Jared Hensley is amid his second year at NM State as the Aggies’ linebacker coach after beginning his tenure with the program in the spring of 2024. Hensley came to Las Cruces after spending eight seasons at Sam Houston, including the final five as the Bearkats’ linebackers coach.
In his first season with the Aggies, he helped coach linebacker Tyler Martinez to a Second Team All-CUSA Defense selection after Martinez paced the Aggies in tackles and finished third among CUSA defenders. Martinez was also named to College Football Network’s Honorable Mention All-CUSA Team.
During his time in the collegiate coaching ranks, Hensley tutored seven total All-Southland Conference linebackers his time with the Bearkats, including three in 2020 while leading the Kats to the program’s first ever FCS national title.
With Hensley at the helm, the Sam Houston defensive unit ranked as the No. 2 overall statistical defensive unit at the FCS level in 2019. That season Sam Houston led the nation in rush defense, yards per play allowed tackles for loss and third-down defense.
One year later the Kats led the nation in total takeaways, fumble recoveries, tackles for loss and sacks en route to a perfect 10-0 season, and the FCS crown.
He spent his first three seasons in Huntsville as a quality control coach on the defensive side while the Kats racked up a 31-8 record in that span and advanced to the national quarterfinals (2016) and semifinals (2017).
Hensley moved to Huntsville after a season as a graduate assistant at Midwestern State where he worked with the nickelbacks and deep snappers. While there the Mustangs led the Lone Star Conference in scoring and total defense on their way to a 10-2 record and an LSC title. That helped MSU earn a No. 1 seed in the Division II playoffs, advancing to the national quarterfinals.
Prior to his time in Wichita Falls, Texas, Hensley spent a pair of seasons at Monterey Peninsula College where he coached the secondary and served as co-special teams coordinator and an assistant strength coach.
With Midwestern State, he saw a pair of players earn all-league honors and mentored the league leader in pass breakups. Four members of his secondary group earned scholarships to 4-year institutions during his time at MPC.
Hensley made the jump to the college ranks after a year as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at West Ottawa High School in Holland, Mich., in 2012. There he tutored an all-state player and four who earned all-conference honors.
His team at WOHS went undefeated at home that season and secured the first home playoff game in school history, finishing with an 8-3 record after advancing to the district championship.
A Grand Rapids, Mich., native, Hensley followed a playing career at Hudsonville HS by playing collegiately as a linebacker and deep snapper at Diablo Valley College where he helped lead the Vikings to an East County Bowl victory in 2006 before moving on to play a year at Grand Valley CC. He went on from there to play a year at Henderson State and finished out his degree in 2009 with a BS in Psychology from Cumberland University.
He continued with his education and owns a pair of Master’s degrees from Cumberland, including one in Education in 2011 and another in Sport & Exercise Science he completed in 2016.
