October 21, 2026
Earl DeBates' connection to Dakota State began as a standout two-way football player and developed into a distinguished coaching career that spanned multiple states and decades.
A 1961 graduate of Garretson High School, DeBates earned first-team Class 'A' All-State football honors during his prep career. He initially accepted a football scholarship to Kansas State University, but an injury altered his path. George Blankley, the coach at General Beadle State College (GBSC) during that time, recruited DeBates to Madison, where he became a three-year starter at tight end and defensive end beginning in 1962.
After graduating from GBSC in 1965, DeBates embarked on a coaching and teaching profession that would take him throughout South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. His first teaching position was at Egan, S.D., where he worked as an assistant football and basketball coach before becoming a head coach. His football team posted a 5-2 record during his third year.
DeBates continued his coaching career at Storden, Minn., where his football teams compiled a 19-5-1 record from 1969-71. He then served as head football and boys track and field coach at Meriden-Cleghorn, Iowa, from 1972-74, compiling a 15-8 football record.
His success continued at O'Neill, Neb., where he served as head football coach and athletic director. DeBates compiled a remarkable 52-14 record, a .788 winning percentage, during his seven years at O'Neill. His 1978 team advanced to the Nebraska Class 'B' state championship game, and that same year he was selected as an assistant coach for the Nebraska Shrine Bowl.
DeBates eventually moved to Stewartville, Minn., where he built successful football and track and field programs. His football teams produced multiple conference championships and undefeated regular seasons, highlighted by Stewartville's run to the 1986 Minnesota Class 'A' state championship game at the Metrodome. He was named the WCCO Class 'A' Football Coach of the Year in 1985.
A 1989
Rochester Post Bulletin article highlighted the sustained success of DeBates' football program. At that point, he had compiled a 67-22 record in nine seasons at Stewartville, a .753 winning percentage. His overall head coaching record stood at 159-54-2 with six undefeated seasons and nine conference championship teams. Stewartville produced undefeated seasons in 1981, 1985 and 1986 during that stretch.
DeBates' coaching accomplishments extended well beyond football. As Stewartville's boys track and field coach, he developed the program into a perennial contender. His teams won 10 conference championships, and after finishing among Minnesota's best programs in preceding seasons, Stewartville captured the 1997 Minnesota Class 'A' Boys Track and Field state championship, the school's first boys team state championship in any sport.
He was named Minnesota Class A Track and Field Coach of the Year in 1996. Among the athletes he coached was Jason Owen, who became the 1996 national champion in the 800 meters with a Minnesota-record time of 1 minute, 49.2 seconds was named Minnesota's Track and Field Athlete of the Year. DeBates also coached All-America performers and Division I athletes during his career.
By the conclusion of his football coaching career, DeBates had accumulated 192 victories, including records of 52-14 at O'Neill and 80-36 at Stewartville. His career résumé included multiple undefeated regular seasons, conference championships and state runner-up finishes. He was later recognized for his accomplishments with induction into the Stewartville Athletic Hall of Fame. Earl DeBates Earl DeBates
Yet DeBates' coaching philosophy extended beyond victories and championships. He emphasized developing young athletes and believed coaches needed to place the interests of their athletes ahead of wins and losses. Reflecting on his career, he identified his relationships with his players as the part of coaching he valued most.
| 2026 DSU Athletics Hall of Fame Series |
| Tuesday, October 20 |
Rachelle (Lengbeek) DeBeer '97 |
| Wednesday, October 21 |
Earl DeBates '65 |
| Wednesday, October 21 |
Rick Alfson |
| Thursday, October 22 |
Pat (Wagner) Bruinsma '86 |
| Thursday, October 22 |
Lynn Schuett '78 |
| Friday, October 23 |
1977 DSC Men's Golf SDIC Championship Team |
