Duane Rogatzki has graduated to college.
Coaching college football, that is.
After retiring in 2012 following 35 years as the head coach at Oconto Falls High School, Rogatzki switched roles and helped the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh football program this past season.
Rogatzki got to know Titans head coach Pat Cerroni through Rogatzki’s involvement with the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association all-star game. The annual weeklong event showcases the best high school seniors throughout the state and is held at UW-Oshkosh’s Titan Stadium.
After last year’s all-star game in July, Rogatzki got an invitation from Cerroni to attend his team’s early-season practices in August.
“They asked me to come down for two weeks to see if I like college football and just work with them and hang around and be with the defense,” Rogatzki said.
UW-Oshkosh’s coaching staff is relatively young and inexperienced, so Cerroni wanted a veteran coach who could offer some guidance to his fellow coaches and players.
“I guess I thought of myself as just a dumb high school coach, but now that I see what some college people do and what some NFL people do, I think I’m a little smarter on game management than a lot of those guys,” Rogatzki said. “There are certain things you just feel and do it. I just have fun with the kids and the people.”
Rogatzki fit right in at UW-Oshkosh. He didn’t have the responsibly, stress and burden that comes with a head coaching position and he could work with specialized players and help them with their craft.
“The two weeks weren’t even up and (Cerroni) came up and said, ‘Everybody would like you to travel with us, and do this and that and help us with equipment,’” Rogatzki said. “You know more about special situations, that kind of stuff and all the weird rules that they weren’t sure about. I guess I became their special teams coach and their situations guru.”
Rogatzki also became Cerroni’s right-hand man at practice and on the sidelines during games. The Titans coach would ask Rogatzki his thoughts on certain scenarios.
“I didn’t try and change much of anything they did, but I would offer my opinion on this, that and the other thing,” Rogatzki said. “If they ran with it, fine; if they didn’t, I didn’t care either.”
The Titans were ranked in the top 10 nationally in Division III almost the entire year. The team finished 8-2 and lost its only two games by a combined four points.
Following UW-Oshkosh’s heartbreaking 17-16 loss to UW-Platteville in the season finale, Cerroni told Rogatzki he’s welcome back next year if he’s interested.
“I’ve got to decide if I’m going to work for Oshkosh, I’ve got to get out of the (WFCA) all-star game,” Rogatzki said. “That ends up being a conflict of interest with the NCAA.”
Rogatzki, 63, isn’t ready to totally retire.
“When you’re having fun and you like what you’re doing, why would you just quit?” he said.
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