Dewey Luster

Dewey Luster
Biographical details
Born(1899-02-01)February 1, 1899
Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, U.S.
DiedOctober 13, 1980(1980-10-13) (aged 81)
Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.
Playing career
1917–1920Oklahoma
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1924Norman HS (OK)
1925Southwestern State Teachers
1926–1928Norman HS (OK)
1929–1931Oklahoma (line)
1932Colorado Mines (assistant)
1933–1936Norman HS (OK)
1937–1939Oklahoma (backfield)
1941–1945Oklahoma
Head coaching record
Overall32–22–4 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 Big Six (1943–1944)

Dewey William "Snorter" Luster (February 1, 1899 – October 13, 1980) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Southwestern State Teachers College—now Southwestern Oklahoma State University—in 1925 and at the University of Oklahoma from 1941 to 1945, compiling a career college football coaching record of 32–22–4. Luster was also a player on the Oklahoma Sooners football team from 1917 to 1920 under head coach Bennie Owen and was the captain of the 1920 undefeated team.

Luster was born in Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, the son of Otis V. and Callie (Bates) Luster. His father was a merchant and later a newspaper editor in Pauls Valley.

Luster was the head football coach at Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma in 1924. The following year, he succeeded Carl M. Voyles as the head football coach at Southwestern State Teachers College.[1]

Luster's tenure as head coach at Oklahoma was complicated by World War II. In the six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, nearly 60 Sooner athletes in all sports had enlisted in some branch of the armed services and more continued to enlist as the war progressed.[2] Luster resigned as head coach almost immediately after his Sooner team lost 47–0 to Oklahoma A&M on November 24, 1945. His official reason for his resignation was "poor health."[3]

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing
Southwestern State Teachers Bulldogs (Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference) (1925)
1925 Southwestern State Teachers 5–4–1 3–1–1 4th
Southwestern State Teachers: 5–4–1 3–1–1
Oklahoma Sooners (Big Six Conference) (1941–1945)
1941 Oklahoma 6–3 3–2 T–2nd
1942 Oklahoma 3–5–2 3–1–1 2nd
1943 Oklahoma 7–2 5–0 1st
1944 Oklahoma 6–3–1 4–0–1 1st
1945 Oklahoma 5–5 4–1 2nd
Oklahoma: 27–18–3 18–4–2
Total: 32–22–4
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. ^ "Dewey Luster Succeeds Dutch Voyles as Coach of Southwestern School". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. May 18, 1925. p. 8. Retrieved September 14, 2018 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ Keith, Harold (July 1942). "Sooner Sports" (PDF). Sooner Magazine. p. 15.
  3. ^ Keith, Harold (January 1946). "Sooner Sports" (PDF). Sooner Magazine. p. 6.


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