Don Dobes - Football Coach - Dartmouth College Athletics

Photo by: Mark Washburn

Don Dobes

Title:
Assistant Coach - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Alma Mater:
Illinois Wesleyan ’79
Email:
donald.h.dobes@dartmouth.edu
Phone (603):
603-646-3593
At Dartmouth:
14th Year (2010-)

Recruiting area: Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Philadelphia

Don Dobes, a 44-year veteran of college coaching, has logged 35 years in the Ivy League, including a baker’s dozen at Dartmouth. During his time in the Ancient Eight, he has been a part of nine conference championship teams, most recently with the nationally ranked Big Green squads in 2015, ’19 and ’21.

Dobes joined the Dartmouth staff in the spring of 2010 as the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach for the Big Green. Upon his arrival in Hanover, he improved the rushing defense 70 spots in the national rankings as the Green posted their first winning record in 13 years. The following season, he shored up the pass defense, which led the league and ranked 21st nationally. In each of his 12 seasons at Dartmouth, the team has been among the top 35 teams in fewest points allowed, cracking the top 10 five times. The rushing defense has been in the top 20 five of the past six years, and the pass efficiency defense each of the last three seasons.

The fruits of his labor paid off in 2015 as Dartmouth led the nation in scoring defense and red zone defense, plus was fourth in total defense as the Green won a share of their first Ivy League crown in 19 years. In the title season of 2019, Dobes’ defense allowed the second-fewest points and was one of the most opportunistic units in the country with five touchdowns off of turnovers. Last year, the Big Green were third in scoring defense and fifth in total defense while ranking second in the red zone for a third straight campaign.

Three of the last six defensive winners of the Bushnell Cup have come from his defense, two of whom were linebackers — Folarin Orimolade in 2016 and two-time captain Jack Traynor in 2019. His linebackers have earned All-Ivy status 22 times at Dartmouth with 11 making the first team, including Traynor three times unanimously, Orimolade twice and 2015 Bushnell Cup finalist Will McNamara twice as well. In 2022, two of his linebackers — Joe Heffernan and Macklin Ayers — were the top-two tacklers in the Ancient Eight.

Dobes spent 16 seasons as an assistant at Princeton prior to landing in Hanover. As the Tigers’ linebackers coach, as well as the run defense coordinator beginning in 2000, Dobes helped Princeton to two Ivy championships in 1995 and 2006. A total of 26 of his linebackers earned All-Ivy recognition, including 1995 Bushnell Cup winner Dave Patterson, Steve Cody who was the fifth-leading tackler in the FCS in 2009 and Zac Keasey who later played in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He also worked with the punt block/return team that led the Ivy League in return average in 2004 and ’05.

Prior to his arrival at Princeton, Dobes spent a season as the assistant head coach, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. In that lone season with the Profs, Dobes helped them reach the 1993 Division III national championship game against Mount Union.

Dobes was the offensive coordinator at Temple University for four years, including in 1990 when the Owls were the most improved team in Division I-A with a 7-4 record, their best mark in 11 years. He coached four NFL players and four All-Big East players during his tenure. Dobes also served as the offensive coordinator at Rice University from 1986-88.

His Ivy coaching career began at Penn in 1981 under former Datmouth assistant Jery Berndt. He spent his first three years as the head freshman coach while compiling a 15-3 record and coaching future Bushnell Cup winners in Tim Chambers, Tom Gilmore and Rich Comizio. In 1984, Dobes became the inside linebacker coach, then the offensive line and tight ends coach in his final year with the Quakers in 1985. Penn won four Ivy League championships during his five seasons.

A 1979 cum laude graduate of Illinois Wesleyan with a degree in physical education, Dobes began his collegiate playing career at Northern Michigan where he was a member of the 1975 Division II national championship squad. At Illinois Wesleyan, he was a two-time letter winner as well as an all-conference and academic all-state honoree. Dobes earned his master’s in education from DePauw in 1983 and was a graduate assistant coach there for the 1979 and ’80 seasons, the first of which was with Buddy Teevens.

Dobes has four children — Stefanie, Russell, Kevin and Trent. His significant other is Dr. Gladys Valdesuso.