 |
 It’s said that
success spawns success, and Aliquippa High School has produced
numerous football players who have gone on to become outstanding
coaches such as Mike Ditka
and Don Yannessa. Bob
Babich is continuing that tradition.
A standout football player for Yannessa’s Quips in the late-1970’s,
Babich first took his talents to Mesa Community College, becoming
freshman Defensive Player of the Year, before transferring to Tulsa,
where he was a team captain on a 10-1 squad his senior season. That
experience encouraged Babich to pursue a career in coaching, one he
has performed with great success at the college and professional
level for close to 30 years.
Babich has been an NFL assistant coach since 2003, spending the last
five seasons with the Chicago Bears, three as defensive coordinator.
Babich assumed responsibility of the Bears defense in 2007 after
three seasons as the team’s linebackers coach. The first assistant
to join Lovie Smith’s inaugural coaching staff, Babich was initially
hired by the Bears on January 17, 2004, as the team’s linebackers
coach. He added the title of assistant head coach for the 2006
season in which Chicago advanced to the Super Bowl for the first
time in 21 years.
During Babich’s five years with the team, the Bears linebacker corps
has been arguably the most productive in the NFL. Under his
tutelage, linebacker Brian Urlacher became the NFL Defensive Player
of the Year in 2005. Urlacher and fellow linebacker Lance Briggs
have been perennial Pro Bowl selections.
Babich began his NFL coaching career in 2003 with St. Louis where he
was hired as the team’s linebackers coach to serve under Smith, the
Rams defensive coordinator at the time.
Prior to joining the Rams, Babich spent 19 years as a college coach,
the final six as the head coach at North Dakota State University
(1997-2002). In his first head coaching job, Babich amassed a 46-22
career mark by posting five winning seasons with two NCAA Division
II playoff appearances. The Bison were 9-2 in the regular season in
his first year in 1997 and 12-1 in 2000, reaching the national
semifinals before losing to eventual national champion Delta State.
Babich served 12 seasons as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division
I level at five different schools. Babich began his career as a
graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Tulsa (1984), before
being promoted to tight ends coach (1985), assistant offensive line
(1986) and strong safeties coach(1987). From Tulsa, Babich moved on
to become an assistant at Wisconsin for two seasons, one as an
assistant offensive line coach (1988) and one as tight ends coach
(1989). Babich coached linebackers at Bowling Green (1991) and East
Carolina (1992-93) before joining the Pitt Panthers in 1994.
Babich and his wife, Nancy, have one son, Bobby, one daughter,
Janie, daughter in law, Lacey and granddaughter, Lainey Marie. |
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