CJ Robertson is entering his second season as the co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach of the Storm football program in 2025.
Robertson came to Lake Erie after spending the previous four seasons at Notre Dame College (NDC). Robertson saw the Falcons win at least seven games for the seventh
consecutive full-length season, among Mountain East Conference (MEC) opponents. In his four seasons at NDC, Robertson helped lead the program to three MEC titles and achieve a 32-8 (.800) overall winning record.
During the 2023 season, Robertson’s influence on the offensive line helped the NDC offense rank fourth in points scored per game (31.9). Their 411.9 yards of total offense per game and 202.2 rushing yards per game both ranked third in the MEC during the year. The offensive line allowed just 10 sacks, which was good enough to finish 10th in the nation. The Falcons rushing attack finished 20th nationally and their rushing yards per carry (5.5) was good enough to finish 12th in the nation.
Under Robertson’s offensive line play and run-game coordination, Idris Lawrence's 127.2 rushing yards per game led the MEC and ranked fourth in all of NCAA Division II. Offensive lineman Carson Heidecker earned recognition as well, being named All-Super Region I Second Team and All-MEC First Team. Lawrence and tight end James Faulkner would also finish with All-MEC First Team and offensive lineman Zachary Slapnicker was named All-MEC Second Team.
In 2022, Robertson was promoted to Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator and oversaw the Falcons finish 9-3 (9-1 MEC) to clinch the MEC title for the fifth year in a row and the fourth consecutive season appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Falcons offense scored a total of 378 points (31.5 PPG, 11th in DII) and tallied
4,330 yards (360.8 per game).
During the 2021 season, the Falcons finished 11-2 (9-1 MEC) and climbing as high as No. 6 in the national rankings and taking the MEC conference crown for the fourth consecutive season, becoming the first team in MEC history to do so. Robertson coached All-MEC TE's CJ Kiss and Reece Perkins during the historic season.
Robertson came to NDC in 2020 to join then head-coach Mickey Mental’s coaching staff. He served as the Tight Ends Coach, Special Teams Coordinator, and Director of Football Operations during the season. In that special season NDC won their third consecutive MEC title. Robertson helped develop two All-MEC TE’s including Zaire Mitchell-Paden who was an All-MEC tight end and would go on to sign with the Cleveland Browns. His work also helped develop two All-MEC K/P. Robertsons special teams units were among the top in the nation for several categories and their highest ranking saw the Falcons finished the 2021 season 2nd in the nation in blocked punts (5).
Prior to NDC, Robertson was at Montana State University Northern Lights from 2018-2019 as Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator. In 2018, Robertson had an immediate impact on the offensive line as the Lights began to show improvement throughout the season, finishing 4th in the Frontier Conference in Total Pass Offense. This growth proved successful in 2019, as the Lights offensive momentum surged in the latter half of the season. Under Robertson's tutelage the offensive line continued its improvement finishing 3rd overall in the Frontier Conference in Passing Offense with 222 ypg. Under Robertsons' direction the Lights rushing attack set a program record of 143.4 yards per game. Robertson coached three All-Frontier players on the offensive line during his stay with the Lights
From 2016-2017, Robertson served as a graduate assistant/Tight Ends/Full Backs coach at University Minnesota-Duluth (UMD). Robertson helped coach the Bulldogs to a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) championship in 2016 which earned them a spot in the NCAA DII playoffs. In 2017, UMD was once again the NSIC-North Division Champions and the went on to play in the Mineral Water Bowl. Robertson helped develop tow All-NSIC tight ends and assisted in coaching the offense which ranked 2nd in Division II with 536.7 yards per game and 45.6 points per game.
Robertson began his coaching career as a varsity linebacker coach and assistant special teams coordinator at Neuqua Valley High School (NVHS), an IHSA-8A division school, from 2012-2016. During Robertson's four-season stay, the Wildcats went 38-9 (.809). He was also a part of the 2012 team that made an appearance in the state quarterfinals, the best finish in NVHS history.
CJ attended and played for Head Coach Jerry Kill and later Dale Lennon at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. At SIU, Robertson was a three-year starting tight end from 2009-11.
In 2008 and 2009 the Salukis won the now-titled MVFC conference championship. During his playing days at SIU, the Salukis advanced to the playoffs in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The 2007 club advanced to the semifinal round of the NCAA FCS playoffs and ranked sixth in the final American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll. The Salukis spent 157 consecutive weeks ranked in the top-25 with 45 of those seeing them ranked #1 in the nation.
CJ Robertson earned his Master of Education degree from University Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) in 2018 and earned two B.S. degrees in marketing and management from Southern Illinois in 2012.
In his personal time, CJ enjoys spending time with his wife, Samantha Hartmann Robertson who also was a collegiate athlete and starting pitcher at UMD.
