After completing just one season with Auburn, the defensive coordinator, Ron Roberts, will not be returning for the 2024 season. According to a report by Matt Zenitz from 247Sports on Monday, Roberts will be leaving Auburn to take on the roles of co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Florida. This departure adds to the coaching changes for Auburn, as head coach Hugh Freeze is now tasked with finding replacements for both the offensive and defensive coordinator positions. Earlier, on January 5, Auburn had announced that the former offensive coordinator, Philip Montgomery, would not be returning for the 2024 season.
Before his stint at Auburn, Roberts was hired by Freeze after serving as the defensive coordinator at Baylor from 2020 to 2022. During Roberts’ sole season with Auburn, the team’s defense displayed slightly above-average performance in various national statistics.
Auburn’s defense ranked 45th in total defense, allowing an average of 357.2 yards per game, and 41st in scoring defense, allowing an average of 22.62 points per game. The rushing defense of the Tigers allowed an average of 155 yards per game, placing them 76th in the country.
While the passing defense had moments of success, the secondary, led by Jaylin Simpson, D.J. James, and Nehemiah Pritchett—all of whom have accepted invitations to the Reese’s Senior Bowl—ranked 31st in passing yards allowed (202.2) and tied for third in the SEC with 12 interceptions.
With Roberts’ departure, he joins Philip Montgomery and cornerbacks coach Wesley McGriff as the three members leaving Auburn’s coaching staff from the 2023 season.
