Gillespie Joins Carolina Football Staff
March 21, 2018 | Football
CHAPEL HILL ---Â Robert Gillespie has joined the Carolina football coaching staff, head coach Larry Fedora announced Wednesday.Â
Gillespie comes to Carolina after five seasons at Tennessee, where he had most recently served as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator in addition to working with the Vols' running backs.Â
"We are excited to welcome Robert and his family to Chapel Hill," Fedora said. "He has a well-earned reputation as a great offensive coach and recruiter, and he has a wealth of experience working with running backs at a very high level. We are happy to have him join our staff as we get into the bulk of spring practice."
"I want to thank Coach Fedora for the opportunity to come to UNC," Gillespie said. "My family and I are excited to be in Chapel Hill and to join the Tar Heel family."
Gillespie worked with a number of talented backs in Knoxville, including 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara. Prior to his time at UT, Gillespie tutored running backs at West Virginia, Oklahoma State and South Carolina.
Gillespie was a four-year letterman at Florida, where he rushed for 1,854 career yards from 1998 to 2001. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi, native still ranks second all-time for the Gators in receptions (96) and receiving yards (1,091) by a running back. Gillespie 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 lead Florida to an SEC Championship in 2000.
After a brief stint in the NFL with Washington (2002-03) and Jacksonville (2003), Gillespie began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at South Carolina in 2005. He spent the next three seasons in Columbia coaching running backs, including 2008 NFL Draft selection Cory Boyd.
Gillespie then 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, with Hunter earning consensus All-America honors in 2010. Following his time at OSU, he coached running backs for two seasons at West Virginia, helping the Mountaineers to the 2011 Big East title.
Gillespie and his wife Crystal have two daughters, Nola and Sadie, and a son, Wynston.
Gillespie comes to Carolina after five seasons at Tennessee, where he had most recently served as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator in addition to working with the Vols' running backs.Â
"We are excited to welcome Robert and his family to Chapel Hill," Fedora said. "He has a well-earned reputation as a great offensive coach and recruiter, and he has a wealth of experience working with running backs at a very high level. We are happy to have him join our staff as we get into the bulk of spring practice."
"I want to thank Coach Fedora for the opportunity to come to UNC," Gillespie said. "My family and I are excited to be in Chapel Hill and to join the Tar Heel family."
Gillespie worked with a number of talented backs in Knoxville, including 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Alvin Kamara. Prior to his time at UT, Gillespie tutored running backs at West Virginia, Oklahoma State and South Carolina.
Gillespie was a four-year letterman at Florida, where he rushed for 1,854 career yards from 1998 to 2001. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi, native still ranks second all-time for the Gators in receptions (96) and receiving yards (1,091) by a running back. Gillespie 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 lead Florida to an SEC Championship in 2000.
After a brief stint in the NFL with Washington (2002-03) and Jacksonville (2003), Gillespie began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at South Carolina in 2005. He spent the next three seasons in Columbia coaching running backs, including 2008 NFL Draft selection Cory Boyd.
Gillespie then 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, with Hunter earning consensus All-America honors in 2010. Following his time at OSU, he coached running backs for two seasons at West Virginia, helping the Mountaineers to the 2011 Big East title.
Gillespie and his wife Crystal have two daughters, Nola and Sadie, and a son, Wynston.
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