Robert Gillespie - Football Coach

Robert Gillespie

Title:
Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs
Phone:
205-348-3600

Personal Information

Hometown: Hattiesburg, Miss.
Education: Florida, 2005
Spouse: Crystal
Children: Nola, Sadie, Wynston
Birthday: November 2

Coaching Experience

2024-present: Alabama, AHC/RB
2021-23: Alabama, RB
2018-20: North Carolina, RB
2013-17: Tennessee, AHC/RB/RC
2011-12: West Virginia, RB
2009-10: Oklahoma State, RB
2006-08: South Carolina, RB
2005: South Carolina, GA

Playing Experience

1998-2001: Florida
2002-03: Washington Redskins
2003: Jacksonville Jaguars

Robert Gillespie joined the Alabama coaching staff in January of 2021 to coach the Crimson Tide's running backs and added assistant head coach to his duties with the arrival of Kalen DeBoer in 2024.

Known as one of the country's top recruiters and developers of talent, Gillespie has produced 13 NFL running backs and counting, including 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara. Over the course of his 20-year career in coaching, he has mentored three NFL backs apiece at Alabama, Tennessee and Oklahoma State along with two each at South Carolina and West Virginia.

Alabama - Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs (2024-Present) | Running Backs (2021-23)

Took on the title of assistant head coach while continuing his work with running backs for the Crimson Tide in 2024
Under Gillespie's direction in '24, the Crimson Tide's top three backs in Jam Miller, Justice Haynes and Richard Young accounted for 251 carries, 1,262 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns
Those 16 scores were part of the Alabama's 41 rushing touchdowns on the year, the most in the SEC and the fifth-most nationally
Miller paced the group with 668 yards and seven touchdowns on 145 carries while adding 16 receptions for 155 yards and one score through the air
Alabama featured one of the deepest running back rooms in the nation in 2023 with Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams, Miller and Haynes
McClellan led the Crimson Tide with 890 yards (4.9 ypc) and eight touchdowns while Williams contributed 560 yards and five scores in '23
Miller gained 201 yards rushing with another four catches for 73 yards and a score, while Haynes turned in a big bowl game and finished with 168 yards and 6.7 yards per carry in that '23 campaign
Jahmyr Gibbs was the leader of the Tide's rushing attack in 2022 but also proved to be one of the best pass-catchers out of the backfield as a junior
Gibbs finished the year with 926 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground while catching 44 passes for 444 yards and three more scores
McClellan also turned in a solid season, gaining 655 yards on 112 carries (5.8 ypc) with seven touchdowns, while Williams added 250 rushing yards (four touchdowns) and Miller 223 yards
Gillespie's first season at Alabama saw Brian Robinson Jr. rush for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns, helping the Crimson Tide win the SEC Championship and advance to the CFP National Championship Game
Robinson Jr. was also fourth on the team in receiving, catching 35 passes for 296 yards and two touchdowns during his senior season

North Carolina - Running Backs (2018-20)

Spent three seasons at North Carolina from 2018-20 where he coached running backs
Gillespie guided two of the nation's finest rushers in 2020 as Michael Carter and Javonte Williams both recorded 1,000-yard seasons
Carter led the way with 1,245 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns while Williams scored 19 times and finished with 1,140 yards
In 2019, the running backs helped the Tar Heels rank 12th nationally in total offense while rushing for 188.2 yards per game
The backfield trio of Carter, Javonte Williams and Antonio Williams combined to rush for 2,258 yards (5.8 ypc) and 11 touchdowns while catching 40 passes for another 334 yards and three scores
UNC averaged 193 rushing yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry in 2018, ranking 19th nationally

Tennessee - Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator (2013-17)

Coached running backs and served as an assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator for five seasons at Tennessee from 2013-17
While in Knoxville, Gillespie coached several talented backs, including Kamara, Jalen Hurd, John Kelly and Rajion Neal
During his time on Rocky Top, Gillespie directed a rushing attack that scored a rushing touchdown in a school-record 32 straight games
The Vols tallied 31 rushing touchdowns in 2016 alone to go along with 2,668 rushing yards as a team, marking the first time since the 1992, 1993 and 1994 seasons that UT had topped 2,000 rushing yards in three consecutive years

West Virginia - Running Backs (2011-12)

Worked as the running backs coach at West Virginia from 2011-12
The Mountaineers rushed for an average of 171.8 yards per game in 2012, a marked improvement of almost 50 yards per game from Gillespie's first year in Morgantown
Helped the Mountaineers to the 2011 BIG EAST title

Oklahoma State - Running Backs (2009-10)

Spent a pair of seasons as the running backs coach at Oklahoma State from 2009-10
Coached future NFL players in Kendall Hunter, Joseph Randall and Keith Toston while at OSU
Hunter was an All-American for the Cowboys in 2010, ranking ninth nationally with 1,548 rushing yards, and went on to play in Super Bowl XLVII for the San Francisco 49ers
Gillespie coached three All-Big 12 runners at Oklahoma State in Hunter, Toston and fullback Bryant Ward
The Pokes averaged 187.8 yards on the ground in 2009 and followed that up with 174.4 rushing yards per game in 2010, which ranked 36th in the country

South Carolina - Running Backs (2006-08) | Graduate Assistant (2005)

Spent four seasons at South Carolina, first working as a graduate assistant in 2005 before being elevated to a full-time role as running backs coach from 2006-08
Mentored Cory Boyd, who ended up being the first SC running back drafted since 1998
As a senior, Boyd piled up 1,308 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns

Playing Career

Graduated from the University of Florida in 2005
Was a four-year letterman at running back from 1998-2001
Totaled 1,854 career rushing yards and was also a reliable receiver out of the backfield
Gillespie still ranks second all-time for the Gators in receptions (96) and receiving yards (1,091) by a running back
He served as team captain in 2001, helping lead the Gators to a 56-23 Orange Bowl victory over Maryland and a No. 3 final national ranking in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls
Gillespie also played a role in Florida winning an SEC Championship in 2000
Following his collegiate playing career, Gillespie played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins (2002-03) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003)