Randy Bates

Randy Bates (born July 3, 1960)^[1] is an American football coach who is currently the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Panthers.

Randy Bates

Current position
Title	Defensive coordinator
Team	Pittsburgh
Conference	ACC
Biographical details
Born	(1960-07-03) July 3, 1960 (age 65)
Alma mater	Ohio State University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1982	Muskingum (OL)
1983	Miami (OH) (GA)
1984–1988	Saint Joseph's (IN) (DC)
1989–1991	Navy (LB/DB)
1992–1997	New Hampshire (LB)
1998–1999	Kent State (LB)
2000–2004	Louisiana Tech (DB/LB)
2005	Louisiana Tech (DC/DB)
2006–2017	Northwestern (LB)
2018–present	Pittsburgh (DC)

Coaching career

In 1982, Bates began his coaching career at Division III Muskingum College. From there he spent the 1983 season as a graduate assistant at Miami University. From 1984 to 1988 he served as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for the Saint Joseph's College Pumas. He spent the next three seasons coaching linebackers and defensive backs for the Navy Midshipmen. Bates coached linebackers at New Hampshire from 1992 to 1997.^[1][2][3]

From 2006 to 2017, Bates spent 12 seasons coaching linebackers for the Northwestern Wildcats and head coach Pat Fitzgerald.^[4] Bates' linebacker unit helped the No. 17 Wildcats post a 10-3 record in 2017, which included a win over the Kentucky Wildcats in the Music City Bowl.^[5] He coached back-to-back All-America linebackers, in Anthony Walker Jr. and Paddy Fisher.^[6][7][8]

On January 13, 2018, Bates was hired by the Pittsburgh Panthers and head coach Pat Narduzzi as the defensive coordinator, a position left vacant by Josh Conklin.^[2]