationships again.”
