Illinois State's Rob Johnson is in his first season with the Redbirds, after spending seven seasons as the head coach and program director for the prep and post-graduate program at The Skill Factory (TSF), an organization providing the sports community with best-in-class professional services that engage each athlete uniquely and appropriately. He recently completed his fifth season as head coach at the prep level and has led his teams to the 2016 NACA Prep Championships, 2018 Nike Global Jam Championship, 2019 Global Jam Championship, and the 2021 National Prep Championship.

Specializing in skill development for all positions, he was awarded the 2016 NACA Prep Most Outstanding Coach and the 2017 AEBL Coach of the Year. Overall, he has helped send over 80 of his players to play college and professional basketball, 37 at the Division I level.

Just prior to his time at TSF, he worked at Tennessee Preparatory Academy in Memphis, Tennessee, and was able to step in then at TSF and help raise the profile of TSF during his five years there.

Immediately after graduating, he started his coaching career, working at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta during the 2013-14 season, helping the Stormy Petrels to a school-record 21-7 overall mark and a berth into the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Tournament championship game.

Johnson played two years each at Marist (2009-11) and Norfolk State (2011-13). He was named to the All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) third team as a senior and was the only player with the Spartans to start all 33 games. He was named to the All-MEAC Academic Team and to the All-Tournament team during his junior season. During his time with the Spartans, Norfolk State had their first MEAC championship in 2012, and the first undefeated conference season in 2013.