FIU Athletics

Zac Roper, who brings over 20 years in collegiate coaching experience, will serve as the Panthers’ special teams coordinator for the second season and will assist in the mentoring of the FIU tight ends, after serving as tight ends coach as well as offensive coordinator at Duke University, where he coached for 14 seasons (2008-21) under former head coach David Cutcliffe. 
 
He also was a member of the coaching staff at North Carolina State during the 2022 season as an offensive analyst.
 
Roper previously spent time on the coaching staffs at Cornell (2005-07), Ole Miss (2001-04) and Oklahoma (1996-98).
 
Under Roper’s mentorship in 2020, the Duke offense averaged 379.9 yards per game and produced 33 total touchdowns.
 
In 2019, Roper mentored a Duke offense that averaged 329.7 yards per game and compiled 37 total touchdowns. During his watch, the Blue Devils registered 40-plus points in three-straight outings, and in four-of-five consecutive games.
 
Leading the Blue Devils’ offense in 2018, Roper oversaw a trio of All-ACC honorees in running back Jackson, wide receiver T.J. Rahming and tight end Daniel Helm. Jackson’s season was highlighted by setting the Duke record for all-purpose yards in a game with 403 at Pittsburgh, becoming just the third ACC player to reach 400 all-purpose yards in a contest.
 
At the helm of the offense was three-year starter Daniel Jones, the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and the current starting quarterback for the New York Giants. Jones, a two-year captain and two-time team Most Valuable Player with the Blue Devils, finished the 2018 season completing 237-of-392 (.605) passes for 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for 319 yards and three touchdowns on 104 attempts. He was also tabbed the Most Valuable Player of the 2019 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
 
Roper also oversaw an aerial show as Duke had three players with five or more receiving touchdowns for the first time in program history.
 
In 2017, Duke’s offense was headlined by three All-ACC selections in center Austin Davis, wide receiver Rahming and running back Shaun Wilson. For the first time in school history, the Blue Devils boasted three players with 500-plus rushing yards each with Wilson (818 yards), running back Brittain Brown (701) and quarterback Jones (518). In addition, the Duke ground trio was one of just two in the ACC to post 500-plus rushing yards and six-plus rushing scores each, joining league champion and College Football Playoff semifinalist Clemson.
 
For the second consecutive season, Jones topped the 3,000-yard plateau for total offense. He ended the season by earning MVP honors of the Quick Lane Bowl by completing 27-of-40 (.675) passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a game-high 86 yards and one additional score in Duke’s 36-14 win over Northern Illinois. As a unit, the Duke offense established or matched Quick Lane Bowl records for total touchdowns (5), rushing touchdowns (3), total offensive snaps (92), rushing attempts (52) and time of possession (38:21).
 
Roper’s first year guiding Duke’s quarterbacks resulted in a record-setting campaign for Jones, who established or matched 23 school records including most total offensive yards by a rookie (3,322). For the season, Jones, a Freshman All-America selection, completed 270-of-430 (.628) pass attempts for 2,836 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for 486 yards and a team-leading seven scores.
 
In 2016, Roper had Jones at his best against Duke’s toughest opponents. In three games versus ranked foes, Jones completed 54-of-86 (.628) passes for 517 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 124.80 quarterback rating. At No. 7 Louisville, Jones turned in a 149.70 efficiency rating, the highest by a Duke quarterback against a ranked opponent on the road during the David Cutcliffe Era.
 
The Blue Devils finished 8-5 with a victory over Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl during the 2015 season, Roper coached a pair of All-America performers in return specialist DeVon Edwards and kicker Ross Martin. Edwards set a school single-season record with three kickoff returns for touchdowns while Martin, who finished his career with the second most total points in ACC history, established Duke single-season standards for both total points (120) and field goals (26). In addition, punter Will Monday garnered All-ACC honors for the fourth consecutive season.
 
Roper’s 2015 tight end unit – a trio consisting of Braxton Deaver, David Reeves and Erich Schneider – combined to post 49 receptions for 410 yards and five touchdowns.
 
In 2014, Duke had four All-America special teams performers. Punt returner Jamison Crowder picked up second team All-America accolades from Lindy’s while Edwards, Monday and Martin all were honorable mention choices by Sports Illustrated.
 
The 2013 season marked Roper’s first year directing the Blue Devil tight ends and Duke’s offense featured All-ACC choice Deaver and Reeves. Deaver finished the year with 46 catches for 600 yards and four touchdowns while Reeves became the first player in Duke history with touchdown receptions in multiple bowl games.
 
Under Roper’s guidance, Duke boasted a pair of 2013 All-Americans in the return game with both Crowder and Edwards garnering recognition. Crowder had two punt returns for touchdowns while Edwards, who returned a pair of kickoffs for scores, averaged 30.2 yards per kickoff return. In addition, Martin and Monday earned All-ACC honors in 2013.
 
On the special teams’ side, Martin and Monday enjoyed successful rookie campaigns that resulted in Freshman All-America recognition. Martin set a then ACC freshman and school single-season record with 106 total points while Monday led the ACC in punting average.
 
In the three-year span from 2010-12, the Blue Devils recovered an ACC-best eight on-side kicks while ranking among the top four in kickoff coverage all three seasons. In addition, Duke was second in the ACC in punt return average in 2012 and scored two touchdowns.
Under Roper’s direction, kicker Will Snyderwine earned First Team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association in 2010 after booting what was then a school single-season record 21 field goals along with all 32 of his PAT attempts.
 
From 2005-07, Roper helped Cornell University to an overall ledger of 16-14. He coached the running backs and tight ends during his first two seasons before switching to cornerbacks in 2007 and also served as special teams coordinator.
 
On the special teams in 2007, Cornell paced the league in punt return average — returning two punts for touchdowns during the year — and kickoff coverage. The Big Red also posted touchdowns via a fake field goal and kickoff return. Coaching the running backs in 2006, Roper tutored Luke Siwula, who rushed for 885 yards en route to receiving All-Ivy League honors. In 2005, Cornell finished the year ranked 10th nationally in rushing offense.
 
Roper’s work with the Cornell placekickers yielded zero missed point after touchdown attempts over his three seasons as A.J. Weitsman and Peter Zell combined to boot 84 consecutive extra points. In addition, Weitsman established a Cornell single-season record with 14 field goals while punter Michael Bolling downed 23 punts inside the 20-yard line without a touchback in 2005.
 
Prior to joining the Big Red staff, Roper spent four years at University of Mississippi as a graduate administrative aide and graduate assistant coach under Cutcliffe. Roper worked with the wide receivers, tight ends and placekickers. Mississippi’s 2003 squad won 10 games with a share of the SEC Western Division title and defeated Oklahoma State, 31-28, in the Cotton Bowl.
 
Ole Miss kicker Jonathan Nichols enjoyed a sensational season in 2003 by earning All-SEC and All-America honors while winning the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker. He graduated as the school’s all-time leader in total points (344) and finished his career having made 117 consecutive PATs.
 
Roper was an undergraduate assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1996-98. He graduated from Ole Miss in 2001 with a degree in political science and went on to earn a master’s degree in higher education/student personnel two years later.
 
A native of Knoxville, Tenn., Roper is married to the former Rebecca Harvey of Bossier City, La., and the couple has one son, Joshua, and one daughter, Mikayla.
 
ROPER FILE 

2023-pres.	FIU	Assistant Coach/ST Coordinator/Tight Ends
2022	NC State	Offensive Analyst
2016-20	Duke	Assistant HC/Offensive Coordinator/QBs
2013-15	Duke	Assistant Coach/ST Coordinator/Tight Ends
2008-12	Duke	Assistant Coach/ST Coordinator/Running Backs
2007	Cornell	Assistant Coach/ST Coordinator/Cornerbacks
2005-06	Cornell	Assistant Coach/ST Coordinator/Tight Ends/Running Backs
2001-04	Ole Miss	Graduate Assistant
1996-98	Oklahoma	Student Assistant

 
ALMA MATER: Ole Miss (’01)
BORN: April 28, 1978 in Knoxville, Tennessee
FAMILY: Married to the former Rebecca Harvey of Bossier, La.  The couple have two children Joshua and Mikalya.