Rob Wenger came to Sacramento State as the team's special teams coordinator in December of 2024. Wenger previously served as the special teams coordinator at Minnesota since 2017.
Minnesota's special teams saw success under Wenger. The Gophers ranked second in the nation in punt return defense in 2018 (1.11) and 2019 (0.17) and led the nation in 2018 in punt returns with an average of 22.25.
Wenger has coached some elite special team members at Minnesota. Kicker Emmit Carpenter played under Wenger for two seasons and left Minnesota as the most accurate kicker (79.1%) in school history and is the school's second all-time leading scorer (276 points). Punters Ryan Santoso and Jacob Herbers also excelled under the tutelage of Wenger. Santoso, who made his NFL debut in 2019 with the Tennessee Titans as a kick-off specialist, averaged 43.0 yards per punt in 2017 at Minnesota. Herbers punted 93 times in 2018-19 and put only two balls in the end zone for a touchback. He placed 37 punts (39.7%) inside the 20 and 46 punts (49.4%) were fair caught.
In 2020, Wenger coached an inexperienced group of specialist as Minnesota navigated the Covid-19 pandemic. The Gophers were forced to use multiple punters and kickers during the season, but still found success. Minnesota made 4-of-6 field goals on the season. In the punting game, Minnesota did not record any touchbacks and 12 of the team's 27 punts were inside the 20. In addition, 11 of the 27 punts were fair caught. Dragan Kesich emerged as the team's kickoff specialist and 10 of his 24 kickoffs were touchbacks.
In 2019, freshmen Michael Lantz and Brock Walker handled field goals and PATs for Minnesota, while freshman Brady Weeks served as the team's longsnapper. Lantz, who made 8-of-11 field goals, was second on the team in scoring with 71 points and his 47 PATs were the second most in school history in a single season. Walker connected on 3-of-4 field goals and made six PATs.
Minnesota has returned one kickoff and two punts for a touchdown under the guise of Wenger. Rodney Smith returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown against Nebraska in 2017 and Antoine Winfield Jr., and Demetrius Douglas both returned punts for touchdowns in 2018.
Wenger also coached the Golden Gophers rush ends. Boye Mafe and Esezi Otomewa were selected in the second and fifth rounds, respectiely, in the 2021 NFL Draft. That year marked the first time since 1958 that two Minnesota defensive linemen were selected in the same draft.
Wenger came to Minnesota from Western Michigan where he worked from 2013-16. Wenger joined the Western Michigan staff as a graduate assistant in 2013, but was quickly promoted to special teams coordinator and he also worked with the defensive backs.
In 2016, he coached Darius Phillips who was named MAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Phillips returned a kickoff and punt for a touchdown in 2016, a feat he accomplished in three straight seasons. Wenger used two punters in 2016 in James Coleman and Derrick Mitchell, but the duo combined to average 40.68 yards on only 44 punts. His kicker, Butch Hampton, made 19-of-24 field goals, which included a season-long 47-yarder. Hampton, who was a Freshman All-American, totaled 128 points (19 FGs and 71 PATs) to set the all-time, single-season points record in the MAC.
In 2015, Wenger saw two of his players recognized by the MAC for their breakout seasons, as Phillips earned second-team honors as a kick returner and Andrew Haldeman was named third-team as a place kicker. Phillips made national headlines the first week of the season when he returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown against No. 5 Michigan State. Haldeman broke the Western Michigan career scoring record with 337 points and for field goals made with 57. In the MAC, Haldeman placed sixth all-time in points scored and tenth in field goals made.
In 2014, the Broncos saw significant improvements in their special teams. Punter J. Schroeder was named All-MAC Third Team, while Phillips was named a Sporting News Freshman All-American and led the conference in kick return yards and average at 26.1.
Wenger played linebacker and fullback at Colgate from 2004-06. He graduated from Colgate in 2008 and then spent two seasons at Rutgers. He was as an operations assistant in 2008 and worked in player development during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. From 2010-12, Wenger coached at his high school alma mater St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., as well as Allegheny College, working primarily with defensive players.
In 2009-10, Wenger was an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas. In 2010-11, he served in the same capacity at Allegheny in Meadville, Pa. In 2011-12, he was elevated to defensive coordinator at St. Thomas Aquinas and then was elevated to the same position, as well as recruiting coordinator, in 2012 at Allegheny.
Wenger graduated from Colgate with a degrees in sociology and anthropology in 2008 and earned his master’s in education with a specialization in athletic administration from Nova Southeastern in August of 2010.
Wenger and his wife Jacqui were married in July 2016 and have one daughter, Skyler.
Coaching Experience
2020-24: Minnesota (Special Teams Coordinator/Rush Ends)
2017-19: Minnesota (Special Teams Coordinator)
2013-16: Western Michigan (Special Teams Coordinator (also coached defensive ends in 2014)
2013: Western Michigan (Graduate Assistant)
2012: Allegheny (Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator)
2011-12: St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Defensive Coordinator)
2010-11: Allegheny College (Assistant Coach)
2009-10: St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Assistant Coach)
2008-09: Rutgers (Player Development)
2008: Rutgers (Operations Assistant)
