Ron Roberts | Coaching Profile
Ron Roberts is a football coach for the Florida Gators and formerly head coach for Delta State and the Southeastern Louisiana Lions (FCS). His is most known for his impressive defensive strategies and success in various coordinator roles including defensive coordinator at Lousiana-Lafayette.
His coaching career highlights include:
- Over 30 years of coaching experience
- Led Delta State to four Gulf South Conference championships (2007-2008, 2010-2011)
- Guided Southeastern Louisiana to two Southland Conference championships (2013-2014)
- Served as defensive coordinator for successful programs at Louisiana, Baylor, and Auburn
Ron Roberts Coaching Record
| Years Active | Record | Win % | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-2017 | 89-45 | 66.4% | 6 |
Coaching record includes his time as head coach at Delta State (2007-2011) and Southeastern Louisiana (2012-2017).
Coaching Tree
Parents
- Billy Napier
Ron Roberts Coaching Style
Ron Roberts’ coaching approach centers around building strong defensive units and adapting to different levels of competition. His philosophy encompasses several key elements:
- Emphasizing aggressive and adaptable defensive strategies
- Focusing on player development and maximizing talent
- Cultivating a culture of success and continuous improvement
- Implementing innovative schemes to counter modern offenses
Roberts’ coaching style is characterized by:
- Ability to improve defensive performance quickly
- Emphasis on creating turnovers and limiting opponents’ scoring
- Adaptability to different levels of competition (FCS, FBS, Power 5)
- Focus on developing well-rounded defensive units
This approach has led to success at multiple levels, from Division II to the SEC, as evidenced by his teams’ performances and statistical improvements.
NFL Players Coached by Ron Roberts
| Name | Team | Round | Pos. | College | Year |
| Jalen Pitre | Houston Texans | Round 2 | S | Baylor | 2022 |
| Robert Alford | Atlanta Falcons | Round 2 | CB | Southeastern Louisiana | 2013 |
| Siaki Ika | Cleveland Browns | Round 3 | DT | Baylor | 2023 |
| Terrel Bernard | Buffalo Bills | Round 3 | ILB | Baylor | 2022 |
| JT Woods | Los Angeles Chargers | Round 3 | S | Baylor | 2022 |
| Percy Butler | Washington Commanders | Round 4 | S | Louisiana-Lafayette | 2022 |
| Harlan Miller | Arizona Cardinals | Round 6 | CB | Southern Louisiana | 2016 |
| Kalon Barnes | Carolina Panthers | Round 7 | CB | Baylor | 2022 |
| Will Bradley-King | Washington Commanders | Round 7 | DE | Baylor | 2021 |
Ron Roberts Coaching Tree
While Ron Roberts has worked under several notable coaches, his most significant mentor in recent years has been Billy Napier. Roberts and Napier worked together at Louisiana- Lafayete back in 2018-2019 along with several other coaches who have also migrated to Florida.
Roberts is credited with influencing the Gators’ current offensive implemented by Patrick Toney and Austin Armstrong before Robert’s appointment as head coach to the Gators. The two coordinators worked under Roberts at University of Louisiana/Lafayette where they developed the offensive schemes at play for the Gators right now.
RELATED: FCS Vs. FBS: HISTORY OF FCS WINS
Ron Roberts Football Career Timeline
- UT Martin (1986-1989): Player (Linebacker)
- Houston High School (TN) (1990-1993): Defensive Coordinator
- Burroughs High School (CA) (1994-1996): Head Coach
- Greensboro College (1997): Assistant Coach
- Tusculum College (1998-2002): Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
- Texas State (2003): Defensive Coordinator
- Mount Whitney High School (CA) (2004): Head Coach
- Delta State (2005-2011):
- Defensive Coordinator (2005-2006)
- Head Coach (2007-2011)
- Southeastern Louisiana (2012-2017): Head Coach
- Louisiana (Lafayette) (2018-2019): Defensive Coordinator
- Baylor (2020-2022): Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers Coach
- Auburn (2023): Defensive Coordinator
- Florida (2024-Present): Executive Head Coach, Co-Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers Coach
Under Roberts’ leadership, multiple programs have shown significant defensive improvements. His ability to adapt to different levels of competition and consistently produce strong defensive units has been a hallmark of his career. As he begins his tenure at Florida, it remains to be seen how his extensive experience and defensive expertise will impact the Gators’ program in the highly competitive SEC.
