Robert Steeples - Football Coach - Iowa State University Athletics

Robert Steeples

Title:
Senior Offensive Analyst
Email:
rsteep1@iastate.edu
Phone:
515-294-6721

Robert Steeples, a former NFL player and cornerbacks coach at LSU, is in his second season as a senior offensive analyst at Iowa State.

In his first season at ISU, Steeples helped the 2024 Cyclones reach heights never before touched at the school as the team finished 11-3 overall, recording the first double-digit win season in program history. The Cyclones made the programs second Big 12 Championship game and defeated No. 15 Miami to win the Pop-Tarts Bowl. 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.

Steeples worked with the Cyclone wide receivers and the group included one of the nation's best duos in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. The pair combined for 167 receptions, 2,377 yards and 17 touchdown receptions. Higgins and Noel were the first duo in school history and one of just two nationally in 2024 to each record 1,000 yards in the same season.

Higgins earned Associated Press Third-Team All-America honors, while Noel was an honorable mention All-Big 12 pick as a wide receiver. Both players are among Iowa State's Top 10 for single-season receptions, TD receptions and receiving yards.

After a playing career at Missouri and Memphis, Steeples spent time in the professional ranks with the St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys from 2013-16. He went undrafted in 2013 but reached active status with the Vikings in 2013.

Steeples joins the Cyclones after working on Brian Kelly’s staff at LSU from 2022-24. He was cornerbacks coach for the Tigers and helped develop two 2023 NFL Draft picks in Jay Ward and Jarrick Bernard-Converse.

In 2022, the LSU pass defense ranked among the best in the SEC despite having a group of players who had never played together.

He was named to the AFCA 35 Under 35 2024 class which recognizes the top 35 coaches under the age of 35. He participated in the Coaches Leadership Institute alongside Cyclone coaches Deon Broomfield and Noah Pauley.

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

The St. Louis, Missouri, native was head coach at De Smet Jesuit High School at his alma mater from 2016-21 following his NFL career.

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 was named the 2020 All-American Bowl Coach of the Year after leading the Spartans to a 14-0 record and a state title in 2019.

He played his college football at Missouri (2009-11) and Memphis (2012), helping Missouri to bowl games in three-straight seasons.

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).