Robert Wright - Defensive Coordinator - Football Coaches

Robert Wright

Title:
Defensive Coordinator
Email:
rwright7@buffalo.edu
Phone:
716-645-6813

Robert Wright is in his first season as UB's defensive coordinator.

Wright came to Buffalo from Duke where he served as a senior defensive analyst in 2022. Working with defensive coordinator Robb Smith, he helped lead the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record and a victory over UCF in the 2022 Military Bowl.

Wright spent the 2021 season at Iowa State as a Special Teams Analyst. While in Ames, IA, Wright was responsible for organizing all aspects of the special teams unit, including meetings, daily practice plans, scouting reports and game plans. During his short time with the Cyclones, Wright helped the program to a 7-6 record, including an appearance in the 2021 Cheez-It Bowl. He also mentored kicker Andrew Mevis, who garnered Lou Groza Award semifinalist accolades.

Prior to Iowa State, Wright spent two seasons (2019-20) at Texas A&M University as a defensive graduate assistant where he worked with Linguist. During his time in College Station, Texas A&M posted an overall record of 17-6, including consecutive bowl game victories over No. 25 Oklahoma State (2019 Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl) and No. 13 North Carolina (2020 Capital One Orange Bowl).

Before that, Wright served in two different roles at the University of Illinois for the 2016-18 seasons. He joined the Illini as a defensive graduate assistant (2016-17) before being elevated to a defensive quality control analyst for his final year (2018). While in Champaign, Wright worked primarily with the linebackers and nickelbacks.

Wright got his coaching start as a special teams quality control coach at his alma mater the University of Miami. He spent the 2015 season helping coach punter Justin Vogel, who was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist, who recorded 67 punts for 2,846 yards (42.5 avg.) that year. The Hurricanes finished the season with an 8-5 mark, including an appearance in the Hyundai Sun Bowl.

Before his coaching stint with the Hurricanes, Wright was a member of the football program at Miami for the 2011 season. He later went on to earn a bachelor's degree in economics from the University in 2015. He also obtained his master's degree in sport administration from Illinois in 2017.