Hoosier Football Coach Hoeppner dies at 59

In a bit of sad news today, Indiana University’s head football coach Terry Hoeppner passed away at the age of 59 due to complications from a brain tumor.

IU’s Athletic Director Rick Greenspan said, “Terry’s fight was courageous and will serve as an inspiration to those who have known him. This is a truly sad day for our community and all of our thoughts and prayers are with the Hoeppner family and to those whose lives he has touched.”

This story is especially tragic because Hoeppner had IU on the rise. In his first season, Hoeppner, a lifelong Hoosier fan, used his love of Hoosier Athletics to help increase the per-game attendance by 39 percent, the overall season ticket sales by 46 percent, and an astounding 110 percent increase in student ticket sales. He established new traditions at the university, calling the stadium “The Rock” because of it’s limestone construction and even had a large limestone remnant from the original construction placed near the north end zone. He added “The Walk”, where the football players march into the stadium surrounded by the marching band and thousands of fans.

In 2006, his second season with the team, Hoeppner led the Hoosiers to three victories in the Big 10, a first since 2001. These wins included a win over No. 13 Iowa, Illinois and Michigan State. The victory over Iowa was the first victory over a Top 15 program since 1987 and the victory over Illinois came on the road, the first since 2001. IU’s win over Michigan State, a dominating 46-21 victory came on Homecoming and they brought the Old Brass Spittoon back to Bloomington for the first time since 2001.

Hoeppner is survived by his wife, Jane, his three children – Drew, Amy (Steve) Fox and Allison (Drew) Balcam – and his four grandchildren – Tucker and Spencer Fox and Tate and Quinn Balcam.