Recruiting Areas: Maryland, Virginia
Bryan Robbat joined the Holy Cross football staff as the team’s associate head coach, special teams coordinator and secondary coach in 2024.
In his first season with the Crusaders, Robbat helped Holy Cross earn a share of its sixth consecutive Patriot League Championship, with Holy Cross posting a 5-1 record in conference play.
Robbat spent the previous five seasons as a member of the Merrimack football coaching staff. In that role, Robbat oversaw the team’s defensive backs while serving as the program's assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator and special teams coordinator.
In 2023, the Warriors qualified for the Northeast Conference championship game for the second straight season. Defensively, Merrimack led the NEC in total defense (283.2 yards per game) and scoring defense (21.5 yards per game). Defensive back Tre Jordan III earned All-Conference honors.
On special teams, kick returner Donovan Wadley was an All-America honoree; during the 2023 campaign, he returned three kickoffs for touchdowns and had over 640 return yards, averaging 37.9 yards per return. As a team, the Warriors led the NEC and ranked fifth nationally in kickoff return yards (24.84), while leading the NEC and ranking seventh in FCS with three blocked punts.
Merrimack finished the 2022 season second in the NEC, boasting an 8-3 record — marking the most wins in a season in program history.
Robbat’s defensive backs ranked first in the NEC for completion percentage (53.9 percent) and second for pass efficiency. Two of Robbat’s cornerbacks, Shayne Butler and Garry Rosemond, finished in the top three for interceptions in the NEC, with each returning one for a touchdown. Rosemond was also an All-Conference first team selection, finishing second in interceptions (four) and passes defended (10).
Special teams under Robbat’s tutelage finished first in the NEC with 36 yards net punting, second with 41.4 yards net kickoff and second in average kickoff return yards with 20.4 yards. The Warriors also led the NEC and tied for third in FCS with four blocked punts, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
Robbat was promoted to assistant head coach for the Warriors in 2022 after three seasons as the team’s cornerbacks coach and recruiting coach. In 2021, Robbat had three cornerbacks rank in the top four for passes defended in the NEC. He also coached and developed two All-NEC selections, Caleb Holden and Darion McKenzie. Holden became a two-time All-Conference cornerback who spent time with the Kansas City Chiefs and later won the CFL Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts in 2022.
During that 2021 campaign, Robbat helped lead a defense that ranked atop the NEC and third in the nation for completion percentage and second in the nation for pass defense efficiency. Robbat also handled the kick return unit, which finished atop the NEC with an average of 23.3 yards per return.
In 2019, Robbat coached the cornerbacks. The Warriors’ secondary was among the best in the Northeast Conference, limiting opposing teams to a 51.3 completion percentage — the lowest among NEC programs.
He spent the 2018 campaign with the University of New Hampshire as a defensive quality control assistant, working with the defensive backs and assisting on special teams.
Robbat spent the previous three years (2015-17) in North Andover coaching for Merrimack. During his first stint with the Warriors, Robbat led the defensive backs during the fall of 2017. He oversaw the cornerbacks in the 2016 season and was also in charge of defensive quality control upon his arrival in 2015. He was also named the team's recruiting coordinator at the conclusion of the 2016 season.
Robbat graduated from UMass Dartmouth in May of 2015 with a degree in history. As a student at UMass Dartmouth, Robbat spent nearly four years as an assistant football coach. During his tenure, he oversaw the wide receivers, running backs, and defensive backs.
While a student at North Andover High School, Robbat started his coaching career as an assistant with the football team.
ROBBAT’S COACHING CAREER
2024 - | Holy Cross (Associate Head Coach / Special Teams Coordinator / Secondary)
2022-23 | Merrimack (Assistant Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator / Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Backs)
2019-21 | Merrimack (Cornerbacks Coach / Recruiting Coordinator)
2018 | New Hampshire (Defensive Quality Control)
2017 | Merrimack (Defensive Backs / Recruiting Coordinator)
2016 | Merrimack (Cornerbacks)
2015 | Merrimack (Defensive Quality Control)
2011-14 | UMass Dartmouth (Assistant Coach)
