Robinson Football Coaching Staff is Home-Grown

Robinson head coach Mike DePue is a standard at the school and he’s made impressions on his players over the years that are indelible. DePue has 12 coaches on his staff, eight of them used to play for him at Robinson.

If that’s not a football family, then what is?

“These guys are like brothers to me,” said DePue. “We fight like brothers, we hang out like brothers, it’s actually like a family here.”

Stability in coaching staff has been a key to success in football at any level. Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers; most Super Bowl wins in history. They have had three different head coaches in their team’s history. Look at the two biggest Florida universities; the Gators won all three of their national championships with just two coaches, while the Seminoles won their two under the eon-spanning rein of Bobby Bowden.

Things are no different at the high school level. If anything, coaching stability is even more important at the high school level, where players are more in need of physical development and mental/emotional coaching. When all of your assistants are on the same page with you, it gives you an advantage over other programs; one that allows you to get more things done in a shorter span of time.

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for these guys, nothing we can’t say to each other, football or otherwise,” said DePue.

Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, Rob Burns is one of the best offensive coordinators in town, according to DePue.

“He’s brought a linebacker’s intensity to the offense,” said DePue. “When he came over here, I told him, ‘Rob you run the offense, I’ll run the defense’.”

Burns and DePue both coached running backs coach Josh Saunders. Saunders graduated from Robinson in 1993 and played wide receiver for the Knights.

“I was teaching middle school in Tampa. It was nice, but I wanted to come back home,” said Saunders.

According to Saunders, there are still teachers at Robinson that taught him when he was a student there.

“I still call them mister and misses, even today,” said Saunders.

Offensive line coach Shawn Taylor was an offensive lineman for the Knights who graduated in 2000 and was hired in 2003.

“I’ve known I wanted to coach here since I was a sophomore in high school,” said Taylor.

Taylor was hired just three years after graduating and has not looked back. He credits DePue with helping him mature as a coach.

“Kids grow up wanting to play here,” said Taylor.

Defensive line coach, Tommy Montero graduated in 1988. Montero played on the offensive line along with fellow coach David Kiranen. Montero went on to both play and coach at Bethany College in West Virgina. He came back to his “family” in 1992.

“It’s more than a football family here at Robinson, it’s more like a real family,” said Montero.

Linebackers coach David Kiranen played with Montero on the Knights offensive line and earned the nickname, “Chief”. Kiranen is also the head JV coach.

Defensive line coach, Gene Blalock played for both DePue and for Montero. He played defensive tackle and end for the Knights.

“It’s special to be back here coaching, it brings back memories,” said Blalock. “Coach DePue is still crazy as ever, though.”

Blalock graduated in 1999. That year, the Knights claimed the district championship.

“I’m so happy to come back and coach with the same coaches that coached me,” said Blalock.

Special assistants Ross Powell and Josue Bonilla are recent graduates and help with both the JV and Varsity squads. Bonilla graduated in 2008 and played offensive and defensive line while Powell graduated in 2009 as a tight end.

“It was a great opportunity for me after graduation,” said Powell. “I love football, I just couldn’t be away from it.”

“I enjoy seeing kids grow and develop. Football is a great opportunity to do that,” said Powell.

“To take some ownership of Robinson football is a special honor,” said Bonilla.

While athletes come and go, one constant is the Robinson coaching staff. It has helped the Knights be a competitive team every year.

“These guys believe in what we’re doing,” said DePue. “They’ve helped transform Robinson from a football team to a football program."