Dana Dimel, a respected college football coach, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 62, as confirmed by his family. Dimel had a remarkable 35-year coaching career, which included leading teams as the head coach at Wyoming (1997-1999), Houston (2000-2002), and Texas-El Paso (2018-2023). Before his coaching career, Dimel was an All-American offensive tackle at Kansas State. After leaving UTEP, Dimel joined the University of Illinois as a senior offensive assistant under head coach Bret Bielema for the 2024 season.
Bielema expressed deep sorrow over Dimel’s passing, calling him an exceptional person, coach, husband, father, and friend. He praised Dimel’s lasting impact on coaches, players, and staff over his three-decade career. Bielema emphasized that Dimel’s infectious positivity and energy greatly influenced the Illinois football program, players, and everyone involved with the team.
Dana Dimel had the opportunity to work under the renowned Kansas State coach Bill Snyder on three separate occasions, most notably serving as the offensive coordinator from 2011 to 2017. During this period, Dimel helped lead the Wildcats to eight straight bowl appearances.
As a head coach, Dimel achieved a 22-13 record over three seasons at Wyoming, but his tenure at Houston was less successful, with a 8-26 record over three years. At UTEP, Dimel coached for six seasons, finishing with a 20-49 record, which included one bowl appearance.