Cinkovich calls it a career

MOSCOW — Idaho football’s veteran second-in-command is hanging up the whistle after about three decades of coaching the sport.

Kris “Cink” Cinkovich, the Vandals’ respected offensive coordinator for the past eight seasons, announced his retirement Tuesday.

“Thank you to Coach Paul Petrino and the University of Idaho for a great 8½ years on the Palouse,” Cinkovich said in a news release.

Cinkovich and his wife, Joanie, will pack up and move in May to Las Vegas — where he had spent several years coaching in the past.

“We are excited for the next chapter in our lives,” he continued. “We will cherish the time we spent here and the people we met.”

Cinkovich, 60, accompanied Petrino to Moscow in 2013. Key in the operation since Day 1, he was in charge of UI’s offensive line and also held the title of assistant head coach.

“He’s been here with me the whole time. He worked his tail off, did a great job recruiting, always did everything he could for the players,” Petrino said. “He was a great mentor, a great offensive line coach and did a really good job of coordinating the offense. I just can’t thank him enough. He’s one of my good friends.”

Cinkovich began his coaching career in 1986 at Central Washington as an assistant with the linebackers before moving on a year later to Carroll College — the former collegiate offensive lineman’s alma mater.

He coordinated Bob Petrino Sr.’s offense at the Helena, Mont., school from 1987-89. At that time, Paul Petrino was the Saints’ quarterback.

Cinkovich, a Washington native who started his college playing career at Spokane Falls Community College, blocked for quarterback Bobby Petrino, Paul’s older brother, at Carroll.

“I wish him and Joanie a great retirement,” Paul Petrino said. “They can enjoy life. They’ve worked hard for a long time. I’ve always been very close with him and his family, and I wish him the best in everything that he does. I just want to tell him thanks one more time.”

After short assistant stints at Oregon Tech and UNLV in the early 1990s, Cinkovich shifted his sights to the prep ranks.

He lifted Las Vegas High School to unprecedented Nevada prominence as the program’s top man from 1995-2002, claiming a 2001 state title and racking up three regional championships.

Cinkovich then landed at UNLV, and tutored its receivers between 2003-09.

The Rebel passing attack blossomed into a notable on the national level in the late 2000s, and Cinkovich was subsequently scooped up by Bobby Petrino at Arkansas to guide its receivers from 2010-12 — he and Paul Petrino both were on the Razorbacks’ 2012 staff.

Cinkovich’s pass-catching group at Arkansas was consistently among the Football Bowl Subdivision’s most prolific.

At UI, he helped 10 linemen garner all-conference accolades.

Two of his former Vandal offensive pupils play in the NFL — lineman Jesse Davis (Miami) and fullback Elijhaa Penny (New York Giants).

Cinkovich’s offense arguably was the Sun Belt Conference’s best in 2016, when the Vandals logged nine wins and came away victorious in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Many of his players, past and present, took to social media to offer congratulations and praise.

“(Cinkovich) was one of the most influential coaches I’ve had the opportunity to play for,” former standout UI quarterback Matt Linehan tweeted. “He showed me unwavering support throughout my career and treated me like a son of his. Can’t thank him enough for his impact on my life and so many others.”

Clark may be contacted at cclark@lmtribune.com, on Twitter @ClarkTrib or by phone at (208) 627-3209.