Central Michigan University Athletics
125 Years of CMU Football: Hall of Fame Coach Herb Deromedi
7/29/2026 8:37:00 AM | Football
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Deromedi (110-55-10 overall) is the winningest coach in Central Michigan and MAC history; his 90 MAC wins are a conference record; he guided the Chippewas to three MAC titles during his 16-year tenure and twice was named MAC Coach of the Year.
For our second content piece to kick off the 125 Years of Central Michigan Football campaign, we profile Chippewas' Hall of Fame coach Herb Deromedi.
Longtime head coach and director of athletics Herb Deromedi was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He was formally enshrined in the hall in July 2008.
Deromedi is the first representative of CMU to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and the second head coach to be recognized primarily for his work in the Mid-American Conference (Doyt Perry, Bowling Green).
Deromedi (110-55-10 overall) is the winningest coach in CMU and MAC history. His 90 MAC wins are a conference record. He guided the Chippewas to three MAC titles during his 16-year tenure and twice was named MAC Coach of the Year. When he left CMU's sideline, Deromedi ranked 15th nationally in winning percentage (.657) among active coaches.
Deromedi joined Roy Kramer's staff at CMU as an assistant in 1967. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1969, a position he held when the Chippewas won the NCAA Division II national championship in 1974.
Deromedi succeeded Kramer as head coach in 1978, becoming the 16th head football coach in school history. He served as head coach from 1978-93, leading the Chippewas to MAC titles in 1979, 1980 and 1990. He was named MAC Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1990 and is the only coach to win a MAC title in three different decades.
Two of the most significant wins in school history came with Deromedi on the sideline. He oversaw CMU's 20-3 win at No. 18 Michigan State in 1991, then returned to East Lansing and led the Chippewas to a 24-20 win over the Spartans in 1992.
A total of 71 Chippewas earned All-MAC First Team honors under Deromedi, including future NFL players Curtis Adams, Ray Bentley, Jim Bowman, Brock Gutierrez, Gary Hogeboom, Robert Jackson and Scott Rehberg.
Deromedi served on the NCAA Football Rules Committee (chair in 2003), the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation, the NCAA Division I Strategic Planning Cabinet and the NCAA Football Issues Committee. In 2016, he was named to the NCAA College Football Playoff Selection Committee for a three-year period from 2017-19.
He is a member of the Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame, the Central Michigan University Marcy Weston Hall of Fame, and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Deromedi's 13 years as director of athletics at CMU were highlighted by an extensive upgrade of the athletic facilities. CMU won 34 MAC championships during his tenure and claimed the MAC Institutional Academic Achievement Award eight times in a nine-year span.
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Longtime head coach and director of athletics Herb Deromedi was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. He was formally enshrined in the hall in July 2008.
Deromedi is the first representative of CMU to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and the second head coach to be recognized primarily for his work in the Mid-American Conference (Doyt Perry, Bowling Green).
Deromedi (110-55-10 overall) is the winningest coach in CMU and MAC history. His 90 MAC wins are a conference record. He guided the Chippewas to three MAC titles during his 16-year tenure and twice was named MAC Coach of the Year. When he left CMU's sideline, Deromedi ranked 15th nationally in winning percentage (.657) among active coaches.
Deromedi joined Roy Kramer's staff at CMU as an assistant in 1967. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1969, a position he held when the Chippewas won the NCAA Division II national championship in 1974.
Deromedi succeeded Kramer as head coach in 1978, becoming the 16th head football coach in school history. He served as head coach from 1978-93, leading the Chippewas to MAC titles in 1979, 1980 and 1990. He was named MAC Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1990 and is the only coach to win a MAC title in three different decades.
Two of the most significant wins in school history came with Deromedi on the sideline. He oversaw CMU's 20-3 win at No. 18 Michigan State in 1991, then returned to East Lansing and led the Chippewas to a 24-20 win over the Spartans in 1992.
A total of 71 Chippewas earned All-MAC First Team honors under Deromedi, including future NFL players Curtis Adams, Ray Bentley, Jim Bowman, Brock Gutierrez, Gary Hogeboom, Robert Jackson and Scott Rehberg.
Deromedi served on the NCAA Football Rules Committee (chair in 2003), the Michigan Chapter of the National Football Foundation, the NCAA Division I Strategic Planning Cabinet and the NCAA Football Issues Committee. In 2016, he was named to the NCAA College Football Playoff Selection Committee for a three-year period from 2017-19.
He is a member of the Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame, the Central Michigan University Marcy Weston Hall of Fame, and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Deromedi's 13 years as director of athletics at CMU were highlighted by an extensive upgrade of the athletic facilities. CMU won 34 MAC championships during his tenure and claimed the MAC Institutional Academic Achievement Award eight times in a nine-year span.
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