Joe Gatz enters his first season at The College of St. Scholastica as the program’s Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach, bringing a strong background in player development, run game design, and recruiting throughout the Upper Midwest.
Gatz joins the Saints after serving as the Offensive Line Coach at Northern Michigan University from 2024–25. In his first season with the Wildcats, he helped lead an offensive front that powered the 28th-ranked rushing attack in the nation while also ranking 14th nationally in fewest sacks allowed. The unit showed significant growth under his direction, increasing its rushing production from 845 yards in 2023 to 1,957 yards in 2024. In addition to his work on the field, Gatz played a key role in recruiting efforts across the Upper Midwest.
Prior to Northern Michigan, Gatz spent three seasons at Southwest Minnesota State University. He served as the program’s Offensive Line Coach in 2021 before transitioning to Tight Ends Coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In 2023, he also took on Run Game Coordinator responsibilities, helping shape the Mustangs’ offensive identity.
Gatz began his coaching career at Saint Charles East High School, where he coached the varsity offensive line for a perennial Class 8A playoff program.
A former collegiate student-athlete, Gatz earned his Master of Science in Physical Education with an emphasis in Coaching of Sport from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2023. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Health & Human Performance with a minor in Coaching from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
