John P. Roberts enters his 24th consecutive season of coaching, bringing with him a wealth of experience and versatility across nearly every phase of the game. Currently serving as the Quarterbacks Coach and Director of Football Operations at the University of La Verne, Roberts has previously been a Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, and position coach for every offensive position as well as defensive backs. Prior to joining the Leopards, he served as the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach at NCAA Division II Savannah State University and held his first full-time coaching position at Southeastern University (NAIA) in Florida during the 2020 season.
Roberts spent four seasons at San Diego Mesa College, where he coached offensive line, wide receivers, and special teams. During his time there, several of his players advanced to four-year programs, including Alexis Ramirez (Robert Morris), Cameron Breckenridge (Dixie State), and Artie Henry (Marshall). His high school coaching tenure includes two seasons as Head Coach at El Camino High School, where he led the team to a 14-12 record, a semifinal appearance, and the program’s first championship game berth in 16 years in 2015. Additional high school roles included Offensive Coordinator at St. Augustine High School, and coaching stops at Mount Miguel, Cathedral Catholic, and his alma mater, Utah State University.
As a student-athlete at Utah State, Roberts was a four-year letter winner, a two-time Golden Helmet award recipient (for hardest hitter), and twice voted Most Inspirational. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics and later completed a Master of Arts in Education. Known for developing talent, he coached three of San Diego County’s all-time leading rushers: Demetrius Sumler, Tyler Gaffney, and Elijah Preston. As a prep athlete himself, Roberts was First Team All-CIF and led the county in rushing with 2,185 yards as a senior.
Roberts believes deeply in character development, emphasizing that “talent plus preparation equals an opportunity for success.” Off the field, he volunteers at Our Daily Bread Marketplace (Food Pantry), enjoys hiking, swimming, and golfing, and values his role most as a husband to his wife Chastity (a College of Law faculty member) and father to their two children, Luke and Victoria. The Roberts family resides in Fontana, California.
