Carl Doehling
Encyclopedia
Carl Herman Doehling was an American
football
coach. He was the head coach
of the Ripon College
Redmen of the Ripon, Wisconsin
from 1924–1955. During his thirty-two year reign, Doehling coached teams to fifteen conference championships, nine being in the Midwest Conference
and six from the old Wisconsin
state conference known as The Big Four
.
. There he coached his teams to football and track state championships in successive years of ’23 and ’24. His success in the high school ranks, made him an attractive candidate to Ripon officials and in 1924 he was offered him the position as athletic director
and head football coach. Ripon teams had struggled for years and Doehling was seen was given the charge of building the program from the ground up.
Doehling knew the entire program needed an overhaul. He looked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison athletic department as his model. Not only did Wisconsin have strong intercollegiate athletics
teams, but they also had a huge intramural sports
program. The coach saw this as something he felt should be in Ripon’s agenda and implemented it. By 1928, Ripon College had one of the strongest intramural departments in the state.
Ripon's intramural program and intercollegiate sports flourished during his time. Ripon gained clout on both the local, regional and national levels during his term. One of Doehling’s grandest victories came when his 1928 squad, a heavy underdog, defeated the powerhouse University of Chicago
, 12–0. This was Ripon’s first ever victory against a Big Ten Conference
opponent, something Chicago
was at the time, and reportedly spread the Redmen name across the country. Thirty-thousand spectators came out to witness Ripon’s great upset, probably the largest crowd a Ripon team has ever played.
Ripon teams did not always enjoy unbridled success during the Doehling era though. His final career record at Ripon was 94–99–24.
from 1938–64, the two schools instituted the Doehling-Heselton Memorial Trophy. The winner of the annual game between the Red Hawks and the Vikings is awarded this traveling trophy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach. He was the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of the Ripon College
Ripon College (Wisconsin)
Ripon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It offers small class sizes and intensive mentoring to students. Ripon has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa--one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies. Alumni have high rates of success in the workforce as well as acceptance...
Redmen of the Ripon, Wisconsin
Ripon, Wisconsin
Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The City of Ripon's official website claims the city's current population to be 7,701. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon....
from 1924–1955. During his thirty-two year reign, Doehling coached teams to fifteen conference championships, nine being in the Midwest Conference
Midwest Conference
The Midwest Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the Midwestern United States in the states of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin...
and six from the old Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
state conference known as The Big Four
The Big Four
The Big Four was the name popularly given to the chief entrepreneurs in the building of the Central Pacific Railroad, the western portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States. However, the four of them preferred to be known as "The Associates".*Leland Stanford -...
.
Career
Doehling began his coaching career in 1922 when he was offered a position at Central High School in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. There he coached his teams to football and track state championships in successive years of ’23 and ’24. His success in the high school ranks, made him an attractive candidate to Ripon officials and in 1924 he was offered him the position as athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
and head football coach. Ripon teams had struggled for years and Doehling was seen was given the charge of building the program from the ground up.
Doehling knew the entire program needed an overhaul. He looked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison athletic department as his model. Not only did Wisconsin have strong intercollegiate athletics
College athletics
College athletics refers primarily to sports and athletic competition organized and funded by institutions of tertiary education . In the United States, college athletics is a two-tiered system. The first tier includes the sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies...
teams, but they also had a huge intramural sports
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
program. The coach saw this as something he felt should be in Ripon’s agenda and implemented it. By 1928, Ripon College had one of the strongest intramural departments in the state.
Ripon's intramural program and intercollegiate sports flourished during his time. Ripon gained clout on both the local, regional and national levels during his term. One of Doehling’s grandest victories came when his 1928 squad, a heavy underdog, defeated the powerhouse University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, 12–0. This was Ripon’s first ever victory against a Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
opponent, something Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
was at the time, and reportedly spread the Redmen name across the country. Thirty-thousand spectators came out to witness Ripon’s great upset, probably the largest crowd a Ripon team has ever played.
Ripon teams did not always enjoy unbridled success during the Doehling era though. His final career record at Ripon was 94–99–24.
Memorial
In 1988, to commemorate the 25 years of rivalry between Coach Doehling and Bernie Heselton, coach of Lawrence UniversityLawrence University
Lawrence University is a selective, private liberal arts college with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Lawrence University is known for its rigorous academic environment. Founded in 1847, the first classes were held on November 12, 1849...
from 1938–64, the two schools instituted the Doehling-Heselton Memorial Trophy. The winner of the annual game between the Red Hawks and the Vikings is awarded this traveling trophy.