COURTESY: Central State
WILBERFORCE, Ohio – The Central State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has selected Bobby Rome II as the school’s next head football coach.
CSU Athletic Director Tara A. Owens emphasized the best interests of the student-athletes throughout the hiring process.
“During our national search, we received an influx of interest from qualified candidates. After great analysis and thought, we believe Bobby Rome is the right person to lead and develop our student-athletes,” Owens said. “Coach Rome has an intense passion for the sport and an unmatched drive to succeed. Under his guidance, we believe our student-athletes will flourish on the field and in the classroom.”
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Rome, a former collegiate and professional football player, comes to CSU with six years of head coaching experience.
“I am honored to be selected to lead the football program at Central State University. CSU has tremendous history and provides a great opportunity for student-athletes to develop and achieve their aspirations,” Rome says. “Our staff is going to do everything we can to prepare our students to become successful individuals on and off the field. Our goal is to produce young men that the CSU community can be proud of.”
Rome spent the last two seasons serving as head coach at the University of Virginia — Lynchburg. Taking over a non-scholarship based football program on a 44-game losing streak, Rome’s VUL team immediately showed improvement in 2018 as Rome won his VUL coaching debut over Louisburg College. VUL went on to beat Brevard College and upset Fort Valley State University. At the conclusion of the season, Rome was named 2018 Small College Sport Report National Coach of the Year.
In 2019, Rome’s Dragons opened the season with a 48-0 win over Middle Georgia State University. Rome’s scheduling of seven NCAA Div. I programs during the 2019 season created monumental revenue for VUL. Competing against schools possessing greater monetary resources and scholarship allocation, Rome’s team remained competitive. VUL nearly upset Mississippi Valley State University during the Devils’ homecoming, falling just short, 31-26 and put up over 500 yards of offense in a competitive game against the Bears of Morgan State University.
In addition to his coaching duties, Rome also served as VUL’s athletic director and was a member of the executive board. During his time at VUL, he also participated as a coach at the Tropical Bowl, National Bowl, FBS Bowl and Globe Bowl.
Prior to taking the job at VUL, Rome worked at his alma mater as the head coach of the University of North Carolina’s club football team. A program that had not competed since 2012, the Tar Heels club team won in Rome’s coaching debut and went on to a 4-4 record.
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