Auburn Tigers Bring Back Former Edge Coach

A former member of Auburn’s coaching staff is making his return to the staff

A former member of Auburn's staff is making his return / Jeff Romance / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers have brought back a familiar face to fill his position as edge coach to fill the role of Josh Aldridge, who became the defensive coordinator at East Carolina.

Per Brian Stultz of AuburnSports.com, Auburn has hired Roc Bellantoni to coach the edge position, a spot he previously held on Bryan Harsin’s staff in 2022.

A source confirms to @AuburnRivals that Roc Bellantoni will join Auburn's coaching staff as the EDGE coach.

Bellantoni previously served in the same capacity on the Plains in 2022. https://t.co/t6TmVk8uGJ

— Brian Stultz (@brianjstultz) January 7, 2025

Prior to his promotion to edge coach, Bellantoni was an analyst for Auburn on Harsin’s first staff in 2021. Now, he'll be a member of Hugh Freeze and company.

2024 was a season Bellantoni will not soon forget. The Port Chester, N.Y. native was fired from his role as Florida Atlantic’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach by Tom Herman in November. Interim head coach Chad Lunsford rehired Bellantoni after Herman was fired and new head coach Zach Kittley retained Bellantoni on his staff.

Bellantoni played defensive tackle for UMass and Iona from 1988-1993. He started his high school coaching career in 1993 and earned his first college job in 1995, serving as Buena Vista’s defensive line coach.

Throughout his 30 years of coaching college football, Bellantoni has been on staff at nine different programs and has held a wide variety of roles on the defensive side of the ball and on special teams.

The only head coaching experience on Bellantoni’s resume, however, came in 2007 when he served as Eastern Illinois’ acting head coach. He was the program’s associate head coach for the next four seasons.

Bellantoni has been a part of seven conference championship coaching staffs, seven FCS playoff coaching staffs and three bowl game coaching staffs.

According to FAU’s website, Bellantoni has coached 29 players who have gone on to play in the NFL.

Bellantoni will join defensive coordinator DJ Durkin’s staff and aim to help Auburn build on its solid defensive performance from this season in 2025. The Tigers are looking to break their streak of four consecutive losing seasons.