Football
Gillespie, Robert
Robert Gillespie
- Title:
- Running Backs Coach
Robert Gillespie will enter his sixth season on the Tennessee staff after joining the Vols in 2013 as the running backs coach. Known as one the country’s top recruiters and running back developers, Gillespie coached John Kelly – who was the only Power 5 running back to lead their team in rushing yards and receptions, and Ty Chandler, who was named a third-team All-SEC selection by Phil Steele. Gillespie also coached NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara with the Vols as well as 1,000-yard rushers Jalen Hurd and Rajion Neal. Before coming to Rocky Top, Gillespie made coaching stops at West Virginia, Oklahoma State and South Carolina after standout playing career at Florida.
Tennessee (2013-pres.)
Gillespie joined the Vols in 2013 as the running backs coach before being promoted to recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach in 2015.
Known as one the country’s top recruiters and running back developers, Gillespie coached John Kelly – who was the only Power 5 running back to lead their team in rushing yards and receptions, and Ty Chandler, who was named a third-team All-SEC selection by Phil Steele in 2017. Under Gillespie's leadership, three Tennessee running backs posted career highs in rushing yards in 2017: Kelly (778), Chanlder (305) and Carlin Fils-aime (215).
During his time on Rocky Top, Gillespie Directed a rushing attack that scored a rushing TD in a school-record 32 straight games. The Vols scored 31 rushing touchdowns in 2016 alone to go alone 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.
Gillespie also coached current NFL star rookie Alvin Kamara with the Vols as well as 1,000-yard rushers Jalen Hurd and Rajion Neal. In 2016, Kamara scored a career-high 13 TDs in 11 games, led the SEC with 12 TDs in conference play and ranked third with 136.4 all-purpose yards per game in SEC games. Gillespie coached Hurd to All-SEC honors in 2015 as the sophomore back rushed for 1,288 yards, posting UT’s 18th 1,000-yard season. He also mentored Hurd in 2014 to the best rushing season by a Vols’ true freshman since eventual NFL MVP Jamal Lewis in 1997. In his first season with the Vols in 2013, Gillespie helped Neal to a 1,000 yard season, the first Vol to achieve the feat in the regular season since 2009.
West Virginia (2011-12)
Before coming to Tennessee, Gillespie spent two seasons as running backs coach at West Virginia, where he helped lead a Mountaineers rushing attack that averaged 171.8 yards per game in 2012, which marked an improvement of nearly 50 yards per game from the previous year (122.7).
Oklahoma State (2009-10)
Prior to joining the West Virginia coaching staff, Gillespie spent a pair of seasons as the running backs coach at Oklahoma State. During his tenure in Stillwater, Gillespie coached future NFL running backs Kendall Hunter and Keith Toston. Hunter was an All-American for the Cowboys in 2010, ranking ninth nationally with 1,548 rushing yards, and played in Super Bowl XLVII for the 49ers. Gillespie coached three All-Big 12 runners at Oklahoma State in Hunter, Toston and fullback Bryant Ward.
Despite being a pass heavy offense, OSU finished 22nd nationally in rushing offense during Gillespie’s first season in 2009 when the Pokes averaged 187.8 yards on the ground. The Pokes averaged 174.4 rushing yards per game in 2010, which ranked 36th in the country.
South Carolina (2005-08)
Gillespie began his career as a graduate assistant at South Carolina in 2005 before taking over as running backs coach for the Gamecocks for the next three seasons. While in Columbia, Gillespie mentored Cory Boyd, who ended up being the first USC running back drafted since 1998 when he was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 draft by Tampa Bay. As a senior, Boyd piled up 1,308 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks offense.
Background
Gillespie was a four-year letterman at the University of Florida from 1998-2001, where he played running back for the Gators. He 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. The Mississippi native 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 AP and Coaches’ Poll. He also helped Florida win an SEC Championship in 2000.
Following his collegiate playing career, Gillespie had a brief stint in the NFL playing for the Washington Redskins (2002-03) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003).
Gillespie is a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., and attended Hattiesburg High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Florida in 2005. Gillespie and his wife, Crystal, have two daughters, Nola and Sadie, and a son, Wynston.
Conference Championships
2011 Big East – West Virginia (Running Backs Coach)
All-Americans Coached
RB Kendall Hunter – Oklahoma State ’08, ‘10– FWAA, 2010 Consensus All-American
NFL Draft Picks Coached
RB Alvin Kamara (RD 3) – Tennessee ‘17 – New Orleans
RB Joseph Randle (RD 5) – Oklahoma State ‘13 – Dallas
RB Kendall Hunter (RD 4) – Oklahoma State ‘11– San Francisco
RB Cory Boyd (RD 7) – South Carolina ‘08 – Denver
THE GILLESPIE FILE
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born: November 2, 1979
Hometown: Hattiesburg, Miss.
Education: Bachelor’s (Florida ’05)
Playing Experience: Florida - RB (1998-01)
Wife: Crystal
Children: Nola, Sadie, Wynston
COACHING HISTORY
2005: South Carolina, Graduate Assistant
2006-08: South Carolina, Running Backs
2000-10: Oklahoma State, Running Backs
2011-12: West Virginia, Running Backs
2013-14: Tennessee, Running Backs
2015-17: Tennessee, RBs/Recruiting Coord.
2018-pres: Tennessee, Running Backs
Tennessee (2013-pres.)
Gillespie joined the Vols in 2013 as the running backs coach before being promoted to recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach in 2015.
Known as one the country’s top recruiters and running back developers, Gillespie coached John Kelly – who was the only Power 5 running back to lead their team in rushing yards and receptions, and Ty Chandler, who was named a third-team All-SEC selection by Phil Steele in 2017. Under Gillespie's leadership, three Tennessee running backs posted career highs in rushing yards in 2017: Kelly (778), Chanlder (305) and Carlin Fils-aime (215).
During his time on Rocky Top, Gillespie Directed a rushing attack that scored a rushing TD in a school-record 32 straight games. The Vols scored 31 rushing touchdowns in 2016 alone to go alone 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.
Gillespie also coached current NFL star rookie Alvin Kamara with the Vols as well as 1,000-yard rushers Jalen Hurd and Rajion Neal. In 2016, Kamara scored a career-high 13 TDs in 11 games, led the SEC with 12 TDs in conference play and ranked third with 136.4 all-purpose yards per game in SEC games. Gillespie coached Hurd to All-SEC honors in 2015 as the sophomore back rushed for 1,288 yards, posting UT’s 18th 1,000-yard season. He also mentored Hurd in 2014 to the best rushing season by a Vols’ true freshman since eventual NFL MVP Jamal Lewis in 1997. In his first season with the Vols in 2013, Gillespie helped Neal to a 1,000 yard season, the first Vol to achieve the feat in the regular season since 2009.
West Virginia (2011-12)
Before coming to Tennessee, Gillespie spent two seasons as running backs coach at West Virginia, where he helped lead a Mountaineers rushing attack that averaged 171.8 yards per game in 2012, which marked an improvement of nearly 50 yards per game from the previous year (122.7).
Oklahoma State (2009-10)
Prior to joining the West Virginia coaching staff, Gillespie spent a pair of seasons as the running backs coach at Oklahoma State. During his tenure in Stillwater, Gillespie coached future NFL running backs Kendall Hunter and Keith Toston. Hunter was an All-American for the Cowboys in 2010, ranking ninth nationally with 1,548 rushing yards, and played in Super Bowl XLVII for the 49ers. Gillespie coached three All-Big 12 runners at Oklahoma State in Hunter, Toston and fullback Bryant Ward.
Despite being a pass heavy offense, OSU finished 22nd nationally in rushing offense during Gillespie’s first season in 2009 when the Pokes averaged 187.8 yards on the ground. The Pokes averaged 174.4 rushing yards per game in 2010, which ranked 36th in the country.
South Carolina (2005-08)
Gillespie began his career as a graduate assistant at South Carolina in 2005 before taking over as running backs coach for the Gamecocks for the next three seasons. While in Columbia, Gillespie mentored Cory Boyd, who ended up being the first USC running back drafted since 1998 when he was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 draft by Tampa Bay. As a senior, Boyd piled up 1,308 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns to lead the Gamecocks offense.
Background
Gillespie was a four-year letterman at the University of Florida from 1998-2001, where he played running back for the Gators. He 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. The Mississippi native 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 AP and Coaches’ Poll. He also helped Florida win an SEC Championship in 2000.
Following his collegiate playing career, Gillespie had a brief stint in the NFL playing for the Washington Redskins (2002-03) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (2003).
Gillespie is a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., and attended Hattiesburg High School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Florida in 2005. Gillespie and his wife, Crystal, have two daughters, Nola and Sadie, and a son, Wynston.
Conference Championships
2011 Big East – West Virginia (Running Backs Coach)
All-Americans Coached
RB Kendall Hunter – Oklahoma State ’08, ‘10– FWAA, 2010 Consensus All-American
NFL Draft Picks Coached
RB Alvin Kamara (RD 3) – Tennessee ‘17 – New Orleans
RB Joseph Randle (RD 5) – Oklahoma State ‘13 – Dallas
RB Kendall Hunter (RD 4) – Oklahoma State ‘11– San Francisco
RB Cory Boyd (RD 7) – South Carolina ‘08 – Denver
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