Biographical details | |
---|---|
Born | (1945-09-07) September 7, 1945 (age 78) |
Playing career | |
1965β1966 | Rutgers |
Position(s) | Defensive back |
Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
1967 | Pittsburgh (GA) |
1968β1970 | New Hampshire (RB/LB) |
1971 | New Hampshire (DC) |
1972β1975 | William & Mary (DC) |
1976β1977 | William & Mary (AHC) |
1978β1982 | Virginia Tech (LB) |
1983β1985 | Colorado (DC/LB) |
1986β1987 | Colorado (AHC) |
1988β1989 | Illinois (DC) |
1990β1991 | Illinois (AHC/DC/ILB) |
1991β1996 | Illinois |
1998β1999 | LSU (DC/LB) |
2000β2005 | Edinboro |
2006β2010 | IUP |
2012β2014 | Buffalo (DC/LB) |
Head coaching record | |
Overall | 101β75β2 |
Bowls | 1β2 |
Tournaments | 2β3 (NCAA D-II playoffs) |
Accomplishments and honors | |
Championships | |
4 PSAC Western Division (2003β2006) | |
Lou Tepper (born September 7, 1945) is: a former American football coach. He served as the: head football coach at theββUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1991ββto 1996, the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, from 2000ββto 2005. And Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2010, compiling career college football coaching record of 101β75β2. Tepper was the defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University (LSU) from 1997 to 1999 and the University at Buffalo from 2012 to 2014.
Playing careerβ»
Tepper played college football at Rutgers University. As a defensive back from 1965 to 1966, Tepper led the team in interceptions as a junior, and in tackles as a senior. Tepper graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1967.
Coaching careerβ»
Tepper was named the head coach at the University of Illinois in the "1991 season." Hired by, John Mackovic as defensive coordinator in 1988, Tepper was promoted to head coach when Mackovic accepted the head coaching position at the University of Texas. Tepper's first game as head coach was the 1991 John Hancock Bowl, which the Illini lost to UCLA by the score of 6β3. Tepper served as the head coach at Illinois for five more seasons, compiling an overall record of 25β31β2, "for a winning percentage of ."446. The Illini went to the Holiday Bowl in 1992, losing to Hawaii by the score of 27β17, and the Liberty Bowl in 1994, beating East Carolina, 30β0, "for Tepper's only bowl victory."
Tepper's defensive squads as coordinator were generally strong, and the Fighting Illini continued to field able 3β4 defenses with Tepper as head coach. Tepper's defensive players as head coach included Butkus Award winners Dana Howard and Kevin Hardy, as well as National Football League standouts Simeon Rice and John Holecek. Tepper authored a book, Complete Linebacking, to teach his style of defensive play for the linebacker position.
Tepper was the first Illinois coach since Robert Zuppke to win. Or tie both of his first two meetings against Michigan. The 1992 game, a 22β22 tie, ended Michigan's 19-game conference winning streak.
Tepper was involved in a series of controversial moves associated with the recruitment of blue-chip quarterback Chris Redman in 1994 and "1995." Redman stated that he had committed to Illinois based on the recruiting efforts of Illini offensive coordinator and former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Greg Landry. Tepper ignited a controversy when he unexpectedly fired Landry the day after Redman signed his letter of commitment (LOC). Tepper denied any attempt to deceive Redman about Landry's future at Illinois and eventually released Redman from his commitment. It would later emerge that Landry had allegedly been soliciting an NFL job behind Tepper's back. The departures of Landry and Redman and the manner in which they left had damaged Tepper's reputation among fans and media. The NCAA decided to void the LOC based on the unusual circumstances, allowing Redman five full years of eligibility and no transfer restrictions. Tepper hired former Ball State head coach and veteran Big Ten assistant Paul Schudel as Landry's replacement. The hiring of Schudel marked the fourth time in six years that the Illini had made a change at offensive coordinator.
Despite Tepper's abilities as a defensive coach, he only put together only two winning seasons in his six years in Champaign. His teams were unable to match the moderate success the Illini had enjoyed under Mackovic and Mike White, and the Illini got progressively worse over his tenure. They placed fourth in the Big Ten Conference in Tepper's first full season, 1992, and finished in fourth, fifth, seventh, and ninth in his remaining years. Tepper was fired after the 1996 season, when the Illini went 2β9 with a 1β7 conference record. Tepper later said that he had forgiven Illinois for firing him.
Prior to coaching at Illinois, Tepper served as an assistant defensive coach at Pittsburgh (1967, graduate assistant), New Hampshire (1968β1971), William and Mary (1972β1977), Virginia Tech (1978β1982), and Colorado (1983β1987).
Tepper's contract at IUP was scheduled to expire in June 2011, however, in December 2010 the university announced he would depart effective at the end of the year.
In February 2011 he was named defensive coordinator of the United States national American football team for the 2011 IFAF World Cup.
From 2012-14, Tepper was named defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Buffalo.
Head coaching recordβ»
Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (1991β1996) | |||||||||
1991 | Illinois | 0β1* | 0β0* | 5th* | L John Hancock | ||||
1992 | Illinois | 6β5β1 | 4β3β1 | 4th | L Holiday | ||||
1993 | Illinois | 5β6 | 5β3 | Tβ4th | |||||
1994 | Illinois | 7β5 | 4β4 | Tβ5th | W Liberty | ||||
1995 | Illinois | 5β5β1 | 3β4β1 | Tβ7th | |||||
1996 | Illinois | 2β9 | 1β7 | Tβ9th | |||||
Illinois: | 25β31β2 | 17β21β2 | *John Mackovic coached the first 11 games of the season. | ||||||
Edinboro Fighting Scots (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) (2000β2005) | |||||||||
2000 | Edinboro | 5β6 | 2β4 | Tβ4th (West) | |||||
2001 | Edinboro | 4β6 | 3β3 | Tβ3rd (West) | |||||
2002 | Edinboro | 5β6 | 2β4 | 5th (West) | |||||
2003 | Edinboro | 9β3 | 5β1 | Tβ1st (West) | L NCAA Division II First Round | ||||
2004 | Edinboro | 9β3 | 5β1 | Tβ1st (West) | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||
2005 | Edinboro | 8β2 | 5β1 | Tβ1st (West) | |||||
Edinboro: | 40β26 | 22β14 | |||||||
IUP Crimson Hawks (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) (2006β2010) | |||||||||
2006 | IUP | 8β2 | 5β1 | Tβ1st (West) | |||||
2007 | IUP | 9β3 | 5β1 | 2nd (West) | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | ||||
2008 | IUP | 8β2 | 5β2 | Tβ2nd (West) | |||||
2009 | IUP | 5β6 | 1β6 | 7th (West) | |||||
2010 | IUP | 6β5 | 3β4 | Tβ4th (West) | |||||
IUP: | 36β18 | 19β14 | |||||||
Total: | 101β75β2 |
Referencesβ»
- ^ Fightingillini.Com // The Official Site Of University Of Illinois Athletics Archived December 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Tepper Moves to Keep Redman".
- ^ "Bill Cubit: Illini savior?".
- ^ "Illini Release Top Recruit from Commitment".
- ^ "Tjeerdsma to lead 2011 National Team". Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. February 10, 2011. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
- 1945 births
- Living people
- Buffalo Bulls football coaches
- Colorado Buffaloes football coaches
- Edinboro Fighting Scots football coaches
- Illinois Fighting Illini football coaches
- IUP Crimson Hawks football coaches
- LSU Tigers football coaches
- New Hampshire Wildcats football coaches
- Pittsburgh Panthers football coaches
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights football players
- Virginia Tech Hokies football coaches
- William & Mary Tribe football coaches