The Dickinson State Coaching Tree: Lou Dobitz – Built on Patience, Perseverance, and Power Football

Coaching Tree: Maps the relationships between a head coach and their former assistants or players who later became head coaches themselves. It’s similar to a family tree but applied to coaching..

Dickinson State University Athletics is featuring a series highlighting current coaches around the nation who were mentored and influenced by Hank Biesiot and Pete Stanton. As part of the research for the 100 Years of DSU Football book coming out this summer, students in Dr. Dragseth’s Theodore Roosevelt Honors Leadership Program class interviewed more than 30 coaches who are “branches” of the Blue Hawk coaching tree.

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Lou Dobitz, a 1992 graduate of Dickinson State University, is a proud branch of the storied Blue Hawk coaching tree. Having played five seasons under Hall of Fame Coach Hank Biesiot, Dobitz now carries the values of discipline, patience, and grit into his role as a junior high head football coach—where he's been leading young athletes for the past six years after 24 years coaching high school football.

For Dobitz, the most memorable lesson from Coach Biesiot wasn’t drawn on a whiteboard or shouted across a practice field. It was a mindset: “Patience—good things don’t happen immediately. Just practice and persevere.” That steady approach continues to guide Dobitz today, as he teaches his athletes the importance of commitment over time.

Biesiot’s influence can still be seen in Dobitz’s coaching style, especially in how he structures his practices. “His organizational systems and practice concepts have stuck with me,” Dobitz said. And while Coach Biesiot was known for a few quirky sayings, it’s the philosophy of hard-nosed football that Dobitz has made central to his own teams. “Run the football. Play physical. Work hard. That’s what I learned at DSU,” he added.

Dobitz has no shortage of memories from his playing days, but the conference championship wins over rivals like the University of Mary and Valley City stand out. One particularly unforgettable moment came when teammate Art Weiss blew out his ACL during a game, requiring immediate treatment on the field. “It was a gritty reminder of how intense and serious the game can be,” Dobitz recalled.

Although Dobitz always knew he wanted to coach, playing under Coach Biesiot made him want it more. “He made coaching look like the highest calling,” Dobitz said. Today, he admits he occasionally hears himself sounding exactly like his former coach—especially during those passionate pregame speeches.

And when asked by interviewer Cole Skabo who his favorite fan was, Dobitz didn’t hesitate: “Cill Dobitz.”

Interviewed by: Cole Skabo