ASU adds former Vikings D-line assistant Robert Rodriguez

Minnesota Vikings defensive line assistant coach Robert Rodriguez has joined the Arizona State football team as defensive line coach, the team announced via Twitter on Monday.

The 38-year-old will replace Jamar Cain, who recently departed to coach outside linebackers at Oklahoma.

Cain was regarded as one of ASU’s best recruiters on staff.

Rodriguez does have college coaching experience. From 2008-2014, he coached linebackers and special teams at his alma mater, UTEP.

Rodriguez just completed his fifth season with Minnesota, where he worked under defensive line coach Andre Patterson. With the Vikings, Rodriguez has coached the likes of ends Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen, as well as tackle Linval Joseph.

The Vikings deploy one of the NFL’s most aggressive defenses thanks to their hard-to-decipher pressures. Rodriguez will work under co-defensive coordinators Marvin Lewis and Antonio Pierce, both of whom have NFL experience as head coach and player, respectively.

The Sun Devils are expected to play with four down linemen more under the new defensive coaching leadership.

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