Paul Dietzel

Paul Dietzel was a college football coach and administrator for nearly 40 years, including stints as a head coach and athletic director at South Carolina and LSU. After working as an assistant at a handful of schools from 1948-1954 Dietzel accepted his first head coaching job with the LSU Tigers in 1955. In seven seasons as head coach Dietzel was 46-24-3, including two 10-win seasons. His 1958 squad finished a perfect 11-0, winning the national championship, and his 1961 team won the SEC title with a 10-1 record and a 6-0 run through the conference. Dietzel led LSU to three bowl games, going 1-1 in two Sugar Bowl appearances in addition to winning the 1961 Orange Bowl. He was the 1958 SEC Coach of the Year. Dietzel returned to LSU as its athletic director from 1978-1982.

Dietzel left LSU after the 1961 season, and following three seasons as the head coach at Army he accepted the job at the University of South Carolina beginning with the 1966 season. In nine seasons as coach of the Gamecocks – five seasons in the ACC and four as an independent – Dietzel recorded just three winning seasons and posted an overall record of 42-53-1. His 1969 team went 7-4 including a perfect 6-0 in the ACC to win the conference title. That year the Gamecocks played in their only bowl game under Dietzel, losing the Orange Bowl. Dietzel also served as athletic director from 1766-1974 while coaching the football team. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 89.