An Officer and a Coach

More than four decades ago, when current Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates was just starting his coaching career, he was offered a new position. It was a significant jump up the coaching ladder, going from a tiny, relatively unknown Indiana college to the highest echelon of college football.

The new job, though, had an unusual requirement. The NCAA had recently permitted the service academies to hire four additional assistant coaches because in addition to the varsity teams, they also fielded junior varsity squads. At the U.S. Naval Academy, these newly-created positions were only available to U.S. Navy officers.

So, in addition to discussing starting dates and salaries, Bates also had to agree to become an officer in the U.S. Navy.

“They offered the job to four of us and two guys said no, they didn’t want to do that,” Bates said. “I thought that would be pretty cool. My dad was a Captain in the Army and my grandfather had been a Colonel in the Army.”

And that’s how Randy Bates – who always had the life plan of becoming a football coach – also became a U.S. Navy officer.

Bates went through a shortened version of basic training, learning how to wear the uniform and when to salute, among other things, while also coaching linebackers and defensive backs. Among his responsibilities was trying to keep upperclassmen from making younger football players recite various codes during lunchtime at King Hall – which prevented them from eating and led to significant weight loss during football season.

When he left the Navy after three years to coach at New Hampshire, Bates received an honorable discharge as a lieutenant junior grade.

“I didn’t have to go on a ship or anything, but it was during the Persian Gulf War, believe it or not,” Bates said. “We got on the bus to go play Army and I was sitting beside a high-ranking Marine. I pulled out Sports Illustrated and he’s looking at Soldier of Fortune and flak jackets. It was a real reminder of how our worlds were very different. I came to really appreciate the life of somebody in the military.

“In a lot of other ways, the military was very similar to sports and coaching, from the standpoint of discipline, honor and structure as well as a lot of transiency and moving around. … I didn’t wear the uniform every day, but I would wear it when we traveled and for special events, like when the president came. It was an experience I will never forget.”

When the Panthers (8-4) found out they were heading to Annapolis for the Go Bowling Military Bowl to play East Carolina, Bates’ thoughts instantly flashed back to the past. He said he has not been back to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium since 1991.

During Bates’ tenure at Navy, one of the Midshipmen’s linebackers was Michael Borgschulte, who earlier this year was named the Naval Academy’s superintendent. The two spoke last week and hope to catch up once the Panthers travel to the National Capital Region. After graduating from the academy, Lt. Gen. Borgschulte began a distinguished career as a helicopter pilot. He has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star.

Bates has been a steadying hand as a football coach, including 12 seasons at Northwestern, he has been Pitt’s defensive coordinator since 2018.

“My time at Navy was a special experience,” he said. “I don’t want to imply I was in combat. I was an officer and all that, but I’m not going to say I was anything special in that way. I have so much respect for the men and women who serve in combat. Those are pretty special people.”