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Terry Lee Hoeppner (August 19, 1947 – June 19, 2007) was an American
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
coach who served as
head coach A head coach, senior coach, or manager is a professional responsible for training and developing athletes within a sports team. This role often has a higher public profile and salary than other coaching positions. In some sports, such as associat ...
of the
Miami RedHawks The Miami RedHawks are the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Division I, Division I intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Miami is a member of the Mid-American Conference ...
from 1999 to 2004 and the
Indiana Hoosiers The Indiana Hoosiers are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of Indiana University Bloomington, named after the demonym for people from the state of Indiana. The Hoosiers participate in NCAA Division I, Division I of the National Coll ...
from 2005 to 2006. Shortly after announcing that he would be on medical leave for the 2007 season, he died of
brain cancer A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cance ...
. Hoeppner was a 1969 graduate of Franklin College, where he was a member of the
Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded in 1848, and currently headquartered, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, alo ...
international fraternity. He played for the Indiana Caps of the Midwest Football League, and Detroit Wheels and
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
of the
World Football League The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 in sports, 1974 and most of its second in 1975 in sports, 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a w ...
. He owned a 57–39 overall record as a collegiate head coach. He is a member of the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.


Family

Terry and Jane Hoeppner had three children: Drew Hoeppner, Amy Fox, and Allison Hoeppner. Allison was killed in an automobile accident on September 24, 2016.


Professional career

Hoepper signed with the
St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
as an
undrafted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
in May 1969. He left the team during training camp due to an injury. He played for the Indiana Caps of the Midwest Football League in 1972. Hoeppner signed with the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
of the NFL in 1973, but they released him before the season on August 28, 1973. He played for the Detroit Wheels of the
World Football League The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 in sports, 1974 and most of its second in 1975 in sports, 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a w ...
in 1974. The Wheels folded after the 1974 season, and Hoeppner was selected by the
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team ...
in a WFL dispersal draft in October 1974.


High school coach

Hoeppner was a head coach of Eastbrook High School in
Marion, Indiana Marion is a city in and the county seat of Grant County, Indiana, United States, along the Mississinewa River. The population was 28,310 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is named for Francis Marion, a brigadier general from ...
(1970–1972), Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama (1973–1976), Mullins High School in
Mullins, South Carolina Mullins is a city in Marion County, South Carolina, United States. As of the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census, the city population was 4,663. Incorporated on March 4, 1872, Mullins was named after Col. William S. Mullins, who served as a r ...
(1976–1978) and East Noble High School in Kendallville, Indiana (1979).


College assistant coach

Hoeppner's first job as an assistant coach was at his alma mater, Franklin College, where he served as
defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator (DC) is a coach responsible for a gridiron football team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's coaching structure, wit ...
. He spent six years there before moving to
Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...
as a
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...
coach in 1986. After 12 years, Hoeppner worked his way up to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. He was also able to retain his positions after head coach
Tim Rose Timothy Alan Patrick Rose (September 23, 1940 – September 24, 2002) (unofficial website by long-term correspondent of Rose's) was an American singer and songwriter who spent much of his life in London, England, and had more success in E ...
was replaced prior to the 1990 season by the late Randy Walker. Hoeppner was instrumental in the development of several NFL players, including JoJuan Armour, Dustin Cohen, and Sheldon White.


College head coach


Miami University

After spending 13 years as an assistant at Miami, Hoeppner became the RedHawks' 31st head coach in 1999. He succeeded Walker, who was named head coach at Northwestern. Hoeppner's first game at Miami was against Walker and the Wildcats, which resulted in a 28–3 Miami victory. Despite the win, his first year was considered by some to be a disappointment. The RedHawks were coming off a 10–1 season, and returned several starters including record-breaking running back Travis Prentice, but were only able to post a 7–4 record. The dropoff was attributed in part to Hoeppner's installation of an open passing attack, rather than the running game Walker had used in the past. The change ended up paying dividends later, as Miami earned a 48–25 overall record under Hoeppner and finished among the top three in the
Mid-American Conference The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region (North America), Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Its members co ...
East in each of his six years at the helm. While at Miami, Hoeppner recruited and signed
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. ( ; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Ste ...
by promising to play him at quarterback, whereas other programs were recruiting Roethlisberger as a wide receiver or a tight end. Roethlisberger went on to achieve great success in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) as quarterback of the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
. Hoeppner's best season was 2003 when Miami, quarterbacked by Roethlisberger, went 13–1 and finished No. 10 in the final AP Poll..


Indiana

During his first year as head coach at
Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...
, Hoeppner tried to resurrect life into the program through his campaign entitled "Coach Hoeppner wants you." Hoeppner and the Hoosiers began the season 4–1 before losing their last six games. After the season, Hoeppner was diagnosed with a brain tumor CSTV Hoosiers page
The following year, the Hoosiers once again started strong, but eventually fell one game short of Hoeppner's goal of reaching a college bowl berth. His oft quoted mantra was "Play 13." In 2007, the inspired Hoosiers succeeded in Hoeppner's goal and became eligible to participate in the Insight Bowl. In September
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
, Hoeppner required additional brain surgery, causing him to miss two weeks of the regular season. He returned to the team to coach against
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
.


Death

On March 18, 2007, it was revealed that he would sit out the 2007 spring practices for health reasons. IU announced in June 2007 that Hoeppner would be on a medical leave of absence for the entire 2007 season and that assistant coach Bill Lynch would serve as head coach. Shortly after the announcement, Hoeppner died from complications from his
brain cancer A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cance ...
.


Head coaching record


College


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoeppner, Terry 1947 births 2007 deaths Miami RedHawks football coaches Detroit Wheels players Franklin Grizzlies football coaches Franklin Grizzlies football players Indiana Hoosiers football coaches Midwest Football League (1962–1978) players Charlotte Hornets (WFL) players High school football coaches in Alabama High school football coaches in Indiana High school football coaches in South Carolina People from Allen County, Indiana Coaches of American football from Indiana Players of American football from Indiana Deaths from brain cancer in the United States American football safeties Phi Delta Theta members