Joe Gatz is in his third season on the SMSU staff in 2023 and will coach the tight ends as well as serve as the porgram's run game coordinator.
In 2022, the Mustang rushing offense averaged 173 yards per game and scored 18 touchdowns in 2022, the highest totals in both categories since the 2016 season.
During his first season on staff helping coach the offensive line in 2021, Mustang senior tackle Jay Atherton earned All-NSIC South second team honors.
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Gatz came to SMSU after coaching three seasons at the high school level. He spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons as offensive line/run game coordinator at Whitewater High School in Whitewater, Wis. During his tenure he coached three all-conference linemen. Gatz also spent one season (2020-21) as the offensive line coach at St. Charles East High School in St. Charles, Ill.
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Gatz spent two seasons as a member of the SMSU football team in 2015-16, before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and earning his bachelor’s degree in health & human performance with a minor in coaching in 2021. He earned his master’s degree from SMSU in physical education: coaching of sport.
