Ken Heupel

Ken Heupel
Biographical details
Bornc. 1954 (age 71–72)
EducationNorthern State University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
?–1986Central HS (SD)
1987–1997Northern State (AHC/DC)
1998–2004Northern State
Head coaching record
Overall44–33 (football)
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 NSIC (1999)
Awards
NSIC Coach of the Year (1999)

Ken Heupel is an American former college football coach. He served as the head football coach at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, from 1998 to 2004, compiling a record of 44–33. Heupel led the Northern State Wolves to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) championship in 1999 and the program's first postseason bowl appearance as an NCAA Division II institution in 2004.

Heupel is the father of Josh Heupel, a former Oklahoma quarterback and the head football coach at the University of Tennessee.

Education

Heupel attended Northern State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1980. He subsequently earned a master's degree from the university in 1983.

Coaching career

Northern State

Heupel spent 11 seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Northern State before becoming the program's head football coach in 1998.

In his first season as head coach, Heupel guided the Wolves to an 8–3 record. Northern State improved to 9–2 in 1999, completing an undefeated 8–0 conference schedule to capture the NSIC championship. The title was the program's first conference championship since 1992. Heupel was named the 1999 NSIC Coach of the Year.

Following the championship season, Northern State finished 6–5 in 2000, 4–7 in both 2001 and 2002, and 7–4 in 2003.

In 2004, Heupel led the Wolves to a 6–5 record and an appearance in the Mineral Water Bowl, the program's first postseason bowl appearance since its transition to NCAA Division II. Northern State lost to Washburn, 36–33, in the bowl game.

Heupel concluded his seven-year tenure with a 44–33 overall record. His 44 victories ranked fourth in Northern State program history at the time of his recognition in 2014.

Recognition

In October 2014, Northern State University honored Heupel during its October 25 home football game against St. Cloud State. The recognition coincided with the university's football alumni reunion weekend and marked Heupel's first return to Northern State since his departure in 2004.

Personal life

Heupel and his wife, Cindy, have a son, Josh Heupel, and a daughter, Andrea. Cindy worked as a high school principal.

Josh grew up around the Northern State football program, attending team meals, watching game film, and accompanying his father to football practices and meetings. Josh later quarterbacked Oklahoma to the 2000 national championship before beginning his own coaching career.

Head coaching record

College

Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Northern State Wolves (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) (1998–2004)
1998 Northern State 8–35–12nd
1999 Northern State 9–28–01st
2000 Northern State 6–55–36th
2001 Northern State 4–74–57th
2002 Northern State 4–74–56th
2003 Northern State 7–45–34th
2004 Northern State 6–55–23rdL Mineral Water Bowl
Northern State: 44–3336–19
Total:44–33
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Northern State Football Records" (PDF). Northern State University Athletics. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Believe the Heup". Pegasus. University of Central Florida. 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Northern to welcome back coach Ken Heupel". Aberdeen American News. July 18, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Bulldogs at Northern State Saturday Afternoon for First NSIC Road Engagement of 2003". University of Minnesota Duluth Athletics. September 24, 2003. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Congressional Record, December 7, 2000" (PDF). United States Congress. December 7, 2000. Retrieved October 21, 2026.