| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1961-02-20)February 20, 1961 (age 64) Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Aliquippa (PA) |
| College | Mesa CC &Tulsa |
| Career history | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | NCAA: 44–20 (.688) |
| Postseason | NCAA: 2–2 (.500) |
| Career | NCAA: 46–22 (.676) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Bob Babich (born February 20, 1961) is an Americanfootball coach and former player, who was formerly the linebackers coach for theBuffalo Bills of theNational Football League (NFL). Babich was the head football coach atNorth Dakota State University from 1997 to 2002, compiling a career record of 46–22. He playedcollege football as alinebacker at theUniversity of Tulsa in the early 1980s.
Babich was born and raised inAliquippa, Pennsylvania and he is of Serbian descent. He attendedAliquippa High School, lettering in football and baseball. After graduating in 1979, he played two seasons as a linebacker atMesa Community College inMesa, Arizona, before transferring to theUniversity of Tulsa, where he was a letterman on theGolden Hurricane football team from 1981 to 1982.
Babich began his coaching career as agraduate assistant at hisalma mater in 1984. The following year, he became a full-time assistant coach, tutoring the tight ends for new head coachDon Morton.[1] Babich coached the team's offensive line and strong safeties the next two seasons, before following Morton to theUniversity of Wisconsin. There he served as an offensive line coach from 1988 to 1989.[2][3] He returned to Tulsa for one season as a volunteer offensive line coach, followed by another one-year stint atBowling Green State University, where he coached the inside linebackers.[4] In 1992, Babich joinedSteve Logan's staff atEast Carolina University in the same capacity.[5] He held that position for two years until moving on to theUniversity of Pittsburgh, serving as linebackers coach underJohnny Majors. During his final season at Pitt, he also handled the special teams.[6] Babich earned his first head coaching position in January 1997, when he was named the head football coach atNorth Dakota State University.[7]
Babich entered the professional ranks in 2003 with theSt. Louis Rams of theNational Football League, serving as the team's linebackers coach. The next year, Rams defensive coordinatorLovie Smith was named head coach of theChicago Bears and took Babich with him. After coaching linebackers during his first three years, he took over the role of defensive coordinator in February 2007, when the Bears decided not to renew the contract ofRon Rivera.[8] Babich spent three seasons in that capacity, until he was returned to his prior position of linebackers coach. On January 17, 2013, Babich was among seven coaches released by new head coachMarc Trestman.[9] In 2017, he was hired asBuffalo Bills linebackers coach. In 2022, Babich announced his retirement, with his son,Bobby Babich, replacing him on the Bills staff.[10]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State Bison(North Central Conference)(1997–2002) | |||||||||
| 1997 | North Dakota State | 9–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd | LNCAA Division II First Round | ||||
| 1998 | North Dakota State | 7–4 | 6–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1999 | North Dakota State | 9–2 | 7–2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2000 | North Dakota State | 12–2 | 8–1 | 2nd | LNCAA Division II Semifinal | ||||
| 2001 | North Dakota State | 7–3 | 5–3 | 3rd | |||||
| 2002 | North Dakota State | 2–8 | 1–7 | 9th | |||||
| Total: | 46–22 | ||||||||