Warren Giese facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warren Giese
Giese as Maryland assistant in 1949
Member of the South Carolina Senate from the 22nd district
In office 1985–2003
Preceded by	unknown
Succeeded by	Joel Lourie
Personal details
Born	(1924-07-14)July 14, 1924 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	September 12, 2013(2013-09-12) (aged 89) Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	University of Oklahoma
Coaching career
Playing career
1942	Milwaukee State Teachers
1943	Central Michigan
1944	Miami NTC
1945	Jacksonville NAS
1946	Oklahoma
1947	Central Michigan
Position(s)	End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1949–1955	Maryland (ends)
1956–1960	South Carolina
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1956–1960	South Carolina
Head coaching record
Overall	28–21–1

Warren E. Giese (born July 14, 1924 – died September 12, 2013) was an important person in both sports and politics in the United States. He was a well-known college football coach and later served as a state lawmaker in South Carolina. He led the South Carolina Gamecocks football team for five years at the University of South Carolina. After his coaching career, he became a member of the South Carolina State Senate.

As a coach at South Carolina, Giese preferred a careful game plan that focused on running the ball. However, he was very excited about using the two-point conversion when it became allowed in 1958. That same year, he also correctly predicted that "special teams" would become very important in football. This happened after the NCAA changed its rules about how many players could be substituted during a game.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Warren Giese was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went to Rufus King High School there. He started playing college football at the Milwaukee State Teachers College. After one year, he joined the United States Navy during World War II. He was part of a special pilot training program at Central Michigan University.

He continued to play football while in the Navy. He played at naval stations in Miami and Jacksonville, Florida. After the war, Giese went to the University of Oklahoma. He played college football as an end in 1946. That year, he was named a top player in the Big Six Conference. Giese finished his degree at Oklahoma in 1947. He then returned to Central Michigan to play football for his last year of college eligibility.

Warren Giese's Coaching Career

Giese started his coaching journey at Sacred Heart Academy High School in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. He coached there for one season. From 1949 to 1955, Giese worked as an "ends coach" for the Maryland team. During this time, Maryland won a national championship in 1953. They were also recognized for a national championship in 1951. In 1951, Giese was offered the head coaching job at Central Michigan University. However, he decided to stay at Maryland after they offered him more money. Giese also helped write a book about football coaching.

In 1955, the head coach and athletic director at the University of South Carolina, Rex Enright, decided to step down. He hired Giese to take his place. At that time, Giese was the youngest head football coach in the entire country. He coached the South Carolina team for five years. His team's overall record was 28 wins, 21 losses, and 1 tie.

Coaching Style and Team Challenges

As a head coach, Giese used a careful playing style. He focused a lot on running the football and rarely passed the ball. He believed that if his team held onto the ball for a long time, the other team couldn't score. He famously said, "The other team can't score if it doesn't have the football." When Giese took over in 1956, there were some issues with players receiving money, which was against National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules. Giese quickly stopped these payments. He told the players that if they didn't like it, he could recommend them to other teams.

Key Seasons and Innovations

In his first year, 1956, Giese led the Gamecocks to a good record of 7 wins and 3 losses. They beat the 16th-ranked Duke team, which was their first win against Duke since 1930. South Carolina also set a record for passing defense in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) that year. In 1957, South Carolina surprised the 20th-ranked Texas team with a 27-21 win.

In 1958, Giese's team beat their main rival, Clemson, with a score of 26-6. That year, the NCAA started allowing the two-point conversion. Giese was very excited about this new rule and quickly added it to his team's strategy. He figured out that two-point conversions worked about 40% of the time. In 1959, South Carolina made 13 two-point conversions, which is still a school record today.

That same season, the NCAA made rules about player substitutions more flexible. Giese correctly predicted that a "special teams" unit would become important in football. This unit would be separate from the offensive and defensive teams. In 1959, South Carolina was the only team to beat the Georgia team. The Gamecocks reached a high ranking of 11th in the middle of the season. In 1960, Giese's team finished with a record of 3 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie. He was then replaced as head coach. After coaching, Giese stayed on as South Carolina's athletic director for another year. In 1962, he became a full-time professor and led the Department of Physical Education.

Political Career in South Carolina

Warren Giese was elected as a Republican to the South Carolina State Senate in 1985. He served as a senator for many years. When he retired in 2004, he was the second oldest serving senator in South Carolina. This showed his long dedication to public service.

Personal Life

Warren Giese had two sons. His son, W. Barney Giese, went to the University of South Carolina for college and law school. He later served as the chief prosecutor (district attorney) for Richland County from 1995 to 2011. Barney Giese tried to get elected to his father's old Senate seat but was not successful. Warren's other son, Keith Giese, worked as an assistant prosecutor in Lexington County, South Carolina. He now works as a lawyer defending people in criminal cases in Columbia, South Carolina. Warren Giese passed away on September 12, 2013, in Columbia.

Head Coaching Record