Head coach Tim Rebowe has announced his retirement at Nicholls (Southland). Rebowe retires as the school’s all-time winningest coach with an overall record of 57-56, 48-30 in the Southland Conference, three Southland Conference championships, and four FCS playoff appearances over his 10 seasons with the Colonels. Defensive coordinator Tommy Rybacki was named Rebowe’s successor.
Rebowe’s entire coaching career was spent in the state of Louisiana beginning in 1988 at Destrehan High School outside New Orleans. After seven seasons at Destrehan, Rebowe joined Nicholls in 1995 as the defensive backs and special teams coach. He was named the associate head coach in 1999 along with defensive back coach and recruiting coordinator duties. In 2000, he was named the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
From 2001 through 2003, Rebowe was cornerbacks coach at Louisiana-Monroe and temporarily served as interim coach following the conclusion of the 2003 season. He spent the next 11 seasons with Louisiana as an assistant defensive coach from 2004 through 2014. He returned to Nicholls in 2015.
The 2017 through 2019 seasons were the pinnacle of Rebowe’s time in Thibodaux. In 2017, the Colonels finished third in the Southland and received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs. In both 2018 and 2019, Nicholls tied for the Southland title and won their first-round FCS playoff matchup before falling in the second round. The 2018 and 2019 titles were the first consecutive conference titles in school history. Nicholls won the outright Southland title in 2023 following an undefeated conference campaign.
Rybacki has been the defensive coordinator under Rebowe for all 10 seasons Rebowe was in charge. Nicholls and Rybacki are scheduled to open the 2025 season against Troy (Sun Belt) on August 30, 2025.
Photo Credit to Nicholls State University Athletics
