By Bane Rossi

November 13, 2023

ADA – Ohio Northern University has announced that long-time Head Football Coach Dean Paul will be leaving his position with the University now that the 2023 season has concluded.

According to ONU Director of Athletics Tom Simmons, Paul leaves a lasting legacy at the University.

“Dean has had a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of student athletes and so many others in the ONU community,” Simmons said. “We are grateful for his two decades of service to the University, and we wish nothing but the best for him and his family.”

Paul’s lifetime record of 161-89 places him among the top 10 winningest active coaches in NCAA Division III. He earned his 100th career coaching victory in 2018.

He was 121-77 in his career at ONU, a winning percentage of .611. He led the Polar Bears to the NCAA Division III playoffs and first round wins in 2010 and 2015. Ohio Northern Football was nationally ranked in 11 of his 20 seasons.

He joined ONU in 2004, after five highly-successful seasons at Thomas More University in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. He led the Saints to a 40-12 record and to the second round of the 2001 NCAA Division III playoffs.

Paul is one of only two active NCAA Division III coaches to lead two different schools to playoff victories. He has coached 32 All-Americans during his 24-year career.

Prior to his first head coaching stint at Thomas More, he served in assistant coaching roles at Tulane, Wooster, and Fordham. He began his career as running backs coach at Allegheny (Pa.).

Off the field, Paul served as a voting member on the D3Football.com poll and on the AFCA Football Council.

The search for ONU’s next head coach will begin immediately.

COURTESY ONU SPORTS