GREENVILLE, N.C. – Fifth-year ECU Head Football Coach Mike Houston officially announced that Dyrell Roberts (outside receivers) and Aaron Auer (tight ends/inside receivers) have joined the Pirates’ staff as assistant coaches.

Additionally, Tyler Almond (defense) and Kyle Deween (special teams) have been named analysts, while Re’quan Boyette has been appointed the new running backs coach after serving as the outside receivers coach for the 2022 campaign. All have assumed their duties immediately.

“We are extremely excited to have Dyrell and Aaron join our staff as full-time coaches, as well as Tyler and Kyle, coming on board as analysts,” Houston said. “Throughout their careers, all four have developed a proven track record of success both on and off the field. They each bring an energetic approach to coaching, are men of high character and builders of young men.”

Roberts’ appointment to the Pirates’ staff extends an eight-year collegiate coaching career, which includes a recent one-year full-time assignment at Eastern Michigan. Helped the Eagles to a 9-4 overall mark that included a 41-27 win over San Jose State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2022.

Serving as the pass game coordinator as well as working with the receivers and return units, he mentored three players that earned MAC All-Conference honors in returner Jaylon Jackson (first team) and receivers Hassan Beydoun (third team) and Tanner Knue (third team). Jackson, who returned 22 kickoffs for 571 yards and a touchdown, ranked in the nation’s Top 20 in kickoff return touchdowns (second), kickoff return average (18th/24.8) and combined kick return yards (19th).

His receiving corps caught 244 passes for 2,911 yards with 23 touchdowns and registered an 11.93 average standing fourth in the conference. Knue led the squad with 632 receiving yards and nine scores, while standing second in receptions with 45, while Beydoun caught a team-high 49 passes for 473 yards and four touchdowns. Roberts also has coached at Virginia Tech (2022), Western Illinois (2019-22), Norfolk State (2017-19), Saint Joseph’s College (2016-17), Earlham College (2015-16) and ASA Junior College (2015).

Auer’s appointment extends an almost three-year term where he served as a graduate assistant (2020-22) and most recently as a senior offensive analyst at East Carolina beginning in February of 2022. He has been involved in coaching since working as a scout and eventually a student assistant coach at Georgia beginning in 2016. In 2019, Auer was elevated to offensive quality control in May, spending nearly four years with Georgia’s coaching staff at his alma mater.

“Aaron was an asset for us both during his days as a student and as a QC,” Georgia Head Football Coach Kirby Smart said. “His willingness to help our team and staff made us better. Congratulations to Aaron and ECU on this next step.”

During his seven-year career, Auer has been a part of five bowl games which includes the 2017 Rose Bowl (champions), 2017 National Championship, 2018 Sugar Bowl, 2021 Military Bowl and the 2022 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl (champions), while also serving on a staff that appeared in the 2017 (champions) and 2018 SEC title games.

Almond comes to ECU after spending the 2022 season as a defensive quality control specialist at Georgia Tech. An 18-year coaching veteran at the high school and college levels, he spent the 2021 season at South Florida (QC/special teams) where the Bulls ranked ninth national in special teams efficiency.

His on-field coaching career includes stops at Dixie State (2019 and spring 2021), Sacramento State (2011-16) and Sierra College (2009-10) where he has served as a defensive coordinator, defensive line coach, linebackers coach and running backs coach. Almond was selected to participate in the 2020 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 under 35 Leadership Institute. He also served two season as the head coach and assistant athletics director (2017-18) and four seasons as an assistant coach (2005-08) at Christian Brothers (Calif.) High School.

Deween begins his third year in the coaching ranks after spending the 2022 season at Rice serving as a graduate assistant and working with the special teams unit. Prior to his move to Houston, Texas, Deween began his coaching career at Houston Christian (2021) as a special teams quality control coach producing a pair of First-Team All-Southland performers in kicker Gino Garcia and punter Brady Buell. Garcia stood fifth nationally in field goal conversions, while Buell averaged 42.37 yards per punt and was a semifinalist for FCS Punter-of-the-Year.