Roberto Pinilla Position: Defensive Line Experience: 3rd Year At Furman Alma Mater: West Georgia '97

Roberto Pinilla is entering his third season with Furman football and second campaign in charge of the Paladin defensive line.

At the time of Pinilla's hiring in 2006, head coach Bobby Lamb spoke highly of Pinilla's abilities, including the respect he would command from his players and his reputation for player development. By all accounts thus far, he has delivered. In his first campaign on the Furman staff, both of his regulars, nose guard Justin Brown and defensive tackle Wesley Bray, garnered All-Southern Conference honors after helping Furman to an 8-4 season, playoff appearance, and No. 12 final national ranking. Last year after assuming control of the entire defensive front, Pinilla directed a unit, led by All-Southern Conference end Wallace Artis, that paced the league with 29 sacks while also topping the conference in rushing defense.

Prior to coming to Furman, Pinilla spent four years at SoCon rival The Citadel, where he also served as defensive line coach. During his tenure in Charleston, he played a key role in the development of Bulldog all-conference defensive linemen Cliff Washburn, Michael Ballentine, James Wilson, and Fred Townsend.

Pinilla is a 1997 graduate of the University of West Georgia, where he lettered four times and started every game over his last three seasons. He served as team captain his senior year and helped the Wolves make the program's first NCAA Division II playoff appearance. In his junior year he played a key role on a West Georgia squad that was ranked in the Top 10 and defeated SoCon member Georgia Southern. He finished his career as the school's career leader in starts (35) and tackles (167) by a defensive lineman.

Pinilla started his coaching career at West Georgia, first as a graduate assistant from 1997-98, and then as a full-time assistant (1998-99), handling the defensive line and serving as strength and conditioning coach.

A two-year tenure (1999-01) as defensive line coach at former league member East Tennessee State followed. From there he returned to West Georgia for one season before moving on to The Citadel in 2002.

A native of Panama, he is married to Dominique Pierre of Brooklyn, N.Y., and is father of a son, Lincoln Jacob, born April 23, 2008.