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Herman Byers

byers1Herman Byers is a member of the Reitz Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007 and was Reitz Football’s sixth head coach from 1942 to 1968. During that time, he compiled a 189-51-15 record.

Titles won at Reitz

Points of interest

  • Born on March 20, 1905 in Gentryville, Ind
  • Played on the 1921 Central High team that defeated Reitz 104-0
  • Graduated from Central in 1923
  • Played football at Indiana University and graduated in 1928
  • Coached at Boonville (2-4-1) and Goshen High Schools (42-50-5) for a career record of 233-105-21
  • Inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1973
  • Several of his sons played football at Reitz, including Jim Byers (also in the Reitz Football Hall of Fame)
  • Passed away Feb. 22, 1993
  • Football field in Reitz Bowl is named in his honor
  • Inducted posthumously into the inaugural class of the Greater Evansville Football Hall of Fame on Oct. 9, 2016

High School coaching record

Year Team Record Championships
Boonville High School (2-4-1, 1 year)
1928 Boonville 2-4-1
Goshen High School (42-50-5, 11 years)
1929 Goshen 8-0-1
1930 Goshen 4-5
1931 Goshen 4-3
1932 Goshen 5-3-1
1933 Goshen 2-6-1
1934 Goshen 4-4-1
1935 Goshen 7-2
1936 Goshen 1-7-1
1937 Goshen 2-8
1938 Goshen 4-4
1939 Goshen 1-8
Reitz High School (189-51-15, 27 years)
1942 Reitz 6-2 SIAC Champs
1943 Reitz 4-3-2
1944 Reitz 4-5
1945 Reitz 8-1 City Champs
1946 Reitz 7-0-2
1947 Reitz 8-1 SIAC & City Champs
1948 Reitz 10-0 State, SIAC & City Champs
1949 Reitz 6-3 SIAC & City Champs
1950 Reitz 6-3 SIAC & City Champs
1951 Reitz 2-5-2
1952 Reitz 8-1 SIAC & City Champs
1953 Reitz 10-0 State, SIAC & City Champs
1954 Reitz 6-4
1955 Reitz 9-1
1956 Reitz 9-0-1 State, SIAC & City Champs
1957 Reitz 10-0 State, SIAC & City Champs
1958 Reitz 7-2-1
1959 Reitz 4-6
1960 Reitz 9-0 State, SIAC A & City Champs
1961 Reitz 9-0 State, SIAC A & City Champs
1962 Reitz 8-0-1 SIAC A & City Champs
1963 Reitz 6-4
1964 Reitz 7-1-2
1965 Reitz 7-2-1 City Champs
1966 Reitz 4-4-2
1967 Reitz 9-1 SIAC A & City Champs
1968 Reitz 6-2-1
TOTAL (233-105-21, 39 years)

See also

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  1. […] Panthers of ’48 scored 353 points in 10 games, only allowing 52. Lead by Hall of Fame coach Herman Byers, they won state championship honors (picked by the AP, UP & Litkenhous Ratings), helped by a […]

  2. […] Coach Byers‘ 1960 squad featured several future Reitz Football Hall of Famers (seniors Don Hansen, Ken Hansen, Doug Harp and junior Charles Orth). Joe Goodrid and Royce Neisz also earned all-state honors. […]

  3. […] Herman Byers […]

  4. […] to 30, with four ties. The series famously began in 1921, with future Reitz Hall of Fame coach, Herman Byers, leading the Bears to a 104-0 […]

  5. […] the soggy ball over the heads of the Hammond secondary into the arms of Byers, son of Panther Coach Herman Byers, who was slammed into the mud on the goal line. His elbows and shoulders were on the double stripe […]

  6. […] Reitz history” close out the 1956 Evansville football season. The Panthers, called by Coach Herman Byers as “the best team in the state,” tied Bosse for the city title with a 3-0-1 […]

  7. […] Central gave Reitz one of its worst defeats in school history as future Reitz Hall of Fame coach Herman Byers gave the Bears three […]

  8. […] victory solidifed Reitz’ claim to the mythical state title. Coach Herman Byers‘ Panthers, who haven’t lost in 24 straight games now, have already been named state […]

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