According to 247 Sports, UCF is set to hire Bowling Green coach Dino Babers as its next football head coach.
Sunday, news reports from 247Sports came out stating Bowling Green head coach Dino Babers would become UCF’s next head coach.
Multiple sources inform 247Sports’ Josh Newberg and Ryan Bartow that Bowling Green’s Dino Babers is expected to be the next head coach at UCF. An official announcement could come as soon as Monday. This news comes three days after the Knights wrapped up a dreadful 0-12 season.
There are still conflicting reports about Babers’ potential hiring. A source told Orlando Sports Daily’s Carson Ingle that nothing is agreed to.
Since then, however, Babers reportedly has denied the rumors and several UCF and Bowling Green reporters have not been able to confirm the signing. John Wagner of the Toledo Blade reports Babers denied the rumors to him via text.
#BGSU football: Just spoke w/ @CoachDinoBabers via text. He said rumors that he is taking UCF job are inaccurate.
— John Wagner (@JohnWagnerMedia) November 30, 2015
There are a lot of upset people this news was reported. UCF source still says he's a leading candidate, but no deal, nothing official.
— Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) November 30, 2015
Babers is scheduled to coach Bowling Green in the MAC Championship Game on Friday against Northern Illinois. The Falcons finished with a 9-3 record this year. Bowling Green ranks ninth in Football Outsiders’ S&P+ Offensive ratings.
While there is no official word or confirmation at this point, where there is smoke there is usually fire.
FOX 35 WOFL’s Adam Shadoff confirms the 247 Sports report that Babers will be UCF’s next head coach:
I'm told Dino Babers deal with UCF is done, but he did not want the news getting out with Bowling Green playing for MAC title. #fox35
— Adam Shadoff (@AdamShadoff) November 30, 2015
If the Knights do indeed hire Babers, it will be a huge boost to the offense and the Knights will be bringing in someone with a whole ton of success as a head coach already.
Babers went 8-6 last year before this year’s nine-win season. He was the head coach at Eastern Illinois for two years before taking over at Bowling Green.
As a head coach, he is 36-16 overall.
But Babers always seemed to be a primary candidate for the Knights since George O’Leary stepped down and the team began the coaching search.
What is definitely known at this point is the Knights interviewed Babers this weekend. Whether he has signed anything or has the job remains unknown as both sides seem to be backtracking some from the report.
There likely will not be any official confirmation until after the MAC Championship Game on Friday.
[…] Those proved to be unfounded and shot down relatively quickly, leaving everyone wondering what would happen following Friday’s MAC Championship Game. […]