SMU Athletics

Arriving with 30 years of coaching experience, Rob Likens was named assistant head coach, wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator in December 2021, and was elevated to associate head coach/co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers in February 2023. Likens came to the Hilltop after two seasons at Miami, where he served under Lashlee and worked with Mustang assistants Kyle Cooper and Garin Justice.

Likens’ unit showcased its depth again in 2024 as the passing game was one of the best in the country. The Mustangs had four receivers record at least 350 yards receiving on the season along with 20 receptions.

SMU’s offense was explosive once again, finishing the year ranked ninth in scoring at 36.5 points per game, the seventh highest average in program history. The passing game ranked 31st in the country and was efficient, ranking 20th in team passing efficiency in 2024.

Roderick Daniels Jr. led the receiving core with a breakout year, finishing with a career high in receptions (42), yards (663) and touchdowns (4). Also joining Smith in a breakout campaign with Key’Shawn Smith, who posted career bests in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Both earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors on the year.

Likens' receiving core continued to show development in year two at SMU in 2023, helping power an offense that was one of the most elite in all of FBS on the season. The Mustangs were the only team in all of the FBS with eight players with at least 300 yards receiving on the year. The offense finished top five in program history in first downs (1st), passing touchdowns (5th), passing yards (5th) and total yards (tied for 1st). The dynamic offense also finished second in program history in points scored with 542 en route to capturing its first conference title since 1984. 

In Likens’ first season at SMU, he successfully mentored one of the nation’s leading receivers in Rashee Rice. Rice finished the season first in the FBS in yards per game (112.9), while ranking third in receiving yards (1,355, 1st SMU) and fifth in receptions per game (8.0). Rice’s 10 receiving TDs were 13th. Rice was a Biletnikoff Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist and named a second-team All-American by multiple organizations, and led four Mustangs as a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection.
 
As pass game coordinator, Likens was also responsible for helping craft the seventh-best passing offense in the country, and helped the Mustangs rank 12th in the nation in scoring offense (37.2). Likens’ receiving room combined for over 3,300 receiving yards and 26 receiving touchdowns, and averaged more than 115 more receiving yards per game than their opponents. The Mustangs’ 4,117 passing yards and 331 first downs set program marks, while the 36 passing TDs and total plays (1,005) rank second. The 2022 squad also posted top-three program marks in scoring (3rd, 484), passing ypg (3rd, 316.7), completion % (3rd, 64.9), completions (2nd, 333), total offense (3rd, 6147) and first downs - passing (3rd, 174).
 
The 2020 season at Miami saw the Hurricanes jump to No. 32 in the FBS in total offense (from No. 98), No. 29 in passing offense (from No. 52), No. 26 in scoring offense (from No. 90), No. 17 in red zone offense (from No. 122) and No. 20 in first downs gained (from No. 84). In 2021, Miami again ranked 26th in scoring averaging, improving to 34.1 PPG, and jumped up to 22nd in total offense at 448.8 yards per game.

While at Miami, Likens mentored Michael Hawley, Jr., and Charleston Rambo. Hawley, Jr., broke program records for career receptions and single-game receptions, while Rambo became the all-time leader in season receptions and single-season receiving yards.

Prior to his time in Coral Gables, Likens spent three seasons (2017-19) at Arizona State where he served from 2018-19 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach where he mentored true freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels completed the 2019 season just south of 3,000 yards to go with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Running back Eno Benjamin and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk also had 1,000-yard seasons, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors.

The Sun Devils were the only P5 program to have a 3,000-yard passer, 1,500-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in 2018. Wide receiver N'Keal Harry was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

In 2017, Likens served as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, leading the Sun Devils to the 10th highest-graded passing attack in the nation according to Pro Football Focus after being graded 86th in 2016.

Likens served as offensive coordinator at Kansas from 2015-16, and from 2013-14 was Cal's assistant head and outside receivers coach, adding passing game coordinator to his title as well (2014). His 2014 squad, led by future NFL top overall draft pick Jared Goff, ranked sixth nationally in passing yards per game (346.0) and broke the school's single-season passing yardage record with 4,152 yards. Additionally, three of Cal's top four receivers were Biletnikoff Award candidates in Chris Harper, Kenny Lawler and Bryce Treggs.

During the 2013 season, Cal set single-season school record for passing yards (3,977), completions (368) and attempts (622), while also establishing new single-game marks for passing yards (521 vs. Washington State) and attempts (65 vs. Northwestern).

Prior to his time at Cal, Likens served as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Louisiana Tech (2010-12). The Bulldogs posted a 9-3 record and led the nation in scoring offense (51.5) and total offense (577.9) in 2012, putting up 40 points in 11 of 12 games and 50+ eight times. Wide receiver Quinton Patton was named a second-team AP All-American as well as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. Likens' 2011 receiving corps registered 3,200+ yards and helped the Bulldogs to the WAC title.

Likens served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central Connecticut State from 2006-09, helping CCSU to the winningest four-year stretch in program history, including a 9-3 season and Northeast Conference title in 2009. The Blue Devils led the conference in scoring offense twice during his tenure, as he coached a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Walter Payton Award finalists, All-American running backs and NEC Offensive Players of the Year in Justise Hairston and James Mallory.

CCSU averaged 239.2 yards per game on the ground in 2008 to rank seventh in the FCS. In 2007, the Blue Devils led the NEC in both total offense (387.7) and rushing offense (257.6). The Blue Devil offense set numerous school records in 2006, including single-season total yards (4,271), rushing yards (3,150), rushing touchdowns (42) and total touchdowns (51). CCSU led the nation in rushing yards per game (284.9) and finished 10th in total offense.

Likens spent two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Southeast Missouri State (2004-05), and served six seasons at Temple (1998-2003) and North Alabama (1992-97). His North Alabama team became the first program in NCAA  football to win three consecutive national championships.

While at Temple, Likens mentored All-Big East receiver Sean Dillard, who set the Owl’s all-time career receptions record, and first-team All-Big East selection Zamir Cobb, who set program records for career receptions and single-season receptions.

At North Alabama, he coached Michael Edwards to several program records, including career and season receptions, career and season reception yards and career TDs.

Likens played wide receiver at Mississippi State where he earned his bachelor's degree, graduating cum laude, in math education in 1990 before going on to earn his master's degree in math education from North Alabama in 1995. 

Likens and his wife, Soni, have one son, Cutter.