Randy Bates has led the Northwestern linebackers for 12 seasons and has spent 37 years overall in the coaching profession. Bates assumed his current role at NU after Pat Fitzgerald was named the Wildcats' head coach in July, 2006.
Prior to arriving in Evanston, Bates spent six seasons at Louisiana Tech, serving as the team's defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2005.
Most recently, Bates had a hand in the breakout season of redshirt first-year linebacker Paddy Fisher in 2017, who was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team after leading Northwestern and all FBS first-year players with 113 tackles in his debut season. Fisher was also named the Big Ten Network's Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year, Second-Team All-Big Ten by the media and Third Team by the coaches
Also apart of Bates’ stellar group of linebackers in 2017 was junior Nate Hall, who finished with 79 tackles on the season as well as 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks on his way to earning an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selection.
Prior to that, Bates helped mold Anthony Walker, Jr., into one of the best linebackers and players in program history. An All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2015, Walker again earned all-conference honors as a junior before becoming the first player since 1996 to declare early for the NFL Draft.
During Bates' first season on staff in 2006, three of NU's top six tacklers belonged to the linebacking corps, led by Adam Kadela's team-high 80 tackles. Current Oakland Raiders linebacker Nick Roach, who missed the season's final four games because of injury, still finished fourth with 62 tackles.
In 2007, Kadela ranked 21st in the nation and third in the Big Ten with 125 tackles (10.4 pg), concluding his career just four shy of the coveted 300 mark. He earned consensus honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Bates' linebacking corps was a huge part of Northwestern's defensive resurgence in 2008. Senior Prince Kwateng ranked eighth in the Big Ten with 8.2 tackles per game, leading an athletic group from his outside linebacker position. Bates' linebackers earned 24.5 tackles-for-loss in 2008, including 8.5 quarterback sacks. In 2009, Quentin Davie and Nate Williams combined to make 176 tackles (19.5 for loss) on their own. The entire group had 26.5 TFLs, bettering its stellar number from a year before.
In 2010, Bates had a deep and veteran group to coach, led again by Williams and Davie. Williams recorded 96 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss to rank second on the team in both categories while Davie led the team with three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, while harassing opposing QBs with a team-best six quarterback hurries. The pair combined for 29 tackles alone in the TicketCity Bowl vs. Texas Tech.
Bates' contingent in 2011 regularly went six deep in the rotation, with David Nwabuisi leading the NU defense with 8.5 TFL's on the year and finishing with 84 tackles. Proby assumed the starting middle linebacker position midway through the year and thrived in that role, while redshirt first-year Collin Ellis made 10 starts and developed a reputation as the team's hardest hitter. The unit's highlight of the year undoubtedly came in NU's 28-25 upset of No. 9 Nebraska on Nov. 5, when Proby, Nwabuisi and Ellis combined for 21 tackles, 4.0 TFL's, a forced fumble and a pass breakup while shutting down a heralded Nebraska running attack.
In 2012, Bates oversaw a unit that was the strength of the 'Cats' defense all season long, with three starters -- Nwabuisi, Proby and sophomore Chi Chi Ariguzo -- ranking as the Wildcats' top three tacklers and all three garnering honorable mention All-Big Ten accolades.
In 2013, Northwestern's trio of starting linebackers -- Damien Proby (112), Chi Chi Ariguzo (106) and Collin Ellis (78) -- ranked as the team's three leading tacklers. Both Proby and Ariguzo earned honorable mention All-Big Ten nods from the league's media voters.
A second-year starter, Proby ranked as the team leader and was sixth in the Big Ten in tackles with 9.0 per game. Nwabuisi led NU with three interceptions -- including one return for a touchdown -- while Ariguzo topped the Big Ten with four fumble recoveries to go along with his team-best 10.5 tackles for loss.
Under Bates' tutelage, Ariguzo was the team's leading tackler in 2014 with 104. The veteran coach also helped Jimmy Hall transition from safety to linebacker and the senior finished the season with 58 tackles, two interceptions and a team-high three fumble recoveries. Redshirt first-year Anthony Walker also burst onto the scene a year ago. The newcomer led the Wildcats with 9.0 TFL's. He also earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Sept. 29 after he had eight tackles and an interception return for a touchdown in his first career start at Penn State.
Bates' linebackers enjoyed an outstanding 2015 highlighted by the breakout season of Anthony Walker, who was named as an All-American and to the All-Big Ten First Team. Walker led the team with 122 tackles and his 20.5 tackles for a loss was the fourth highest total in the nation and third most in NU single-season history. Drew Smith also had a strong year with 59 tackles and 10.5 tackles for a loss. Jaylen Prater contributed 46 tackles in only nine games, and Nate Hall stepped into a larger role with seven games left in the season and posted 56 tackles. The tenacity and the depth of the linebacker unit helped the Wildcats form an imperious defense.
In his six years with the Bulldogs, Bates served in numerous capacities, all on the defensive side of the football. He worked with the entire secondary in 2000 and 2001, the cornerbacks in 2002, linebackers in 2003, the entire secondary in 2004 and finally defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2005. In his final season at La Tech, Bates led Louisiana Tech to one of the school's top defensive performances in the last decade, which resulted in a 7-4 overall record and third-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference. The defense gave up the fewest points since 1994 and ranked fifth in the country in turnover margin.
Bates coached some of Louisiana Tech's top defensive standouts, including several who reached the ranks of the NFL: Bobby Gray (Chicago Bears), Jerron Wishom (Dallas Cowboys) and Tramon Williams (Green Bay Packers).
Prior to Tech, Bates served as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Kent State University for two years where he coached Pittsburgh Steeler James Harrison.
Bates was the linebackers coach at New Hampshire from 1992 through 1997, during which time the program won three conference northern division titles and Bates coached three of the top 10 tackle leaders in school history. In 1994, New Hampshire went undefeated, won the Yankee Conference championship, was ranked No. 12 nationally in Division I-AA and reached the NCAA playoffs.
He also had coaching stints at Navy (1989-1992), St. Joseph's College (1984-1988), Miami (Ohio) (1983-84) and Muskingum College (1982-83).
He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Ohio State University in 1983 and his master's degree in education from Miami University in 1985.
Bates is a retired Naval Lieutenant.
Bates and his wife Tracey have three children, Samantha, Alexandra and Olivia.