UCO Names Bobeck New Head Football Coach

The University of Central Oklahoma has hired alumni Nick Bobeck as the school's head football coach.

Bobeck, a former player and graduate assistant for the Bronchos was introduces ad the school's 13th head coach at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm extremely excited about the new chapter about to begin here at the University of Central Oklahoma," Bobeck said. "I'm very proud to be here because not many people get the chance to come back to their alma mater. I have two degrees from here and they hang on my wall every day."

"Nick is a proven leader and motivator and he's rising star in the college football world," said UCO Athletic Director Joe Mueller said. "He's the type of coach I would want my sons playing for and certainly someone our student-athletes, our student body, faculty, staff and alumni can rally around.

The Beaver, Okla. native returns to UCO after a four-year stint as the head coach at Navarro Junior College in Texas.

While at Navarro, Bobeck compiled a 42-5 record and won the 2010 National Championship as well as three regular-season Southwest Junior College Football Conference titles.

UCO has been without a coach since Dec. 1 and with the news of Bobeck named head coach, he will begin assembling a staff immediately.

"What I'm looking forward to most is getting to meet the players and getting started in the process of rebuilding the wonderful tradition that is the University of Central Oklahoma football," Bobeck said. "What we're going to be about here at UCO is we're going to build everything we do on effort. Effort is running to the football. Effort is sticking on blocks, understanding your fundamentals. It takes zero talent to be able to do those things and we're going to stress it every day."

The 31-year-old coach will meet with the current team Sunday evening before the spring semester begins.

"His connection to UCO as a former player and coach make him uniquely qualified to lead his program. I look forward to Nick restoring the great winning tradition so many UCO fans have come to expect and I'm thrilled to have him back," added Mueller.

"I'm delighted that Nick will be joining the UCO family," said UCO President Don Betz. "It is a homecoming for him as he returns to lead a program where he once was recognized as an outstanding player. Nick has the experience, vitality and discipline to motivate our athletes and to prepare UCO for its connection with the MIAA and our new conference partners. I wish him unqualified success and a long and successful tenure as the Bronchos head football coach."

Bobeck played fullback during his time on the field for the Bronchos and was a four-year letterman and two-year starter for UCO from 1999-2002. He earning first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division honors as a senior.

After his four years of play, he stayed on at UCO as a graduate assistant for three seasons. During those three years he helped UCO to a 20-12 record as well as to make the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 2003.

Bobeck went to Texas A&M as an offensive line coach in 2006 when the Aggies finished 9-4 and earned a berth in the Holiday Bowl.

The following season he moved on to Navarro and served as offensive coordinator in 2007 when the Bulldogs went 9-3 and won the conference crown. The following year he took over as head coach and the team finished 10-1 that season and ranked No. 4 in the final poll of the year.

Bobeck and the Bulldogs put it all together in 2010, following a season-opening loss with 11 consecutive wins to finish 11-1 and capture the NJCAA national championship. Navarro was 10-2 this past season, finishing fifth in the final ranking.