Robert Stiner joined the Vanderbilt football staff as director of football sports performance in December 2023. Stiner reunites with Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea after the pair worked at Notre Dame for three seasons which included two College Football Playoff berths.
The results of Stiner’s work at Vanderbilt paid immediate dividends on the field. During his first season in 2024, the Commodores had their best start since 1982 (6-2), posted a winning record and won a bowl game for the first time since 2013 and defeated the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time in school history when they beat No. 1 Alabama.
Stiner spent the previous two seasons leading strength and conditioning efforts at Georgia Southern under head coach Clay Helton. He previously spent one year as the director of football sports performance under Helton at USC.
Prior to joining Helton’s staffs, Stiner spent 2018-20 at Notre Dame as an assistant director of football strength and conditioning. It marked the same three seasons Lea served as defensive coordinator for the Fighting Irish. During that stretch, Notre Dame went 33-5, earning two College Football Playoff berths. The level of performance carried over to the NFL Scouting Combine, where over two years Notre Dame produced 47 top-10 placements in running, jumping and lifting drills — more than the previous five years combined. Eight drills saw Notre Dame products with the top result.
Stiner previously served as an assistant director at Cincinnati (2017), Florida International (2016), Central Arkansas (2014-16) and Mississippi State (2012-13). His two seasons in Starkville marked his first stint under director of strength and conditioning Matt Balis, who later hired Stiner while leading the strength staff at Notre Dame.
The Nahunta, Georgia, native was a four-year starter at defensive end for Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. He was a team captain, twice earned All-Mid-South honors and won Belhaven’s strength and conditioning athlete of the year award in 2007. Since his football career concluded, he has competed in amateur mixed martial arts events.
In addition to being certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, he received a bachelor’s degree in sports administration from Belhaven in 2008 and completed a master’s in health and physical education/fitness at Valdosta State in 2011.
Stiner and his wife, Briana, have a daughter, Margaret.