Illinois Assistant Coach Dana Dimel Passes Away
Tuesday, 3 December 2024
The University of Illinois has recently announced the passing of long-time college football coach Dana Dimel, who passed away in his sleep Tuesday at the age of 62.
Dimel was a 35-year veteran of the coaching community, recently serving as an assistant coach for Illinois. Coach Demel also served as the head coach for Wyoming from 1997 to 1999, Houston from 2000 to 2002, and UTEP from 2018 to 2023, where he compiled the most wins of any active offensive coordinator in college football for 6 years from 2011 to 2017.
"Today is a difficult day for college football and our Illini family," said Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who had hired Dimel as a senior offensive assistant this past season. "Dana was an exceptional person, husband, father, friend and football coach. He affected the lives of countless coach, players and staff members for more than three decades in college football."
He also gathered five 9-win seasons in '93, '94, '96, '14, and '16, and mentored 37 players who went on to play in the N-F-L, as well as coaching 12 different teams that made appearances in college bowl games. With the Kansas State Wildcats, he helped the team earn a Big 12 Championship in 2012, as well as notching two 10-win campaigns in 1995 and 2011.
Dana Dimel was born in Columbus, Ohio, later earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing from Kansas State in 1986. He also has a son, Winston Dimel, following the footsteps of his father, Winston serving as a three-time All-Big 12 fullback at Kansas State before transferring to play under his father in his father's first season as UTEP head coach in 2018.
At UTEP, Coach Dimel earned 20 wins and led the Miners to the New Mexico Bowl over 6 seasons with the team.
Coach Dimel learned his coaching expertise in accordation with his prior playing career, where he was also stellar on the field, serving as an All-American offensive tackle for the Kansas State Wildcats from '84 to '86, eventually signing a contract with the Minnesota Vikings before embarking on his coaching career.
Dana Dimel is survived by his wife, Julie, and their children, Winston and Josey.
