Bob Babich story

[kchats]

From Dan Pompei's Inside Dish on Sporting News.

Why are NFL owners beginning to sniff around about Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera as a head coaching candidate? Many reasons. Even though Lovie Smith has a defensive background, he entrusts Rivera to call all the defenses, and Rivera has done an excellent job.

Rivera is a wonderful leader and communicator and a people person. Players respect him. Rivera has the pedigree, having played for the 1985 Bears, one of the greatest Super Bowl champions. He has learned from great minds such as Andy Reid, Jim Johnson and Buddy Ryan.

If the Bears lose Rivera, the leading candidate to replace him will be linebackers coach Bob Babich, who also has done excellent work. ...

[Esquire]

This would be unbelievable if it happened. No matter what you think of Bob's time at NDSU, it would be good for the Bison and all the coaches that coached with him. I honestly could see Gus coaching in the NFL down the road if this happened.

[MinotBison]

I think that would be a great opportunity for coach Babich.

What seemed to be the problem his last year here? I know it's been hashed over before, but someone refresh my memory. Was it injuries? I remember they had quite few.

[Gully]

Injuries were definitely a big part of it. There is just no excuse for a losing season at NDSU however.

[sambini]

Sounds good for BOB.

[DIBISON]

From a January 6th Chicago Tribune article on ChicagoSports.com.

"If Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera departs, linebackers coach Bob Babich is considered a leading candidate to replace him, as is Rod Marinelli, assistant head coach/defensive line for the Buccaneers."

[insane_ponderer]

I think that would be a great opportunity for coach Babich.

What seemed to be the problem his last year here? *I know it's been hashed over before, but someone refresh my memory. *Was it injuries? *I remember they had quite few.


injuries hurt a little bit, but it was a season where he totally lost control of the team, it was a chain reaction season, one thing after another went wrong for him and he needed to go.

the season and his coaching were bad enough, that even though i hear all these good things about him coming out of the pro level i still can't believe he is a decent coach.

[Bob_Holiday]

Bob's greatest strength was that he was a great talker and he used that effectively. His greatest drawback as a coach was that he liked to consider himself to be an offensive guru. In all actuality he didn't have a clue and from the time that his original offensive coordinator Mark Mauer left the Bison, the Bison offense, with Babich eventually calling plays, went south. His last season , the 3-8 season, his play calling was typically dive, dive. fly pattern, punt. I will reserve my opinion of him as a defensive coach. As a legacy to his coaching tenure, he left one of the finest recruiting classes that NDSU has ever seen. Current Bison starters Nate Safe, Craig Dahl, Joe Mays, Steve Walker, Justin Frick, All-American punter Mike Dragosavich, top backup Cinque Chapman and about 8-10 other current Bison were part of that class.
Go Bison,
Bob Holiday

[MplsBison]

I believe Bob hit it right on the head.

Basically, the Babich's offense before the 2002 season was handing the ball to Lamar and letting him do his thing.

Then in 2002 there was no more Lamar but NDSU was still running Iso after Iso.

That was a tough season.

[somebison]

The is a big difference between being a successful position coach/coordinator, and being a CEO (head coach) of a team.

I don't think Babich would be a bad D coordinator

[sambini]

Esquire you are right on about Bob and Gus. Just like when Coach Erhardt went to the pros. I wish him well.++++