Brett Dietz, DePauw's offensive coordinator the last six seasons and an assistant coach since 2010, has been selected as the Tigers' head football coach. Dietz replaces Bill Lynch who announced his retirement in November.
"I want to thank Stevie Baker-Watson, Alan Hill and everyone involved with the search process," Dietz said. "I'd also like to thank Bill Lynch who has been a mentor to me over the past 7 years. I'm honored to lead this program and build on the success we have had developing our student-athletes in the classroom and on the football field. The past 10 years at DePauw have prepared me for this opportunity and I am excited to get started."
Baker-Watson, the associate vice president for campus wellness and Theodore Katula director of athletics and recreational sports, said "Brett distinguished himself from other candidates with his passion for DePauw, and a plan to build on the strengths of our program. "He highly values the DePauw experience, sees where the program can grow and will work with the student-athletes, staff, faculty, alumni and campus partners to actualize our goal of a North Coast Athletic Conference championship. His work over the past 10 seasons has prepared him for this opportunity and we look forward to continued success of DePauw football under Brett's direction."
During Dietz's tenure as offensive coordinator, DePauw has compiled a 41-19 record and averaged 31.4 points per game. The 2015 Tigers set school records with 393 points (39.3/per game) and 4,879 total offense yards (487.9/game) before the 2016 team broke both marks, totaling 404 points (40.4/game) and 4,909 yards (490.9/game). Over a four-season stretch (2014-17), the Tigers compiled a 31-9 record including three consecutive 8-2 seasons for the first time in program history. Dietz, who coaches the quarterbacks and receivers, was the program's recruiting coordinator from 2012-18.
A 2004 Hanover graduate and starting quarterback for two seasons, Dietz was named the school's Most Outstanding Athlete of the Decade (2000-09) and was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. He led Division III in total offense in 2003 with 380.5 yards per game. On Jan. 15 he will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Covington (Ky.) Catholic High School.
Dietz played professionally in Finland before competing in the National Indoor Football League and Arena Football League 2 for a year each. In 2007, he was named the Arena Football League Co-Rookie of the Year after leading the Tampa Bay Storm to an 8-2 record as its starting quarterback. Dietz was a second team all-Arena Football League selection in 2010 after directing the Storm to an Arena Bowl appearance and throwing 107 touchdown passes during the regular season.
DePauw finished the 2019 season with a 6-4 record including a 17-13 Monon Bell Game win over Wabash and victories in three of the final four contests. The Tigers open the 2020 season Sept. 12, when they host Butler University in the renewal of a gridiron rivalry that dates to 1884.