DuWayne Richard Deitz (December 7, 1930 – August 22, 2018) was an American football offensive tackle and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of St. Thomas from 1970 to 1980, compiling a record of 52–52–2.
 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 7, 1930 |
| Died | August 22, 2018 (aged 87) |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1952–1954 | St. Thomas |
| Track and field | |
| 1952–1955 | St. Thomas |
| Position(s) | Offensive tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1956–1957 | Minneapolis Marshall High School (asst.) |
| 1958–1961 | Minneapolis Marshall HS |
| 1962–1969 | White Bear Lake Area High School |
| 1970–1980 | St. Thomas |
| Track and field | |
| 1956–1962 | Minneapolis Marshall High School |
| 1970–after 1980 | St. Thomas (asst.) |
| Wrestling | |
| 1956–1962 | Minneapolis Marshall High School |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 52–52–2 (college) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| |
| Awards | |
| 2× MIAC Coach of the Year (1973, 1979) | |
Early life and education
editDeitz was born on December 7, 1930.[1] He attended Minneapolis Southwest High School and was named conference football MVP in 1948.[2] After graduating from there, Deitz served with the United States Marines in the Korean Conflict, being awarded the Purple Heart and a Presidential Unit Citation.[3]
In 1952, Deitz joined the University of St. Thomas, where he was team captain in football and track. Deitz was named Catholic All-American in 1954 and also was a MIAC champion in shot put.[4] He played offensive tackle.[3] Deitz graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree.[4]
Coaching career
editIn 1956, Deitz was hired by Minneapolis Marshall High School as an assistant football coach, wrestling coach, and track and field coach.[5][3] He was promoted to head football coach in 1958, after the resignation of Norm Kragseth.[5] He was named Minneapolis City Coach of the Year in 1961.[3]
On April 12, 1962, Deitz resigned from Minneapolis Marshall to accept a position as head football coach at White Bear Lake High School.[5] "Marshall's enrollment is down and it will be down more by next fall. I just feel in the long run I can do better coaching at a school like White Bear," he said.[5] Deitz ended up coaching eight seasons at White Bear Lake, compiling an overall record of 50–18–4.[4] His final game with the team was the 1969 Suburban Conference football championship game, a 25–20 win over Kellogg High School.[6][7]
In January 1970, Deitz, one of 30 applicants, was chosen to be the next head football coach at the University of St. Thomas.[4] In his first year, the St. Thomas Tommies compiled a record of 1–9.[8] They improved to 3–7 in 1971, 6–4 in 1972, and by his fourth season the Tommies went 9–1 for their first conference championship since 1956.[8][9] For this, he was named the 1973 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Coach of the Year.[3] In the subsequent years, St. Thomas compiled records of 5–4 (1974), 3–6 (1975), 7–3 (1976), 4–5–1 (1977), and 5–4 (1978).[8] In 1979, he was awarded for the second time MIAC Coach of the Year, after stunning 7–1 St. John's in the season finale, 30–0, to force a four-way tie for the conference championship between St. Thomas, St. John's, Concordia, and St. Olaf.[3][8]
Deitz later stated that the 1979 season "was probably the most frustrating but also most rewarding" in his career as a coach.[3] The Tommies started the season dealing with several starters who decided not to return, multiple injuries, and one player's death.[3] They started the season 1–2, but had a 4–0 home record and closed the year with four consecutive wins.[3] "We lacked depth, yet we had some freshmen that came through for us," Deitz said.[3] Among the players on the roster that year was wide receiver Jim Gustafson, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass against Concordia and later made it to the National Football League (NFL).[3]
Following the 1980 season, in which the Tommies went 3–6–1, Deitz resigned.[10][8] His career record at the school was 52–52–2.[10] "I've been thinking about giving up football for some time," he said.[10] "It's time I turned over the job to somebody else. I'd like to start spending more time with my wife and family."[10]
While at St. Thomas, Deitz coached each of his three sons: Dan, a defensive back; Doug, a quarterback; and Dave, a center.[11] Doug Deitz was later inducted into the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame.[3]
Later life and death
editDeitz later served as a member of the St. Thomas physical education faculty.[10] From 1981 to 1984, he served as a member of the White Bear Lake school board.[3] He was inducted into the White Bear Lake High Athletic Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Old Timers Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[3]
Head coaching record
editCollege football
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Thomas Tommies (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1970–1980) | |||||||||
| 1970 | St. Thomas | 1–9 | 1–6 | 8th | |||||
| 1971 | St. Thomas | 3–7 | 2–5 | 6th | |||||
| 1972 | St. Thomas | 6–4 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1973 | St. Thomas | 9–1 | 6–1 | 1st | |||||
| 1974 | St. Thomas | 5–4 | 4–3 | 5th | |||||
| 1975 | St. Thomas | 3–6 | 3–4 | 7th | |||||
| 1976 | St. Thomas | 7–3 | 5–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 1977 | St. Thomas | 4–5–1 | 3–3–1 | 4th | |||||
| 1978 | St. Thomas | 5–4 | 4–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1979 | St. Thomas | 6–3 | 6–2 | T–1st | |||||
| 1980 | St. Thomas | 3–6–1 | 2–5–1 | 7th | |||||
| St. Thomas: | 52–52–2 | 39–39–2 | |||||||
| Total: | 52–52–2 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b "DuWayne Richard Deitz". Find a Grave. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Byrne, Jim (November 18, 1961). "Marshall's Jones Emulates Coach as Most Valuable". The Minneapolis Star. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Funeral set for ex-St. Thomas FB coach DuWayne Deitz". Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. St. Thomas Sports Information. August 23, 2018. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "DuWayne Deitz, White Bear, Gets Toms Grid Post". Star Tribune. January 21, 1970. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Byrne, Jim (April 12, 1962). "Deitz Leaves Marshall High for Grid Coach Job at White Bear". The Minneapolis Star. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Briere, Tom (November 5, 1969). "Playoff Might Be Deitz's Prep Finale at White Bear Lake". Star Tribune. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Briere, Tom (November 7, 1969). "White Bear Trips Kellogg". Star Tribune. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "MIAC Football Record Book" (PDF). Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. 2020. p. 8.
- ^ Byrne, Jim (October 17, 1973). "Deitz turns fortune around for St. Thomas gridders". The Minneapolis Star. p. 55 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Deitz resigns as coach of St. Thomas football". Star Tribune. November 6, 1980. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Briere, Tom (September 19, 1978). "Some of players are like sons to Deitz". Star Tribune. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
