Rob Schlaeger came to Wyoming in January of 2017 and will work with the Cowboy defensive coaching staff. Schlaeger was most recently the outside linebackers coach at the University of West Florida, an NCAA Division II school in Pensacola, Fla., which played its inaugural season in 2016. Schlaeger developed practice plans for the outside linebackers created scouting reports on opponents and participated in constructing game plans for upcoming games. On game days, he communicated directly with the defensive coordinator from the coaching booth in the press box. Schlaeger recruited parts of Alabama, as well as recruiting the states of Minnesota and Iowa and Kansas junior colleges. West Florida went 5-6 in its first season of college football, including recording two shutouts and defeating No. 16 ranked Florida Institute of Technology. Prior to his one season at West Florida, Schlaeger was an undergraduate assistant at Southwest Minnesota State from December 2011 to June 2016. He assisted in coaching the linebackers for three seasons and spent one season working with the defensive secondary. His final season of 2015, he was promoted to a graduate assistant position responsible for coaching the outside linebackers. In 2013, Southwest Minnesota State earned its first-ever Division II bowl bid to the Mineral Water Bowl, and in 2015 it posted and 8-3 record -- its best record at the Division II level. Schlaeger earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education and sport management from Southwest Minnesota State in 2015, and completed his master’s degree in coaching of sport, also from Southwest Minnesota State, in 2016.