Griz football strength coach leaves program
1/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Jan. 14, 2014
Rob Oviatt, who just completed his fourth season as the football strength coach at the University of Montana, has left the program for personal reasons, announced UM head coach Mick Delaney today (Tuesday, Jan. 14).
Oviatt (pronounced: oh-vee-ott), who joined the Grizzly football program in 2010, has been involved in strength and conditioning business for the past 33 years at several different universities.
"Rob came to Montana four years ago when coach (Robin) Pflugrad got the head job, and he just did an outstanding job with our weight program," Delaney said. "He had so much respect by our players in our weight room. When you go through a season like we did this year and have only two season-ending injuries, that's really a tribute to what he, his staff, and all of the other people who we work with did on their end of things.
"Rob left because he has some family situations he had to take care of, and that just shows what type of guy he is," Delaney said. "We're very, very sorry to lose him, but at the same time we understand what he's going through, and our thoughts and prayers are with him."
"Coach O" was more than a strength and conditioning coach during his tenure at UM. He was also heavily involved in every Griz practice session during spring drills and the season.
"I have always thought that it is so important for your strength coach, your athletic trainer, and your equipment manager to be a part of your football staff, and that was the case here," Delaney said. "Those guys are just as important to our staff as any of our other guys, along with our sports information who assists us with our relationship with the media. To have a good, successful program, everyone who works with us on a day-to-day basis is part of our staff, and all of them are crucial to any success that we have as a team, and coach Oviatt was certainly that."
Oviatt came to Montana from Washington State University, where he served as the assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning from 2000-08. He also had stints at LSU, Oregon State, the University of Houston (1984), Texas A&M (1983), and the University of Mississippi (1981-82). He began his career as a voluntary assistant strength coach at the University of Alabama, working for the legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant.
Oviatt is a member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association and served as president of that organization from 2004-08. He was selected to the USA Strength & Conditioning Coach Hall of Fame in June of 2002.
Rob and his wife Kathleen have four children: daughters Lindsay, Allison, April and son William.
