Randy Starks joined the South Florida football staff in January of 2026 as assistant defensive line coach on Brian Hartline’s first Bulls staff.
An All-Pro NFL defensive lineman with a 12-year NFL career, Starks comes to USF after serving two seasons as the head coach at Eureka College (Illinois).
He brings a wealth of coaching experience after stops at Loughborough College, Bakersfield College, Fresno State, and LaGrange College. He also previously served as head coach at Manassas Park High School (2021).
Starks served a defensive line coach at Loughborough (2023) and Bakersfield, where he also assisted in recruiting and building a team’s playbook.
A third round NFL Draft pick (71st overall) in 2004, Starks spent 12 seasons in the NFL and was twice named to the Pro Bowl (2010, 2012) while playing for three different organizations: the Tennessee Titans (2004-07), the Miami Dolphins (2008-14), and the Cleveland Browns (2015).
As a rookie for the Titans, he became a consistent starter, playing defensive tackle and nose tackle. In 2008, he made the move to Miami, where he spent the bulk of his career and quickly established himself as a staple player for the franchise. He was the first Dolphin in history to be selected to the Pro Bowl for two different positions: going in 2011 as a defensive end and 2013 as a nose tackle. Starks finished his time in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns (2015-16). In Cleveland, he was the leader of the defensive line.
Starks finished his NFL career with 422 tackles, 42 sacks, 10 fumble recoveries, four interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Starks played three seasons at the University of Maryland (2001-03) where he was a two-time All-ACC selection, a Fourth Team All-America selection by Sporting News and saw action in every game of his collegiate career while starting every game of his sophomore and junior seasons before moving to the NFL. He posted 201 tackles, 34 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks on his career.
He played in 11 games as a true freshman in 2011 and earned fourth-team All-America selection by Sporting News. As a sophomore, he was a second team All-ACC selection, recording 93 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 12.5 TFLs. As a junior, he was a first team All-ACC selection, posting 74 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and 15.5 TFLs.
Following his impressive playing career, Starks quickly pursued his passion for coaching, which began with an internship as a part of the New York Jets organization where he served as an assistant defensive line coach in 2018. He also worked as an assistant coach for Henry E. Lackey High School (2020), head coach at Manassas Park High School (2021), defensive line coach at LaGrange (2022).
Starks earned a Ph.D. in health sciences—exercise and sport science from Liberty University in 2023. He holds a master’s degree in sport management from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science degree (School of Public Health Family Science) from the University of Maryland.
Starks spent the first five years of his life in Germany because his father, Randolph Sr., was stationed there with the United States Army. Starks attended Westlake High School in Waldorf, Md., where he was a SuperPrep All-American as a senior with 77 tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles. Starks also earned four letters competing in basketball and track. In basketball, he was the leading scorer and rebounder in the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference (SMAC) as a junior and as a senior he led his team to a 23–3 record and was named Southern Maryland's Basketball Player of the Year by The Washington Post. He finished his career with 1,011 points scored and 682 rebounds.
COACHING CAREER
2026- South Florida (Assistant Defensive Line Coach)
2024-25 Eureka College (Head Coach)
2023 Loughborough (Defensive Line Coach)
2023 Bakersfield College (Assistant Coach)
2023 Fresno State (Consultant)
2022 LaGrange College (Defensive Line Coach)
2021 Manassas Park High School (Head Coach)
2020 Manassas Park High School (Assistant Coach)
2020 Henry E. Lackey High School (Assistant Coach)
