Indiana University Athletics
Remembering Coach Hep
6/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 19, 2007
Coaches, colleagues and friends express their condolences for Terry Hoeppner and his family.
"The Big Ten Conference, along with our institutions, coaches and student-athletes, are greatly saddened by the passing of Terry Hoeppner. In his time in Bloomington, we came to know Terry as a great leader of young men and an important member of the Big Ten coaching community. He will be truly missed and our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Jane, and his children and grandchildren along with the entire Indiana University family."
James E. Delany
Big Ten Commissioner
"This is a sad loss for the coaching profession. Terry was not only a gifted coach, but a great man as well. He was an amazing ambassador for college football and all the ideals that it represents. Terry will be greatly missed and our prayers go out to his wife, Jane, his children and the entire Indiana football family."
Ron Zook
Head Football Coach
University of Illinois
"I admired him as a person and a football coach. I wasn't around him a whole lot since we haven't played Indiana (the past two years), but during the time I spent with him at Big Ten meetings, you could see that he was a very honest and courageous person. My condolences go out to his family and everyone at Indiana."
Joe Paterno
Head Football Coach
Penn State University
"Terry Hoeppner was the embodiment of the very best qualities that are admirable in a coach. He was a man of integrity and passion; he loved his players and he loved the game. He represented the highest ideals of intercollegiate athletics. His legacy will endure but his presence will be greatly missed. Our deepest sympathies are extended to his family and all who loved him."
Lloyd H. Carr
Head Football Coach
University of Michigan
"As a staff and as a program, we are deeply saddened to hear of Coach Hoeppner's passing this morning. I know Hep was a fierce competitor, and he battled an unforgiving disease. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to Jane and their family and the Indiana University community. We hope they find comfort in knowing that he is no longer in pain and is in a much better place."
Joe Tiller
Head Football Coach
Purdue University
"Northwestern is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Terry Hoeppner. Our thoughts are with his family, the Indiana University community and everyone who was touched by this great man. Terry was a coach with outstanding character, a great love for the game and his players, a tremendous motivator and an ideal family man. We all remember the moving reflection he gave at Coach Walker's memorial service just less than a year ago. Like Coach Walk, he was one of the great role models in our coaching profession. This is a truly sad day for college football."
Pat Fitzgerald
Head Football Coach
Northwestern University
"Coach Hoeppner's untimely passing earlier today is a loss for the game of football, the Big Ten Conference, Indiana University, his wonderful family and all the young people he touched. Coach Hep was a difference maker throughout his career. He will be truly missed by his colleagues. Our thoughts are with his family and Indiana University."
Jim Tressel
Head Football Coach
Ohio State University
"Terry was a mentor. I wouldn't be where I am today without him being a mentor to me. Everybody knew what a great coach he was, but he was a great person. He was a great person to be around. He was a coaches' coach and a players' coach and had a great attitude about everything. I know he was fighting until the last day, and that's just the type of person he was. We're going to miss him. I'm going to miss him as both a coach and a friend."
Shane Montgomery
Head Football Coach
Miami University
"Terry was a coach's coach. He worked hard at football. He was extremely enthusiastic and liked by everybody. I know Indiana was his dream job and fortunately, he was able to live his dream for a while. He was just a great coach, a great person and he was great for the kids."
Joe Novak
Head Football Coach
Northern Illinois University
"I've known Terry for a long time. We were head coaches together at the same time in the same league and as good of a football coach that he was, he was an even better person. He still had a lot to give to the sport of football. It is just a shame."
Gregg Brandon
Head Football Coach
Bowling Green State University
"I always think about his passion, his love of football and his love for his players. He had unbridled enthusiasm and a zest for life and coaching. He has touched the lives of numbers of players and his legacy will go on because of the type of person he was. He had an impact on everyone he met."
Dan Dalrymple
New Orleans Saints Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
Former Miami University player, coach and strength and conditioning coach
"Obviously, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Coach Hoeppner. Terry was a true leader, and Indiana has lost not only a great coach, but more importantly, a great husband, father and friend. I can't express the sorrow I feel personally and that the whole Minnesota Family feels for the Hoeppner family and Indiana community. Our hearts go out to his wife, Jane, and his children Amy, Allison and Drew."
Joel Maturi
Director of Athletics
University of Minnesota
Former Director of Athletics, Miami of Ohio
"This is a very sad day for all of the Big Ten due to the passing of Coach Terry Hoeppner. He did a magnificent job in two short years at Indiana. He exemplified what true courage means. All of us our extremely saddened by his passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Jane, and the entire Hoeppner family, as well as Indiana University."
Tim Brewster
Head Football Coach
University of Minnesota
"I wish to extend my heart-felt sympathy to Coach Hoeppner's wife Jane, his children and grandchildren. My condolences also go out to his coaching staff, his players and the entire Indiana University community during this difficult time. His passing certainly reminds us all just how fragile life is. My thoughts and prayers are with his immediate family as well as his extended football family. Terry will be sorely missed in the coaching profession.
"I knew Coach Hoeppner primarily through competition, but he was well respected as a coach and as a person. As a coach, he touched many lives, including two of my current assistant coaches, (tight ends/tackles coach) Mark Staten and (defensive coordinator) Pat Narduzzi. Mark played defensive tackle at Miami (Ohio) when Terry coached the defensive backs, and Pat served as his defensive coordinator during the 2003 season. Both Mark and Pat thought the world of Coach Hoeppner."
Mark Dantonio
Head Football Coach
Michigan State University
"The entire Iowa football family wants to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Terry Hoeppner on their loss. He was an outstanding football coach and an even better man. His passing is a terrible loss to Indiana University and college football."
Kirk Ferentz
Head Football Coach
University of Iowa
"On behalf of our staff and our team I'd like to pass on our greatest sympathy to Coach Hoeppner's family, the Indiana football team and the IU community. Coach Hoeppner was a proven winner who had an unshakable confidence in his vision for his program. He carried himself in a first-class manner and demanded the same from everyone associated with his team. Our thoughts are with the Hoeppner family and all those close to Terry during these trying times."
Bret Bielema
Head Football Coach
University of Wisconsin
"This is a tragedy and my condolences go out to Coach Hoeppner's family. He clearly had the Indiana program going back in the right direction. During our last season up there (in Bloomington), the enthusiasm in the stadium was obvious and they were really embracing what he was doing. He conducted himself and the program in a very classy manner, and this is quite a loss for the coaching profession."
Rich Brooks
Head Football Coach
University of Kentucky
"Coach Hoeppner was a great person, on and off the field. He was one of the main reasons I went to Miami. He was a great leader and role model to anyone who wanted to be a coach. He will be deeply missed by the football community and life in general. I send condolences to his wife, Jane, and the family."
Dontae Wright
Graduate Assistant Coach
University of Kentucky
Former Miami of Ohio player
"I am forever inspired by Terry Hoeppner - he led by words and actions, from near and far, by example and intellect and as a perpetual teacher and student. Terry was a great teacher, a better coach, an even better colleague and, most of all, friend."
Brad Bates
Athletic Director
Miami University
"Coach Hoeppner was not only a great coach but a wonderful and exciting person who wanted nothing but the best for his program at IU. He wanted to bring back the winning spirits, tradition and attitude for the players, fans and the community of Bloomington. He will be deeply missed and never be forgotten by the people of Bloomington and those who knew and loved him most."
Victor Adeyanju
St. Louis Rams and former Indiana University defensive lineman
"I have great respect for what Coach Hoeppner did at Miami, building that program to be a consistent contender for MAC championships during his time there. He was beginning to make the same impact at Indiana. His passing is tragic for everyone, especially his wife and family to whom we send our thoughts and prayers."
J.D. Brookhart
University of Akron
Head Football Coach
