Surprise head coach Derr leads Beckman to semifinals

DYERSVILLE – This was never in the plans.

Jim Derr was content to ride it out to retirement, which isn't too far off, honestly. He has served Dyersville Beckman High School as a teacher and coach for over three decades.

But when Gregg Hammann decided with a week before practice began to step down as Blazers head football coach, someone needed to take over for him. Almost reluctantly, Derr was that guy.

'My wife was the one who told me to do it,” Derr said. 'Right from day one, our coaching staff was very supportive. Our seniors didn't know how to react, but I give them credit. They jumped on board real quick. Now that I look back at it, it has been a very, very smooth transition.”

One that continues Saturday night when Beckman (10-2) plays North Fayette Valley (11-1) in a Class 2A state playoff semifinal at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. This has been quite a hectic fall for the 57-year-old Derr, Beckman's wrestling coach for 19 years and mostly the school's sophomore coach over the years in football.

Been quite a ride, too.

Beckman had a rather pedestrian 4-2 record after a 33-13 loss in Week 6 to North Fayette Valley, but has been nothing but victories since. The Blazers have simply found a way to get it done in the playoffs, with a seven-point win over Aplington-Parkersburg, a last-minute 28-20 win over Cascade and overtime win in the quarterfinals last week over Hampton-Dumont.

'Being offered the job was a big surprise to me,” said Derr, a Starmont graduate. 'I certainly can't say it was anything I was looking for. I was looking to get out, quite honestly. I enjoy football and enjoy the kids, was enjoying where I was at and how I was contributing to the program. I had turned the job down in previous years. But our administration had their backs against the wall.”

Derr knows his team will be the underdog Saturday night but believes it will play better than it did the first time around against NFV. He said Beckman must stop the big play, which is difficult to do against backs Josh Mackey and Derrick Kuehner, both 1,000-yard rushers this season.

Tyler Hirsh has 1,442 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns for the Blazers.

'Not many people envisioned us having the success we've had,” Derr said. 'We lost a lot of talented kids to graduation. But we've had good chemistry on this team. You've got to have chemistry, talent and attitude to win games, and that's what we've had.”

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com