{{Short description|American football coach (born 1993)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Austin Armstrong | image = Austin Armstrong 2023.jpg | alt = | caption = Armstrong in 2023 | current_title = Defensive coordinator | current_team = Houston | current_conference = Big 12 | contract = | birth_date = {{Circa|{{Birth year and age|1993}}}} | birth_place = York, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | player_years1 = 2010–2013 | player_team1 = Huntingdon | player_positions = Linebacker | coach_years1 = 2016 | coach_team1 = West Georgia (GA) | coach_years2 = 2017–2018 | coach_team2 = Louisiana (GA) | coach_years3 = 2019 | coach_team3 = Georgia (QC) | coach_years4 = 2020 | coach_team4 = Louisiana (LB) | coach_years5 = 2021–2022 | coach_team5 = Southern Miss (DC/LB) | coach_years6 = 2023–2024 | coach_team6 = Florida (DC) | coach_years7 = 2025–present | coach_team7 = Houston (DC) | overall_record = | bowl_record = | tournament_record = | championships = | coaching_records = }}
'''Robert Austin Armstrong''' (born {{Circa|1993}}) is an American football coach. He is currently the defensive coordinator for the Houston Cougars. He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators.
== Early life == Armstrong was born and raised in York, Alabama, one of three children to David and Ruth Armstrong.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Austin Armstrong |url=https://www.huntingdonhawks.com/sports/fball/2014-15/bios/armstrong_austin_on6n |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Huntingdon |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Hayes |first=Matt |date=2023-04-12 |title=Hayes: Meet the man who is most responsible for Florida’s potential turnaround. And, no, he’s not a QB |url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/florida-football/hayes-meet-the-man-who-is-most-responsible-for-floridas-potential-turnaround-and-no-hes-not-a-qb/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Saturday Down South |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Growing up less than an hour from Tuscaloosa, he dreamt of coaching football at Alabama from the age of ten, idolizing Nick Saban.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Abolverdi |first=Zach |date=2023-03-13 |title=Austin Armstrong left his ‘hero’ Nick Saban to take DC job at Florida |url=https://www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/news/austin-armstrong-recalls-talk-with-nick-saban-before-taking-uf-job/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=On3 |language=en}}</ref> When Armstrong was in the 3rd grade he dressed as Florida head coach Steve Spurrier for Halloween, his mother's favorite coach, and has stated that Spurrier is the reason he wears a visor when coaching.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Matt |date=March 11, 2023 |title=The 29-year-old coordinator Billy Napier hired to save Florida |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/gators/2023/03/11/florida-gators-austin-armstrong-coach-billy-napier-staff/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}</ref> Armstrong attended Sumter Academy for high school where he was a team captain in football and baseball before attending Division III Huntingdon College in Montgomery where he played linebacker on the football team and graduated in 2014.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
== Coaching career == Following his graduation from college, Armstrong determined to break into coaching, drove to every university in Alabama with a football team and passed out his resume to coaches.<ref name=":4" /> Armstrong would eventually be hired in 2016 by West Georgia as an assistant defensive line coach.<ref name=":5" />
Armstrong would serve as an assistant defensive line coach for Louisiana-Lafayette under Billy Napier for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Buckley |first=Tim |title=Ragin' Cajuns football assistant coach being hired by Southern Miss |url=https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/ul/2020/12/07/southern-miss-reportedly-hiring-louisiana-ragin-cajuns-football-assistant-coach-armstrong/6387771002/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=The Daily Advertiser |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2019, Armstrong served under Kirby Smart as a defensive quality control coach at Georgia and has stated that he tried to mold himself in the image of Smart.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bratton |first=Michael Wayne |date=2019-01-22 |title=Georgia adds to support staff with addition of Austin Armstrong from Louisiana-Lafayette |url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/georgia-football/austin-armstrong-georgia-bulldogs-football-hire-quality-control-coach-2019/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Saturday Down South |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2020, Armstrong would return to Louisiana this time serving as the inside linebackers coach for the Ragin' Cajuns.<ref name=":5" /> In 2021, Armstrong was hired by Southern Miss as their defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, making him the youngest defensive coordinator in FBS football.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Kevin |date=2023-02-27 |title=Florida hires Austin Armstrong as defensive coordinator |url=https://www.wcjb.com/2023/02/27/florida-hires-austin-armstrong-defensive-coordinator/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=WCBJ |language=en}}</ref> In January 2023, Armstrong was hired by his idol Nick Saban as the inside linebackers coach at Alabama.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schultz |first=Nick |date=2023-01-14 |title=Report: Alabama to hire defensive coordinator, former Georgia assistant to staff |url=https://www.on3.com/college/alabama-crimson-tide/news/alabama-hire-southern-miss-defensive-coordinator-austin-armstrong-staff-nick-saban/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=On3 |language=en}}</ref> A month later Napier would hire him as the defensive coordinator at Florida following the departure of Patrick Toney.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jeyarajah |first=Shehan |date=February 27, 2023 |title=Florida hires Alabama's Austin Armstrong after ex-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney leaves for NFL |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/florida-hires-alabamas-austin-armstrong-after-ex-defensive-coordinator-patrick-toney-leaves-for-nfl/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://southernmiss.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/austin-armstrong/1718 Southern Miss bio] * [https://floridagators.com/staff-directory/austin-armstrong/3163 Florida bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armstrong, Austin}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:West Georgia Wolves football coaches Category:Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football coaches Category:Georgia Bulldogs football coaches Category:Houston Cougars football coaches Category:Southern Miss Golden Eagles football coaches Category:Florida Gators football coaches Category:Coaches of American football from Alabama Category:Sportspeople from Sumter County, Alabama Category:People from York, Alabama