Climbing higher
Schuller continues his way up state coaching lists
Jackson County Central football coach Tom Schuller slid a little further up the lists of the top coaches in state history this season.
The Huskies had the first unbeaten season in their history and won 13 games for the third time in compiling a 13-0 record and winning the state Class 2A title.
Schuller coached the 2001 team to a 13-1 record and the state Class 3A crown in 2001.
In JCC’s first-ever season in 1997, Darren Baartman coached the team to a 13-1 record and a runner-up finish in the state 3A tournament. Schuller was an assistant coach on that team and also on the 1998 3A runners-up.
Jackson County Central’s 42-26 win over Staples-Motley moved Schuller into 41st place in career victories with 224.
He moved past Jim Simser, who won 223 games as the coach of two different Cardinal teams, coaching Fairmont for 10 seasons after 22 at New Richland-Hartland.
Mike Mahlen of Verndale is the leader in career wins with 437. Becker’s Dwight Lundeen became the second coach in state history with 400 career wins with a win in the season opener and now has 412 wins as the Bulldogs won the state Class 4A title.
Among coaches with 60 or more career wins, Schuller is sixth in win percentage with a 224-54 record for an .806 percentage. Only eight coaches are at .800 or above.
And, for the 53rd time in his career, Schuller met up with a coach who has been inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association when the Huskies faced Blue Earth Area in Week 3. His record vs. those coaches is now 37-16, a .698 percentage.
Most career victories
Through 2024 Season
The top 50 (plus a tie) coaches in state history in terms of career wins. Listed are rank, W-L-T record, name, school and percentage.
1. 437-137-3 Mike Mahlen, Verndale .760
2. 412-167-3 Dwight Lundeen, Becker .710
3. 393-84-0 Mike Grant, Eden Prairie .824
4. 389-182-5 Ron Stolski-r, Brainerd .680
5. 315-158-0 Merrill Pavlovich-r, Delano .666
6. 307-66-6 George Larson-r, Cambridge .818
7. 304-150-0 Carl Lemke-r, St. Croix Lutheran .670
8. 291-78-0 Steve Solem-r, BOLD .789
9. 287-66-2 Ken Baumann-r, Mahnomen .811
10. 286-112-0 Terry Bahlmann, Marshall .719
11. 285-69-2 George Thole-r, Stillwater .803
12. 279-89-0 Jon Bakken-r, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown .758
(tie) 279-151-0 Karl Deis-r, Mora .649
14. 277-89-1 Grady Rostberg-r, Hutchinson .756
15. 276-84-0 Leo Pohlkamp-r, Pierz .767
16. 275-133-2 Stuart Nordquist-r, International Falls .673
17. 269-115-2 Jim Roforth-r, Osakis .699
18. 267-124-0 Dave Nelson-r, Minnetonka .683
19. 266-160-0 Don Seipkes-r, Ottertail Central/Henning .624
20. 263-86-2 Neal Hofland-r, Chokio-Alberta .752
21. 260-132-10 George Smith-r, Mahtomedi .659
22. 259-102-9 Les Dreschel-r, Red Lake Falls/Crookston .712
(tie) 259-105-13 John Hansen-r, Osseo .704
(tie) 259-143-0 Larry Thompson-r, Lakeville South .644
25. 257-122-0 Dean Aurich, Mayer Lutheran .678
26. 256-94-8 Tom Mahoney-r, Fairmont .726
27. 251-84-0 Don Henderson-r, Triton .749
28. 246-137-0 Terry Karlsgodt-r, Atwater-Grove City- Cosmos .642
29. 241-91-0 Dave Nigon-r, Totino Grace .726
30. 238-112-0 Randy Strand-r, Adrian .680
31. 236-79-0 Gerhard Meidt-r, Rothsay/Minneota/Big Lake .749
32. 233-108-3 Buz Rumrill-r, Glencoe/Silver Lake .682
33. 232-58-0 Andy Rostberg, Hutchinson .800
34. 230-65-0 Jim Mader-r, Albany .780
35. 230-84-0 Gary Sloan-r, Grand Meadow .732
36. 230-138-1 Roger Lipelt-r, Wayzata/Providence .625
37. 231-59-0 Dave Louzek, Moose Lake/Willow River .797
38. 228-147-0 Jeff Erdmann, Rosemount .608
39. 227-41-0 Chad Johnston, Minneota .847
40. 227-47-0 John Clark Jr., Mahnomen/Waubun .828
41. 224-54-0 Tom Schuller, Jackson County Central .806
42. 223-91-1 Jim Simser-r, Fairmont/New Richland-Hartland .710
43. 222-91-0 Stan Olson-r, LeRoy-Ostrander .709
44. 221-97-0 Dave Brokke-r, Granite Falls/Yellow Medicine East .695
45. 220-74-0 Clark Bergloff-r, Mora .748
46. 220-12-1 Don Stueve-r, Fergus Falls .634
47. 216-130-6 Billy Beck-r, Lac qui Parle Valley .622
48. 214-141-0 Bob Jackson-r, White Bear Lake/Spring Lake Park .603
49. 212-64-0 Gary Graham-r, Browerville .768
(tie) 212-83-8 Kenneth "Red" Wilson-r, Bemidji .713
(tie) 212-121-2 DeWayne Johnson-r, Anoka .636
-r indicates coaches who are retired
Win percentage
The top 10 coaches in state history in terms of winning percentage with 60 or more career wins. Listed are rank, W-L-T record, name, school and percentage.
1. 227-41-0 Chad Johnston, Minneota .847
2. 227-47-0 John Clark Jr., Mahnomen/Waubun .828
3. 393-84-0 Mike Grant, Eden Prairie .824
4. 307-66-6 George Larson-r, Cambridge .818
5. 287-66-2 Ken Baumann-r, Mahnomen .811
6. 224-54-0 Tom Schuller, Jackson County Central .806
7. 285-69-2 George Thole-r, Stillwater .803
8. 232-58-0 Andy Rostberg, Hutchinson .800
9. 231-59-0 Dave Louzek, Moose Lake/Willow River .797
10. 291-78-0 Steve Solem-r, BOLD .789
-r indicates coaches who are retired
Vs. HOF coaches
Here is Tom Schuller’s record in games against coaches who have been inducted into the Minnesota Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Listed in order by number of wins.
Randy Kuechenmeister, Blue Earth Area 17-5
Dennis Hale, Worthington 7-4
Terry Bahlmann, Marshall 4-4
Terry Turek, Le Sueur-Henderson 2-1
Dean Aurich, Mayer Lutheran 1-0
Carl Fruechte, Caledonia 1-0
Terry Karlsgodt, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 1-0
Ivan Kroulik, Kasson-Mantorville 1-0
Dwight Lundeen, Becker 1-0
Steve Solem, BOLD 1-0
Dave Dose, Glencoe-Silver Lake 1-1
Leo Pohlkamp, Pierz 0-1