Northwestern University Athletics
Mike Dunbar Hired as Assistant Football Coach
3/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 15, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern University head football coach Randy Walker announced today the hiring of Mike Dunbar as an assistant coach. Dunbar will coach the tight ends and fullbacks and be the Wildcats' special teams coordinator. Dunbar comes to Evanston from Northern Iowa, where he was the head coach for the previous four seasons.
Walker also promoted James Patton to offensive line coach and Kevin Wilson to assistant head coach. Patton replaces Aaron Kromer, who was hired by the Oakland Raiders in February. Wilson will continue his duties as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
"I'm very excited to add a proven head coach like Mike Dunbar to our staff," said Walker. "We believe his offensive knowledge and leadership ability will be great additions to our program. I'm also pleased to elevate James and Kevin, and I have the utmost confidence that they will excel in their new positions."
Dunbar, 52, compiled a 29-15 record at UNI from 1997-2000. He owns an 81-24-1 career record as a head coach, including a 54-9-1 mark in six seasons at NAIA Central Washington. While at CWU, his teams earned two No. 1 national rankings, made the playoffs six times and, in 1991, extended a regular-season win streak to 40 games, finishing 9-0. The Wildcats were ranked among the NAIA Top 20 each year during Dunbar's tenure. Three straight years, he was named the Columbia Football Association Coach of the Year as well as Kodak's Region I Coach of the Year.
In 1992, he was named offensive coordinator at Toledo and was promoted to assistant head coach in 1994. Toledo went 36-18-2 during his five seasons, and in 1995 the Rockets were 11-0-1 overall, won the Mid-American Conference title and defeated Nevada in the Las Vegas Bowl. Toledo finished that season ranked in every major national poll and set 21 offensive school records, including most points and most rushing touchdowns.
Dunbar earned a bachelor of science degree from Washington in 1972 and a master of arts degree from Pacific Lutheran in 1979. He and his wife, Linda, have two children, Troy (22) and Lori (19).
