This is part of a series of Q&As introducing faculty who have joined the College of Health Sciences for the 2024–25 academic year. Meet all of our new faculty members.

Jacob Linn

Assistant teaching professor, Department of Physical Therapy (Fitness Programming and Management)

What classes are you teaching this semester?

I am teaching a new in-person section of FPM 2130: Introduction to Exercise Techniques and FPM 3250: Structural Kinesiology.

Tell us about yourself. What is your background?

Previously, I served as the manager of a MU Health Care physical therapy clinic and director of the MU Human Performance Program. During my five-year tenure starting in 2019, I spearheaded the development and implementation of performance enhancement systems, as applied in a clinical setting. I worked to blend the fields of physical therapy and performance enhancement to achieve a high-performance model at the clinic.

Prior to my role with MU Health Care, I amassed more than nine seasons of experience with the Mizzou Athletics Department, where I excelled as an associate director of athletic performance. While there, I crafted tailored training programs to optimize athletic performance and mitigate injury risks.

My journey at Missouri began in 2010 as a graduate assistant, providing comprehensive support across various sports, including football, baseball, track & field, swimming, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s golf.

Before joining Missouri, I honed his coaching expertise at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, overseeing all aspects of strength and conditioning for football, women’s basketball, volleyball, and softball. My earlier experience includes an internship at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.

What brought you to Mizzou? To your field?

I first came to Mizzou to gain mentorship in the field of collegiate strength and conditioning from Gary Pinkel’s Strength and Conditioning Staff. I fell in love with all things performance enhancement and fitness due to my positive experiences with training and sports in middle and high school. I didn’t realize there were career paths in the field, so I was actually an aerospace engineering major when I started my undergrad. Once I realized there was an academic degree program focused on exercise science and kinesiology with solid and fun job prospects, I switched majors.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love getting to share all the amazing knowledge I have gained in the field and promoting positive experiences through empowerment to others wanting to know more or just starting their training journey. Watching young athletes develop into high-performing competitors through their unceasing effort is also one of the most enjoyable things — even though I don’t get to do that on a daily basis anymore.

What has you excited for this semester?

I am excited to focus on pouring all my knowledge and passion into the courses I teach and the students I instruct.  This was always a job expectation before in other positions, but it was an “additional duty as assigned” and now I can fully devote my energy to this pursuit.

What is a fun hobby or activity that you enjoy outside of work?

I love being outdoors and moving, whether I’m running, biking, boating or swimming. I still love to lift weights and keep this a consistent part of my exercise routine. I spend a ton of quality time with my family, as I always feel like I’m playing catch up from the days when I went to work before 6 a.m. and didn’t return until after 6 p.m. I also routinely brew my own beer and have homebrewed for about 15 years.

What is a particularly memorable moment from your career so far?

I was lucky enough to be on the field during Mizzou’s final Big XII game against Oklahoma in 2011. It was electric, and the memories still give me goosebumps. The temperature change when the stands emptied and fans rushed the field was pretty astounding. It went from a crisp night to a sauna in a minute from all the body heat.

What is your hidden talent?

I’m a decent carpenter and have built a kitchen table, coffee table, end tables and a headboard for some of my home furniture. It’s hard to find quality stuff these days without spending thousands! Pro Tip: A quality miter saw makes things so much easier.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

Kaz Kazadi, the head strength and conditioning coach at TCU: “Don’t Quit. You’d be surprised at how much success you achieve by enduring natural attrition.”

Turns out many people aren’t willing to see hard things through to the end. If you can endure the price, just not quitting is the key to success a LOT!