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DuWayne Deitz

Biographical details
Born	(1930-12-07)December 7, 1930
Died	August 22, 2018(2018-08-22) (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
Football 2 MIAC (1973, 1979)
Awards
2× MIAC Coach of the Year (1973, 1979)

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.

Early life and education

Deitz was born on December 7, 1930. He attended Minneapolis Southwest High School and was named conference football MVP in 1948. 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.

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. He played offensive tackle. Deitz graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree.

Coaching career

In 1956, Deitz was hired by Minneapolis Marshall High School as an assistant football coach, wrestling coach, and track and field coach. He was promoted to head football coach in 1958, after the resignation of Norm Kragseth. He was named Minneapolis City Coach of the Year in 1961.

On April 12, 1962, Deitz resigned from Minneapolis Marshall to accept a position as head football coach at White Bear Lake High School. "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. Deitz ended up coaching eight seasons at White Bear Lake, compiling an overall record of 50–18–4. His final game with the team was the 1969 Suburban Conference football championship game, a 25–20 win over Kellogg High School.

In January 1970, Deitz, one of 30 applicants, was chosen to be the next head football coach at the University of St. Thomas. In his first year, the St. Thomas Tommies compiled a record of 1–9. 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. For this, he was named the 1973 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Coach of the Year. 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). 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.

Deitz later stated that the 1979 season "was probably the most frustrating but also most rewarding" in his career as a coach. The Tommies started the season dealing with several starters who decided not to return, multiple injuries, and one player's death. They started the season 1–2, but had a 4–0 home record and closed the year with four consecutive wins. "We lacked depth, yet we had some freshmen that came through for us," Deitz said. 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).

Following the 1980 season, in which the Tommies went 3–6–1, Deitz resigned. His career record at the school was 52–52–2. "I've been thinking about giving up football for some time," he said. "It's time I turned over the job to somebody else. I'd like to start spending more time with my wife and family."

While at St. Thomas, Deitz coached each of his three sons: Dan, a defensive back; Doug, a quarterback; and Dave, a center. Doug Deitz was later inducted into the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame.

Later life and death

Deitz later served as a member of the St. Thomas physical education faculty. From 1981 to 1984, he served as a member of the White Bear Lake school board. He was inducted into the White Bear Lake High Athletic Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Old Timers Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Deitz died on August 22, 2018, at the age of 87.

Head coaching record

College football

References

1. ^ "DuWayne Richard Deitz". Find a Grave. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
2. Byrne, Jim (November 18, 1961). "Marshall's Jones Emulates Coach as Most Valuable". The Minneapolis Star. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "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.
4. ^ "DuWayne Deitz, White Bear, Gets Toms Grid Post". Star Tribune. January 21, 1970. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Byrne, Jim (April 12, 1962). "Deitz Leaves Marshall High for Grid Coach Job at White Bear". The Minneapolis Star. p. 47 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Briere, Tom (November 5, 1969). "Playoff Might Be Deitz's Prep Finale at White Bear Lake". Star Tribune. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Briere, Tom (November 7, 1969). "White Bear Trips Kellogg". Star Tribune. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "MIAC Football Record Book" (PDF). Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. 2020. p. 8.
9. Byrne, Jim (October 17, 1973). "Deitz turns fortune around for St. Thomas gridders". The Minneapolis Star. p. 55 – via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Deitz resigns as coach of St. Thomas football". Star Tribune. November 6, 1980. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Briere, Tom (September 19, 1978). "Some of players are like sons to Deitz". Star Tribune. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.

• 1930 births
• 2018 deaths
• American football offensive tackles
• High school football coaches in Minnesota
• High school wrestling coaches in the United States
• Players of American football from Minnesota
• St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies football coaches
• St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies football players
• University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) faculty
• American track and field coaches
• College track and field coaches in Minnesota
• High school track and field coaches in the United States
• United States Marine Corps personnel of the Korean War
• American male shot putters
• St. Thomas (Minnesota) Tommies men's track and field athletes
• 20th-century American sportsmen