Wisconsin adds Robert Steeples to staff

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell announced an addition to his coaching staff on Tuesday, welcoming cornerbacks coach Robert Steeples. With Steeples joining the staff, Paul Haynes, who has been Wisconsin's cornerbacks coach since 2023, will serve as UW's secondary coach.

"Bringing Robert Steeples to Wisconsin is a great addition to our coaching staff," Fickell said. "He has seen the game at every level – Playing professionally, coaching at the high school and collegiate level. Our players and staff will love working with him and we're excited to get him here.

"With the addition, we will be moving Paul Haynes to a role that will allow him to work with our entire secondary to strengthen our unit," said Fickell.

"Wisconsin's commitment to excellence and rugged style of play gives me the opportunity to work with the type of student-athletes that can benefit most from my style of coaching," said Steeples. "The defensive structure and culture that Coach Fickell and Coach Tressel have implemented complements the guys on the island – the corners. The defensive staff is full of experience, great leaders, but most importantly great human beings – which makes for a fantastic environment for growth. I'm excited to get into the trenches with the guys and do my part. The opportunity ahead is a blessing."

Steeples will arrive in Madison after spending two seasons as a senior offensive analyst at Iowa State. Prior to his two seasons with the Cyclones, Steeples led the cornerbacks unit at LSU from 2022-23. A St. Louis native, Steeples played collegiately as a defensive back at Missouri (2009-11) and Memphis (2012) before spending three NFL seasons with four teams from 2013-15.

"As a coach, I fall back on my experiences in the shoes of players and under that helmet," Steeples said. "I try to be source of poise and confidence for those I work with, and a communicator on a level that is processable by all and will make sure that my competitive passion for the cornerback position is infectious and challenges my players' intensity – because being on that island as a DB is a lifestyle."

During two seasons at Iowa State, Steeples worked directly with the Cyclone receiving corps. In 2024, Iowa State finished 11-3 overall, recording the first double-digit win season in program history. ISU finished 7-2 in Big 12 Conference action and ended the season ranked No. 15 in the Associated Press Top 25, the second-highest end of season ranking in school history. Two Cyclone receivers, Jaylin Nowel and Jayden Higgins, amassed 1,000 receiving yards, marking the first time a Big 12 program had two players total 1,000+ receiving yards in a season since 2018.

Steeples was named to the AFCA 35 Under 35 2024 class which recognizes the top 35 coaches under the age of 35.

At LSU from 2022-23, leading the Tiger corners, Steeples helped develop two 2023 NFL Draft picks in Jay Ward and Jarrick Bernard-Converse. The Tigers finished the 2023 season with a 10–3 overall record and faced the Badgers in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

In 2022, the LSU pass defense ranked fourth in the SEC (206.2 ypg) despite having a group of players that featured zero returning starters entering the season. LSU went 10-4 and won the SEC Western Division title.

Before his stint at LSU, Steeples spent the 2021 season as an assistant special teams coach with the Minnesota Vikings, working with All-Pro kickoff returner Kene Nwangwu, who led the NFL in both kickoff returns for touchdowns (2) and kickoff return average (32.1).

After his NFL playing career, Steeples was head coach at De Smet Jesuit High School, his alma mater, from 2016-21.

In his first four seasons at De Smet, the team improved from 2-8 in his first season to state champions in 2019. During his final three seasons, Steeples led his team to a 29-4 record, which included a 20-game winning streak and back-to-back appearances in the state title game. His team ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation.

Steeples earned his bachelor's degree in business administration (2012) from Missouri and completed his master's degree in business and social development at Memphis (2017).

The Steeples File
College: Missouri, 2012 B.S. Business Administration;
Memphis, 2017 M.A. Business and Social Development

Coaching Experience
2016-20 De Smet Jesuit High School (Head Coach)
2021 Minnesota Vikings (Asst. Special Teams)
2022-23 LSU (Cornerbacks)
2024-25 Iowa State (Senior Offensive Analyst)
2025-present Wisconsin (Cornerbacks)

Playing Experience
2009-11 University of Missouri
2012 University of Memphis
2013 St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings
2014 Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys
2015 Dallas Cowboys

University of Wisconsin Athletics

Wisconsin adds Robert Steeples to staff

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