Robert Lee - Football Coach - Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Northern Illinois

Oct 11 (Sat)

TBA

Robert Lee

Title:
Asst. Coach (Defensive Line)

Robert Lee, a former assistant football coach at Butler, is starting his fifth year as the defensive line coach at Eastern Michigan University.

During his stay in Ypsilanti, the EMU defense has improved, from a high of 469.6 yards allowed per game in 2004 to a drop of almost 100 yards in 2006, at 388.3 yards per game.

Lee helped develop Jason Jones, who was picked by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Jones completed his four-year EMU career with an outstanding 2007 season when he ranked tied for seventh in the nation and led the Mid-American Conference in tackles-for-loss with 1.63 per game. He played in all 12 games in 2007 and was a first-team All-MAC performer. Jones finished fourth on the team in total tackles with 70. He was selected to play in the 2008 Senior Bowl All-Star Game and finished with three tackles, one sack for 14 yards and had one forced fumble. In addition, he was invited to the NFL Combine in late February.

Prior to leaving Butler, Lee served as the defensive coordinator and also coached the linebackers for two years. He was a special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Butler from 1998-2000, and was defensive line coach and junior varsity head coach for the Bulldogs from 1994-97.

During his Butler tenure, Lee helped the Bulldogs win a conference co-championship in 1994 and then helped the team post its first winning season as an NCAA Division I-AA non-scholarship program in 1997. He coached a first-team All-Conference defensive lineman in each of his five seasons as a full-time coach.

The 42-year-old Lee (1-11-66) joined the Butler staff after serving as defensive coordinator of the football team at Centennial High School in Corona, Calif. from 1990-92. Centennial enjoyed its first winning season in 1992.

In addition to his football coaching experience, Lee also worked as a supervisor at the Kroger Distribution Center and at United Parcel Service in Indianapolis, Ind. as well as at the Vlasic Foods Distribution Center in City of Industry, Calif. He was also a plant coordinator at Square D Company in Chino, Calif.

A native of Gary, Ind., Lee was an All-Conference lineman at West Side High School. He went on to play football for two years at Illinois State before a knee injury ended his playing career.

Lee then transferred to IUPUI and completed his bachelor’s degree in 1990. He added a master’s degree in management from National University in San Diego, Calif.

Lee and his wife, La’Tanza, have two children, Robert, IV (11) and Rachel (7).