// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Litz Rusness a lit russe?
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 14, 1891 Moorhead, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | October 11, 1967 (aged 76) Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Moorhead Normal |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| c. 1913 | Fargo |
| c. 1915 | Moorhead Normal |
| Baseball | |
| c. 1913 | Fargo |
| 1915 | Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1920–1921 | Moorhead Normal |
| 1922–1923 | Fargo HS (ND) |
| 1924–1925 | North Dakota (assistant) |
| 1926–1943 | Northwestern (freshmen/scout) |
| Baseball | |
| 1927–? | Northwestern (freshmen) |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| c. 1920 | Moorhead Normal |
| c. 1948 | Philadelphia Eagles (scout) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 6–5 (college football) |
Lawrence Wallace "Litz" Rusness (June 14, 1891 – October 11, 1967) was an American football and baseball coach, athletics administrator, and lawyer. He served as the head football coach at Moorhead Normal School—now known as Minnesota State University Moorhead—in Moorhead, Minnesota for two seasons, from 1920 to 1921, compiling a record of 6–5.[1]
Rusness was born on June 14, 1891, in Moorhead, where he graduated from high school. He played football at Fargo College and Moorhead Normal.[2] Rusness served in France as a artillery lieutenant in the United States Army during World War I.[3]
In 1922, Rusness was hired as the football coach at Fargo High School—later known as Central High School—in Fargo, North Dakota.[4] After leading Fargo High School to championships in 1922 and 1923, he became an assistant coach at the University of North Dakota in 1924.[5][6] Russness also studied law at North Dakota before transferring to Northwestern University School of Law—now known as Pritzker School of Law—from which he earned a law degree in 1928.[2] At Northwestern, he coached and scouted for the football team. Rusness later worked as a scout for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).[2]
Rusness practiced law in Evanston, Illinois. He died there, on October 11, 1967.[2]
Head coaching record
[edit]Football
[edit]| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moorhead Normal (Independent) (1920–1921) | |||||||||
| 1920 | Moorhead Normal | 3–2 | |||||||
| 1921 | Moorhead Normal | 3–3 | |||||||
| Moorhead Normal: | 6–5 | ||||||||
| Total: | 6–5 | ||||||||
References
[edit]- ↑ "MSU-Moorhead Football History" (PDF). Minnesota State University Moorhead. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 "L. W. Rusness Dies at Age 76". The Forum. Fargo, North Dakota. October 11, 1967. p. 8. Retrieved December 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com
. - ↑ "Litz Rusness In New York". Moorhead Daily News. Moorhead, Minnesota. September 3, 1918. p. 4. Retrieved December 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Litz Rusness to Coach Fargo High Football Team". The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. Fargo, North Dakota. August 31, 1922. p. 10. Retrieved December 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Rusness To Superior For Rockne's School". The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. Fargo, North Dakota. June 20, 1924. p. 10. Retrieved December 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Goes To U. N. D." Moorhead Daily News. Moorhead, Minnesota. July 21, 1924. p. 1. Retrieved December 18, 2025 – via Newspapers.com .
- ↑ "Minnesota State University Moorhead Football History; Year-By-Year Results (Since 1900)". Minnesota State University Moorhead. Retrieved December 18, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Litz Rusness at Find a Grave
 | This biographical article relating to a college football coach first appointed in the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
- 1891 births
- 1967 deaths
- Fargo Hilltoppers football players
- Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers players
- Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons athletic directors
- Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons football coaches
- Minnesota State–Moorhead Dragons football players
- North Dakota Fighting Hawks football coaches
- Northwestern Wildcats baseball coaches
- Northwestern Wildcats football coaches
- Philadelphia Eagles scouts
- College baseball players in North Dakota
- High school football coaches in North Dakota
- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law alumni
- United States Army officers
- United States Army personnel of World War I
- Lawyers from Evanston, Illinois
- People from Moorhead, Minnesota
- Coaches of American football from Minnesota
- Players of American football from Minnesota
- Military personnel from Minnesota
- College football coaches first appointed in the 1920s stubs