Kines began his coaching career at his alma mater, where he served as assistant coach and defensive coordinator through the 1976 season. In 1977, he received an offer to coach linebackers at Clemson University, where he coached for the next two seasons. In 1979, Kines became linebackers coach at the University of Florida under Charley Pell. There he spent two years as the linebackers coach, and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1981. In 1985 and 1986, Kines was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at the University of Alabama before leaving with Ray Perkins to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He served as the Buccaneers' linebacker coach from 1987 to 1990. Kines returned to college coaching in 1991 as the defensive coordinator at the University of Arkansas and was promoted to interim head coach of the Razorbacks in 1992 when Jack Crowe was fired following a season-opening loss to The Citadel. He guided the Razorbacks to a 45–7 victory over South Carolina in his first game after taking over for Crowe, and closed the season with a 30–6 rout of arch-rival LSU in the first game between the schools since the Cotton Bowl Classic following the 1965 season.