NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Former Louisiana State University coach Paul Dietzel, who directed the Fighting Tigers to their first national championship, has died at 89, his family says.
He was hospitalized Sept. 5 and entered hospice care Sunday after a brief return home, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported Tuesday.
Dietzel coached at LSU from 1955 to 1961, assembling a 46-24-3 record. In 1958, the team went 11-0
Born in Fremont, Ohio, he was an All-American center at Miami of Ohio. He coached at West Point under Col. Earl "Red" Blaik and at Kentucky under Paul "Bear" Bryant.
Dietzel returned to West Point in 1961 as the college's first civilian coach. From 1966 to 1974 he was the coach at South Carolina.
In 1978, he was hired as LSU's athletic director until he was replaced in 1982.
Dietzel ended his coaching career with a record of 109-95-5.
He is survived by his wife, Anne; son, Steve; daughter Kathie, DuTremble; and two grandsons.
