Gophers reportedly promote from within for new defensive line coach

Minnesota's defensive line coach will be a familiar face in 2026.

Aug 28, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of Huntington Bank Stadium before the game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Buffalo Bulls. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers are expected to promote rush ends coach C.J. Robbins to defensive line coach in 2026, according to a report from Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press on Sunday.

News brief: #Gophers are expected to promote C.J. Robbins to be the new defensive line coach, @PioneerPress learned on Sunday. https://t.co/fbinrFkLrN

— Andy Greder (@andygreder) December 21, 2025

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Minnesota opted to fire defensive line coach Dennis Dottin-Carter on Dec. 5 after only one season in the position. He replaced Winston DeLattiboudere III, who left for the same position with the Arizona Cardinals last offseason, but he will return to college with Michigan State in 2026. Robbins will now be Minnesota's fifth different defensive line coach since the 2021 season.

Robbins played in the Big Ten as a defensive lineman at Northwestern from 2011 to 2016. He then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant (GA) at Miami (OH) in 2019. His first stint at Minnesota came from 2020 to 2021 as a GA.

His first job as a position coach came in 2022 at South Dakota, working with the outside linebackers. He then went to Kent State as the rush ends coach in 2023, before getting promoted to linebackers coach, special teams coordinator and assistant head coach in 2024. He was the defensive line coach at Central Michigan last season before coming back to Minnesota as the rush ends coach this year.

Robbins primarily worked with players like Karter Menz, Jaxon Howard and Lucas Finnessey this season, while Dottin-Carter worked with the rest of the defensive line. He was also the primary recruiter for four-star pass rusher Aaden Aytch, who's a top 50 prospect in the country, according to Rivals.

There have been many instances where promoting from within is a short fix for a bigger problem, but Robbins had a great season as a position coach in 2025. Menz and Howard both had career-best years, and he recruited at a high level through the high school ranks. His certainly qualified for a promotion, and he has familiarity with the Gophers' coaching staff.

Promoting Robbins might not be the flashy hire, but it was too easy of a decision for the Gophers not to make. With his rush ends position now vacant, and nickels / outside linebackers coach Kevin Kane becoming the defensive coordinator at Purdue, it seems like Minnesota will likely make one or two additions to its defensive staff this offseason.