College Football Coach Dana Dimel Dies at 62
College football coach Dana Dimel died on Tuesday at the age of 62. He was serving as a senior offensive assistant at the University of Illinois, where he had been named to the position in July. Dimel’s agent, Pete Roussel, said that he died in his sleep.
Dimel spent six seasons as the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) before joining Illinois. He also served as the head coach at Wyoming and the University of Houston. During his playing career, Dimel earned All-American honors as an offensive lineman at Kansas State.
Dimel began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Kansas State, where he worked under head coach Bill Snyder. He eventually became the team’s offensive coordinator and held the position for 20 seasons, helping the team win 12 bowl games and a Big 12 championship in 2012.
Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder released a statement on Dimel’s passing, saying that he was a “special friend and coaching companion” who was “a big part of the development of the Kansas State football program.”
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema also paid tribute to Dimel, saying that he had an “immeasurable impact” on the university and college football as a whole. Bielema described Dimel as having “infectious positive energy” that had a major impact on the players and staff at Illinois.
Dimel’s head coaching record at the FBS level was 50-88. He will be remembered for his contributions to the sport and his positive influence on those around him.