Ronnie Regula is in his first season with the Bengals and first as an NFL coach, after spending the past nine years in the collegiate ranks. He serves as a defensive assistant, with a specific focus on the team's linebackers.
Regula came to Cincinnati from the University of Notre Dame, where he served as a senior defensive analyst from 2022-23 — working with the LBs in '22 and the secondary in '23. In 2023, he helped guide a Fighting Irish defense that ranked fifth nationally both in yards per game allowed (276.3) and total TDs allowed (23). Regula helped S Xavier Watts tie for the national lead in INTs (seven) and win the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the top defensive player in college football. He also worked with CB Cam Hart, whose three FFs tied for the most by any Division-I CB.
In 2022, Notre Dame ranked in the top 25 nationally in total yards allowed (22nd, 329.3 per game) and passing yards allowed (23rd, 198.0). DE Isaiah Foskey recorded 11 sacks (tied for sixth in NCAA), which resulted in a career total of 26.5 that set a Notre Dame record, while the Irish's 38 team sacks tied for 12th nationally. Regula also helped LBs JD Bertrand, Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser finish as the team's top-three tacklers.
Prior to Notre Dame, Regula served as an offensive quality control coach both at his alma mater, the University of Miami (Fla.), in 2021 and the University of Tennessee in '20. He worked with the Hurricanes' RBs and the Volunteers' TEs. With Regula on staff in 2021, Miami ranked 19th nationally in total yards (448.8 per game) and 23rd in scoring (34.1 points per game).
Regula spent three seasons (2017-19) on staff at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, including two as a graduate assistant ('17-18) and one as the Rebels' tight ends coach ('19). In 2019, he guided sophomore TE Noah Bean to career highs in receptions (22) and receiving yards (336), which each ranked third on the team. He spent the spring of 2019 as the tight ends/fullbacks coach at Lafayette College (FCS), before returning to UNLV. He had a specific focus on the defensive side of the ball in 2018, after joining the program as an offensive grad assistant in '17.
Regula transitioned into coaching following his playing career when he served as an offensive graduate assistant and quality control coach at Florida International University from 2015-16. He played collegiately at Miami from 2012-14, following one season in '10 at the College of Mount St. Joseph (now Mount St. Joseph University) in Delhi, Ohio (near Cincinnati). He was a two-year letter winner at FB and LS at Miami, and in 2014 was the recipient of the "305 Walk-On Award," given to the most improved walk-on player. After graduating, Regula served as a coaching intern at Miami.
Regula was born Nov. 29, 1991 in Miami, Fla. He earned his bachelor's degree in sports administration from Miami in 2015, and his master's degree in recreation and sports management from Florida International in '16. He and his wife, Sami, live in Cincinnati.
Playing and coaching history: 2010—Played TE at College of Mount St. Joseph. 2012-14—Played FB at Miami (Fla.). 2015-16—Graduate assistant coach, Florida International. 2017-19—Graduate assistant/assistant coach (AC), Nevada-Las Vegas. 2020—AC, Tennessee. 2021—AC, Miami (Fla.). 2022-23—AC, Notre Dame. 2024-present—AC, Cincinnati Bengals.
