Dobes celebrates 15th season

Five years ago, in a pregame warm-up before Princeton’s season finale against Dartmouth, linebackers coach Don Dobes was fired up. Zak Keasey ’05 — his talented, NFL-bound linebacker — was playing his last game in a Tiger uniform. Forgetting that he wasn’t wearing a helmet, Dobes headbutted Keasey and started bleeding profusely. He needed several stitches before the game. Despite the injury, Dobes stuck around to coach his linebackers for the entire matchup.

Sophomore defensive back Kevin Dobes, Don’s third of four children, also recalls the headbutting episode.“My family and I showed up for a game and looked down on the sideline, and my dad had on what we thought was some type of weird headband,” Kevin Dobes said. “When we got down there to say hi, it turned out that it was a bandage on his forehead. The trainers had to tape him up pretty good to stop all of the bleeding.”

This is the type of intensity and passion that Dobes has brought to Princeton football for the past 15 seasons. Head coach Roger Hughes notes that Dobes is an invaluable asset to the team.

“He is very tuned into the game on the field and knows how to get the most out of his players,” Hughes said. “Most of all, his players love playing for him.”

Junior linebacker Scott Britton said he believes that Dobes’ demeanor on the sidelines helps pump up the linebacking corps in important situations.

“Coach Dobes’ passion for the game is really evident on the sideline,” Britton said. “His emotion and energy really push us and set a great atmosphere for games. At the same time, he can be a calming force when things get a little crazy out there.”

Dobes admitted that he can be passionate in the heat of the moment.

“I would say that I am intense, enthusiastic and animated at times,” he said.

Along with the intensity and passion Dobes brings to the table, he possesses the football knowledge that can only come from years of experience. Dobes played his college ball at Northern Michigan and Illinois Wesleyan, where he suited up as a strong safety and outside linebacker. After graduating in 1979, Dobes entered the world of coaching, starting with a five-year period at Penn from 1981 to 1986. He then transferred to Rice University, where he was the offensive coordinator for three years. Following a four-year stint as offensive coordinator at Temple University, he led Rowan University to the 1993 Division III title game.

Dobes had an immediate impact on Tiger linebackers upon arriving at Princeton and has had tremendous success mentoring most of the athletes who have come under his wing. Twenty-two linebackers have gained All-Ivy status under Dobes’ guidance.

One of Dobes’ proudest moments, he said, was when linebacker and captain Dave Patterson ’96 won the 1995 Bushnell Cup, an award given each year to the most outstanding player in the Ancient Eight. That year, the Orange and Black went 5-1-1 in the Ivy League en route to an Ivy League title.

In 2000, Dobes was put in charge of the run defense in addition to his duties as linebackers coach, giving him an even bigger role on the team. Hughes noted that in addition to Dobes’ capacity as a coach, he is also a wonderful recruiter. “He’s an outstanding recruiter,” Hughes said. “He has a great sense of what it takes to play here at Princeton. I have heard many positive things from families about Coach Dobes.”

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Perhaps Dobes’ most valuable skill is his ability to put together a cohesive group of linebackers year in and year out. His corps from the 2006 Ivy League championship season, especially, was one for the ages. The trio of Brig Walker ’07, Luke Steckel ’07 and Jon Stem ’08 proved to be an outstanding force that helped guide Princeton to its championship that year.

Two of Dobes’ players have achieved success in the NFL. Along with Keasey, who earned a position as starting fullback on the San Francisco 49ers for the 2008 season, Dobes mentored first-team All-Ivy linebacker Justin Stull ’06, who was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 2005.

Though Dobes has coached in many places throughout his football career, his 15 years at Princeton have been among the most memorable for him. He regards the players he has coached at Princeton with the utmost respect and admiration.“[At Princeton], you find dedicated young men who play for love of the game instead of scholarships,” Dobes said. “I have established connections with my Ivy League athletes that I will maintain for the rest of my life.”

Throughout his 15 years as a member of the Princeton coaching staff, Dobes has left his mark on a number of Tiger football players. And with the football knowledge and passion for the game he possesses, Dobes could be a fixture with the Tigers for a long time, even if he loses a little blood along the way.