Bob Fraser is in his sixth season back at Rutgers and 16th overall "On the Banks" in 2025. Bringing over 35 seasons of coaching experience, Fraser is in his fourth stint on the Scarlet Knights' staff. He first joined the program in 1987 as a graduate assistant before returning from 2006-11 in various capacities, including defensive coordinator. Fraser served as the RU linebackers coach in 2014 and 2015. Overall, Fraser has been part of nine Rutgers bowl trips, including six wins.
• Fraser spent the past two seasons as senior analyst in helping the Scarlet Knights to back-to-back winning seasons and bowl appearances.
• Fraser served as senior advisor in 2022, a season that saw Rutgers post its best mark in total defense in 10 years. He coached linebackers in 2020 and 2021.
• Fraser saw LB Olakunle Fatukasi (Buccaneers) and LB Tyreek Maddox-Williams (Chargers) both signed by NFL teams. Fatukasi earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors and was picked as national semifinalist for the Butkus Award twice.
• Rutgers gained 19 turnovers in 2020, most in a season since 2012, and 10 more than forced the previous season. That included at least one takeaway in eight games, multiple in four games and at least four two times. RU established a plus five turnover margin, its best in a Big Ten season.
• Rutgers led the Big Ten and ranked No. 11 nationally with 7.8 tackles-for-loss per game.
• Fraser helped Fatukasi, one of 16 national semifinalists for the Butkus Award, earn First Team All-Big Ten after leading the conference with 101 tackles. He became the first Rutgers defensive player to garner First Team All-Big Ten accolades, with his average of 11.2 tackles per game ranking ninth nationally, first in the league and most by a Scarlet Knight since 1999. He also ranked second in the Big Ten with 11.0 tackles-for-loss, adding two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a pass breakup.
• LB Tyshon Fogg collected honorable mention All-Big Ten after posting 70 tackles with 4.5 for loss.
• Fraser spent the 2019 season as a coaching assistant for the New England Patriots, his third year in the NFL, after working 2016-18 as a quality control coach on the same staff as head coach Greg Schiano at Ohio State. The Buckeyes won two Big Ten championships in those three seasons, capping with a victory in the 2019 Rose Bowl.
• Fraser was part of Rutgers' transition to the Big Ten, helping the team win eight games and the Quick Lane Bowl in 2014.
• LB Steve Longa led the team with 102 tackles and added 117 the following season to finish with 342 career stops, eighth most in program history. Longa signed with the Detroit Lions.
• Fraser spent two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including serving as the assistant defensive coordinator in 2013. During that season, the Buccaneers placed two players on the
Associated Press All-Pro First Team in DT Gerald McCoy and OLB Lavonte David, a first for the franchise since 2005.
• In 2012, Fraser coached David to a standout rookie campaign as he led the team in both tackles and tackles-for-loss, while ranking in the top 10 in the NFL in tackles and among the top five in the league in solo tackles and tackles-for-loss. David was named NFL Rookie of the Month for November, becoming the first Buccaneer to win the award.
• During his second stint at RU from 2006-11, Fraser was instrumental in helping orchestrate some of Rutgers' finest defensive units.
• In 2011, his defense finished first in the Big East Conference in four defensive categories: total defense, scoring defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense. It also ranked in the top 20 nationally in total defense (14th), scoring defense (eighth), pass defense (ninth), pass efficiency defense (fifth), sacks (15th) and tackles-for-loss (eighth).
• In addition, Rutgers LB Khaseem Greene was named both an All-American and the first Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year in school history. Greene ranks fourth in school history with 387 career tackles.
• In his first season as a defensive coordinator in 2009, Fraser helped the Scarlet Knights to a top-20 national ranking in six categories, including leading the nation in tackles-for-loss and ranking fourth in sacks. RU was 15th in the country in rushing defense, 16th in scoring defense and 18th in total defense.
• After spending 2006 as assistant to the head coach, Fraser worked the 2007-08 seasons with the linebackers before taking on co-defensive coordinator duties, along with coaching linebackers, for 2009-10.
• Before joining the RU staff, Fraser served nine seasons coaching linebackers at Colgate. During his tenure, he tutored three Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honorees, nine All-Patriot League selections and two All-Americans.
• Fraser started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Allegheny, during the 1985-86 seasons. He later served in the same role at Rutgers for the 1987-88 seasons, where he worked with Schiano, who was then a graduate assistant as well.
• Fraser returned to Allegheny for the 1989 season in his first full-time position, spending three seasons as linebackers coach. The Gators were undefeated for two seasons, and in 1990, won the NCAA Division III National Championship.
• Fraser also made stops at Holy Cross and Northeastern.
• Fraser was a four-year letterman at Allegheny and was a two-time team captain. He earned All-America honors on the defensive line as a sophomore. In addition, Fraser was inducted into both the Allegheny College and East Allegheny High School Hall of Fames.
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Alma Mater: Allegheny, 1985
Wife: Cheryl
Children: Daughter, Jessica; Sons, Justin and Jason
2025-present: Rutgers (senior defensive assistant)
2023-24: Rutgers (senior analyst)
2022: Rutgers (senior advisor)
2020-21: Rutgers (linebackers)
2019: New England Patriots (coaching assistant)
2016-18: Ohio State (quality control)
2015: Rutgers (linebackers)
2014: Rutgers (special teams/linebackers)
2013: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (assistant defensive coordinator)
2012: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (linebackers)
2011: Rutgers (defensive coordinator/defensive line)
2009-10: Rutgers (co-defensive coordinator/linebackers)
2007-08: Rutgers (linebackers)
2006: Rutgers (assistant to the head coach)
1998-2005: Colgate (linebackers)
1997: Allegheny (linebackers)
1996: Northeastern (offensive tackles/tight ends)
1992-95: Holy Cross (defensive line)
1989-91: Allegheny (linebackers)
1987-88: Rutgers (graduate assistant)
1985-86: Allegheny (graduate assistant)
