Dino Babers

Dino Babers is a respected collegiate football coach with over four decades of experience, known for developing NFL talent and leading teams to significant victories and bowl appearances. After beginning his head coaching career in 2012, Dino Babers quickly established a reputation for building championship-winning programs and developing elite talent. In his inaugural two seasons at Eastern Illinois (2012-2013), Babers led the Panthers to an impressive 19-7 overall record, including a dominant 14-1 conference mark, and secured back-to-back Ohio Valley Conference championships. His leadership resulted in consecutive FCS playoff berths, advancing to the Quarterfinals in 2013.

This list includes first-round choice Trung Canidate (2000) and second-round picks Jimmy Garoppolo, Brian Alford, Will Blackwell, Dennis Northcutt, and Josh Gordon. At Syracuse, he achieved two winning seasons and led the team to back-to-back bowl games in 2022 and 2023, marking the first time in a decade the program reached consecutive post-season appearances. Throughout his 40-season coaching career, Babers has demonstrated a consistent ability to build competitive football programs, leading six different teams to bowl eligibility and overseeing 18 postseason appearances, including 16 bowl games. He maintains an overall head coaching record of 78-70 (.527) across his leadership roles.

Most recently, Babers was appointed Offensive Coordinator at the University of Arizona in February 2024, bringing his vast experience and player development expertise to the Wildcats. His foundational understanding of the game began early, playing three positions at the University of Hawaii while earning Western Athletic Conference All-Academic honors, and he later earned his master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Arizona State in 1987, before embarking on his extensive coaching journey as a graduate assistant in 1984.