Coach Denny Stolz

By TONY PULGINE Former Big Ten Coach-Of-The-Year Denny Stolz is the man at the controls of this year's Falcon football team. Stolz, 43, becomes the 12th head coach in Bowling Green football history after a three-year head coaching career at Michigan State University. As the head man at MSU, Stolz com- piled a 19-13-1 record. During that pe- riod, it was the only winning record pro- duced by Big Ten coaches other than Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler. Stolz, a graduate of Alma College, started his rebuilding program at Mich- igan State with a 5-6 record in 1973, and a 4-4 conference mark, which put the Spartans in a four-way tie for fourth place. In 1974, he directed the Spartans to BOWLING GREEN'S 1977 COACHING STAFF: First row, l-r, Denny Stolz, head their best record since 1966 by compil- coach; Charlie Butler, assistant to the head coach and offensive line; Mike Rasmus- ing a 7-3-1 record and a 6-1-1 conference sen, offensive coordinator and offensive backs, and Steve Beckholt, defensive co- mark for a third-place finish. Only a tie ordinator and linebackers. Second row, Russ Jacques, defensive backs; Pete Riesen, with Illinois kept the Spartans out of defensive ends; Charley Baggett, assistant offensive backs; Gary Pinkel, receivers, the championship picture. and Jim Taubert, defensive line. For his efforts, Stolz was named Big Ten Coach-Of-The-Year. The highlight of the season was the 16-13 win over the The Coaching Staff Ohio State Buckeyes, who were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time. CHARLEY BAGGETT, 1975 Michigan State co-captain, will assist the offensive The 1975 season found the Spartans staff with the backfield and work with the development of the younger players compiling a 7-4 record and a 4-4 Big on the team. He holds the MSU career total offense record of 4,041 yards set dur- Ten mark, for another third-place finish. ing 1973-75 seasons. The 1975 MSU graduate won All-Big Ten quarterback honors His success in the coaching ranks and was State's most valuable player in 1974. brought him a post-season all-star coach- CHARLIE BUTLER was Stolz's offensive line coach at Michigan State from 1973- ing assignment in January of 1976. He 75 and will have the same duties at BC. The 1961 graduate of Middle Tennessee directed the North team to a win in the will also serve as assistant to the head coach. An offensive guard and linebacker Ail-American Bowl played in Tampa. in college, Butler has also coached at Middle Tennessee (1966-71) and Colorado Stolz began his career with the Spar- State (1972). tans as an assistant football coach and STEVE BECKHOLT was defensive coordinator at Albion (Mich.) College last defensive coordinator under Duffy year when team went 9-0 and led NCAA Division III teams in total defense and Daugherty in 1971. In two seasons, his scoring defense. The 1971 Michigan State graduate will coach defensive ends and defensive units ranked second and third linebackers and serve as defensive coordinator. He was a two-year letterman at in the Big Ten in total defense. linebacker for Western Michigan before transferring to MSU. Prior to joining the Spartan staff, Stolz RUSS JACQUES starts his third year on the BC staff as defensive secondary was the head coach at Alma College from coach. His defensive backs ranked eighth in the nation in 1975. The 1967 Bowling 1965-1970. Taking over a team that had Green graduate won five letters in baseball and football. Joined staff after one won but three games in four years, Stolz year as head coach at North Royalton High School. molded Alma into a Michigan Intercol- GARY PINKEL will coach the tight ends and receivers after serving for two years legiate Athletic Association (MIAA) pow- on the coaching staff at Washington State. The 1975 Kent State graduate won all- er. During his six-year tenure at Alma, conference honors at tight end in 1972 and 1973 while gaining All-America hon- orable mention. He twice led Kent in receiving and was a captain of the 1973 his teams captured three MIAA cham- pionships and compiled an 18-game team. MIKE RASMUSSEN will coach the offensive backs and serve as BG's offensive winning streak with two consecutive coordinator. He joins the staff after serving for two years at the University of undefeated seasons in 1967 and 1968. A native of Lansing, Mich., Stolz Hawaii as offensive coordinator. A 1972 graduate of Michigan State, Rasmussen started his head coaching career at was the quarterback for the Spartans in 1970 and 1971. PETE RIESEN starts his second year at BG and will coach the defensive ends. Hasiett High School, where he had an He also is BG's head wrestling coach. Riesen was head football and wrestling coach eight-year record of 40-13-3 from 1955- at Heidelberg College before coming to BG. His Heidelberg football teams were 1963. He was the defensive coordinator 30-17 and the undefeated 1972 team won the NCAA Division III national champion- at Lansing Eastern High School in 1964. ship. As a head football coach, the 1951 Wittenberg graduate has a record of He earned a bachelor's degree from Alma in 1955, and a master's degree 118-49-3. JIM TAUBERT was co-captain and an all-conference first team defensive tackle from Michigan State in 1960. He and on the 1974 Michigan State team which upset undefeated Ohio State and finished his wife, Cena, are the parents of a son, third in the Big Ten. The 1974 MSU graduate was named the team's outstanding Doak, 17, and daughters, Dawn, 16, and senior. He will coach the defensive tackles and middle guards. He was assistant Denise, 9. football and wrestling coach at Reading (Pa.) High School in 1976. Page 7