Lawrence Wallace "Litz" Rusness (June 14, 1891 â October 11, 1967) was an American football and baseball coach, athletics administrator, and lawyer. He served as the head football coach at Moorhead Normal SchoolâÂÂnow known as Minnesota State University MoorheadâÂÂin Moorhead, Minnesota for two seasons, from 1920 to 1921, compiling a record of 6âÂÂ5.
Rusness was born on June 14, 1891, in Moorhead, where he graduated from high school. He played football at Fargo College and Moorhead Normal. Rusness served in France as a artillery lieutenant in the United States Army during World War I.
In 1922, Rusness was hired as the football coach at Fargo High SchoolâÂÂlater known as Central High SchoolâÂÂin Fargo, North Dakota. After leading Fargo High School to championships in 1922 and 1923, he became an assistant coach at the University of North Dakota in 1924. Russness also studied law at North Dakota before transferring to Northwestern University School of LawâÂÂnow known as Pritzker School of LawâÂÂfrom which he earned a law degree in 1928. At Northwestern, he coached and scouted for the football team. Rusness later worked as a scout for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).
Rusness practiced law in Evanston, Illinois. He died there, on October 11, 1967.