Joe Robinson Season 2023
Joe Robinson, a 1985 graduate of LSU, enters his third year with the Tigers in 2010, serving as the special teams coordinator while also working with the defensive line.
In his first two years with the Tigers, Robinson has helped LSU establish itself as one of the top all-around special teams units, putting on the field a group that has excelled at both returns and coverage.
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 also No. 3 in both field goal percentage (85.0) and punting (37.4 net) as the Tigers were the only team in the league to rank among the top three in the conference in four special teams categories.
Individually, Trindon Holliday led the SEC and ranked No. 2 in the nation in punt returns with an 18.1 average in 2009. Holliday capped his career ranked among the all-time leaders at LSU in punt return yards (7th at 647) and kickoff return yards (2nd at 1,806). Holliday went on to become selected in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.
In his first year with LSU in 2008, Robinson oversaw a special teams unit that featured place kicker Colt David, who capped his career as the school’s all-time leader in scoring with 369 points.
During his four-year stay at Arizona, Robinson earned the reputation of putting together standout play in the area of special teams. In 2007, Robinson had one of his former players taken in the first round of the NFL Draft as cornerback/return specialists Antoine Cason was picked by the San Diego Chargers.
A year earlier, punter Nick Folk was a First-Team All-Pac 10 member and was picked in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, while kick return specialist Syndric Steptoe, also a First-Team All-Pac 10 selection, was drafted in the seventh round by the Cleveland Browns.
Another one of Robinson’s standout punters at Arizona was Danny Baugher, who earned All-America honors in 2005 and was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award after leading the nation in punting. Baugher is currently a member of the Denver Broncos organization.
Robinson’s coaching career came full circle with his return to LSU in 2008 as he got his start as a coach at the prep level in Louisiana during the mid-80s before moving on to the collegiate ranks. In all, Robinson’s career has seen him serve as a football coach in Louisiana at the prep and collegiate level for eight years, four of which were spent with Louisiana Tech. 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 before spending the next three years at Louisiana Tech. Robinson followed that stop with seven years at Southern Mississippi, along with stints as the special teams coordinator at Houston in 2002 and Central Florida in 2003.
During his career, Robinson’s been a part of some of the nation’s most productive special teams units, which includes leading the nation in kick return average at Southern Miss in 1997, ranking second in the nation in net punting at Central Florida in 2003, and having the nation’s top-rated punter at Central Florida in 2003. In addition, Central Florida led the country in blocked kicks in 2003 with seven – four punts and three field goals.
As a defensive coach, Robinson assisted with a 1994 Southern Miss unit that led the nation in turnovers gained.
A native of Abilene, Texas, Robinson earned his bachelor’s degree from LSU in 1985 followed by a master’s degree from Southern Mississippi in 1994. Robinson and his wife Abby have three daughters – Alexandra, Madeline and Valerie.
The Robinson File
Year at LSU: Second (appointed Feb. 18, 2008)
Birthdate: Sept. 12, 1960, in Abilene, Texas
Wife: Abby
Children: Alexandra, Madeline, Valerie
High School: Fairmont East (Kettering, Ohio)
College: LSU, ‘85
Coaching Experience
1986 Catholic High of Pointe Coupee (defensive coordinator, 1986; head coach 1987)
1988 Bastrop High School (defensive coordinator)
1989-91 Louisiana Tech (graduate assistant, 1989; defensive line/recruiting coordinator, 1990-91)
1992-98 Southern Mississippi (defensive line, 1992; defensive line/recruiting coordinator, 1993; linebackers/recruiting coordinator, 1994-96; special teams/recruiting coordinator, 1996-98)
2001 Louisiana Tech (running backs/recruiting coordinator)
2002 Houston (special teams coordinator)
2003 Central Florida (special teams coordinator)
2004-07 Arizona (special teams coordinator/defensive ends)
2008 LSU (special teams coordinator/defensive line)
Bowl Experience
As a coach
1990 Independence Bowl (Louisiana Tech tied Maryland, 34-34)
1997 Liberty Bowl (Southern Miss def. Pittsburgh, 41-7)
1998 Humanitarian Bowl (Southern Miss lost to Idaho, 42-35)
2001 Humanitarian Bowl (Louisiana Tech lost to Clemson, 49-24)
2008 Chick-fil-A Bowl (LSU def. Georgia Tech, 38-3)
2010 Capital One Bowl (Penn State def. LSU, 19-17)