Ron Roberts agrees to terms, will be Auburn's next defensive coordinator
AUBURN — Ron Roberts has officially agreed to terms and will be Auburn’s next defensive coordinator.
Roberts’ paperwork was sent to Auburn on Sunday night.
He will coordinate the defense, and it’s possible that Roberts may also coach inside linebackers. Roberts coached inside linebackers during while at Baylor.
Terms of the deal aren’t yet known. Roberts joins Philip Montgomery as Sunday night hires. Montgomery was the recent Tulsa head coach, and former Baylor and Houston offensive coordinator.
This is where Hugh Freeze’s first coaching staff now stands entering Monday, December 11.
| Position | Confirmed New Hire | Names of Interest |
| OC | Philip Montgomery | |
| DC | Ron Roberts | |
| DL | Jeremy Garrett (from Liberty) | |
| LB | Christian Robinson (likely) | |
| DB | Zac Etheridge (likely) | |
| DB | Wesley McGriff | |
| WR | Grant Heard, Jacob Peeler, Kodi Burns, Curtis Luper | |
| QB | Philip Montgomery | |
| OL | Jake Thornton | |
| RB | Carnell Williams | |
| TE | Ben Aigamaua (from Liberty) | |
| Assoc. HC | Carnell Williams |
From our previous reporting on Roberts’ expected hiring
Auburn Live confirmed on Sunday evening that Roberts was deciding between Arkansas, Auburn and a number of potential coordinator positions.
Roberts was Louisiana’s defensive coordinator for the 2018 and 2019 seasons before departing to join Dave Aranda’s Baylor staff in 2020. He was dismissed as DC following the 2022 season.
Roberts has been in coaching for 32 years. From 2007-11, he was head coach of Division II program Delta State, posting a 47-16 record. In 2012, Roberts took the head coaching job at FCS program Southeastern Louisiana, a position he held through 2017. Roberts was 42-29 in his Southeastern Louisiana tenure.
Roberts’ defense was fantastic at Baylor in 2021, leading the Big 12 in turnovers forced, turnover margin, and defensive touchdowns. The Bears were one of just three FBS teams to not give up more than 30 points in a single game that season and smothered Ole Miss to the tune of 10 sacks and three interceptions in the Sugar Bowl.
When Baylor went 2-7 in Aranda’s first season in 2020, Ron Roberts’ unit was still really good. His defense finished second in the conference in total defense. Roberts has been coaching for 33 seasons and was a two-time Gulf South Coach of the Year at Delta State in 2007 and 2008.
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
|---|---|
| 1990–1993 | Houston HS (TN) (DC) |
| 1994–1996 | Burroughs HS (CA) |
| 1997 | Greensboro (DC) |
| 1998–2002 | Tusculum (DC) |
| 2003 | Texas State (DC) |
| 2004 | Mt. Whitney HS (CA) |
| 2005–2006 | Delta State (DC) |
| 2007–2011 | Delta State |
| 2012–2017 | Southeastern Louisiana |
| 2018–2019 | Louisiana (DC) |
| 2020–2022 | Baylor (DC/ILB) |
Other DC candidates
Roberts’ potential hiring would mean Freeze chose the former Baylor assistant coach over the likes of Alabama’s Charles Kelly, Oklahoma State’s Derek Mason, N.C. State’s Todd Gibson, the Cleveland Browns’ Chris Kiffin and others.
