Jan. 13, 2012
University of South Carolina head football coach Steve Spurrier has tabbed Joe Robinson as the team’s special teams coordinator and tight ends coach, it was announced today.
Robinson, the 2010 FootballScoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year, joins the Gamecock staff after one season at the University of North Carolina where he coached the defensive line.
“We are pleased to announce Joe Robinson as our special teams coach,” said Coach Spurrier. “He has many years of experience and his special teams had the No. 1 overall ranking in the SEC in 2009. Our special teams will be in good hands under Coach Robinson and we look forward to having him and his family become Gamecocks.”
“I’m excited to be here and thankful to become part of Coach Spurrier’s staff,” said Robinson. “He’s done a great job with this program and my family is excited about this opportunity.”
Prior to his arrival in Chapel Hill, Robinson spent three seasons as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at LSU. In his award-winning 2010 season, the Tigers’ special teams finished in the top 13 nationally in net punting, kickoff return average and punt return average while earning a trip to the Cotton Bowl. In 2009, LSU’s special teams combined to rank No. 1 overall in the SEC as the Tigers led the league in both kickoff coverage (44.5 net average) and punt returns (18.9). LSU was the only team in the league to rank among the top three in the conference in four special teams categories. Kick returner Trinton Holliday led the SEC and ranked No. 2 in the nation in punt returns and was selected in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.
Robinson has coached a variety of positions during his coaching career, including defensive line, special teams, linebackers and running backs. He also has experience as a recruiting coordinator at Southern Miss and Louisiana Tech.
He began his collegiate coaching career at Louisiana Tech where he served as a defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator from 1989-91. Robinson then coached seven seasons at Southern Miss where he tutored the defensive line (1992-93), linebackers (1994-95) and special teams (1996-98) while also earning a master’s degree. He returned to Louisiana Tech for one year (2001), and also logged stints at Houston (2002) and Central Florida (2003).
Robinson coached defensive ends and special teams for four seasons at Arizona from 2004-07. He coached a number of outstanding special teams performers with the Wildcats, including NFL draft picks Antoine Cason, (1st round by San Diego), Nick Folk (6th round by Dallas) and Syndric Steptoe (7th round by Cleveland). In 2004, Robinson coached on the same Arizona staff as current South Carolina wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier, Jr.
A 1985 graduate of LSU, Robinson’s first coaching job came as an assistant at Catholic High School of Pointe Coupee in 1986. He was promoted to head coach in 1987. Robinson spent the 1988 season as the defensive coordinator at Bastrop High School.
Born Sept. 12, 1960 in Abilene, Texas, Robinson and his wife, Abby, have three daughters, Alexandra, Madeline and Valerie.
