Courtesy: Duke Sports Information
Release: 01/04/2008
Ron Middleton joined the Duke gridiron coaching staff in January of 2008 following one season as an assistant coach at Alabama where he handled the Crimson Tide’s tight ends and special teams. At Duke, Middleton serves as associate head coach and special teams coordinator while coaching the tight ends.
He helped the Crimson Tide to a 7-6 overall record and 30-24 victory over Colorado in the Independence Bowl. Under Middleton’s direction, Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin totalled 111 points — the second-highest single-season point total in Tide history — with a school single-season record 25 field goals along with 36 extra points. In addition, Javier Arenas ranked among the SEC’s top 10 performers in both kickoff and punt return average while tight end Nick Walker caught 23 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
The former Auburn letterman and 10-year NFL veteran served three seasons (2004-06) as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers under head coach Jon Gruden. While with the Bucs, Middleton coached the tight ends and assisted with special teams and helped Tampa Bay to the 2005 NFC South Division championship.
Middleton spent five seasons (1999-03) on the coaching staff at Mississippi working along side Duke head coach David Cutcliffe. While with the Rebels, Middleton coached the tight ends for three years (1999-01) and running backs for two campaigns (2002-03) and served as the special teams coordinator. Ole Miss participated in four bowl games during Middleton’s tenure, and the Atmore, Ala., native mentored kicker Jonathan Nichols, who set 15 school records, earned All-SEC honors and captured the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top placekicker in 2003. That season, Nichols booted 24-of-28 field goal attempts and all 45 of his point after touchdown tries en route to scoring an Ole Miss single-season record 117 points.
Also in 2003, Mississippi punter Cody Ridgeway garnered second team All-SEC accolades while the Rebels paced the league in net punting, kickoff returns, field goals, and PAT kicking.
Before joining Cutcliffe at Ole Miss, Middleton spent two seasons (1997-98) at Troy, coaching the tight ends, offensive tackles and assisted with special teams. He also spent time in private business, serving as vice president of American Communications.
A four-year letterwinning tight end at Auburn from 1982-85, Middleton helped the Tigers to a four-year ledger of 37-12 with four bowl game appearances that produced three victories. In 1983, Auburn posted an 11-1 record, won the SEC title and defeated Michigan, 9-7, in the Sugar Bowl. Middleton earned a degree in pre-law/history from Auburn in 1988 and later received a master’s degree in sports and fitness management from Troy in 1998.
Middleton’s professional playing career spanned 10 seasons with five organizations. Undrafted out of Auburn, he played two years (1986-87) with the Atlanta Falcons before joining the Washington Redskins for the 1988 campaign. Following one season (1989) with the Cleveland Browns, Middleton returned to the Redskins for a four-year tenure that included a 37-24 victory over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVI. He finished his career playing single campaigns with the Los Angeles Rams (1994) and San Diego Chargers (1995).
Middleton, who was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training camp coaching staff in 2003 as a part of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship Program, was selected by Gruden in 2006 to attend the NFL’s Coaches Career Development Symposium. In addition, Middleton joined with other Tampa Bay coaches to host the 2004 High School Coaching Academy, a one-day clinic designed to elevate the quality of football coaching at the prep level.
Middleton and his wife, Mia, are the parents of three children: Ron II, Desmond and Zaria.
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