Josh Heupel

Josh Heupel (born March 22, 1978) is an assistant college football coach for the Utah State Aggies and a former college football player who played quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners football team at the University of Oklahoma. During his college playing career, he was recognized as a consensus All-American, won numerous awards, and led Oklahoma to the 2000 BCS National Championship. Heupel became a coach after his playing career ended. He served as co-offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma Sooners until January 6, 2015, when he was fired from his position.^[1] He was named the assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach at Utah State on January 23, 2015.^[2]

Early years

Heupel was born and raised in Aberdeen, South Dakota.^[3] His mother Cindy was a high school principal, and his father Ken was a head football coach at Northern State University. As a child, Heupel would watch game film with his father.^[4]

He attended Central High School in Aberdeen, where he played high school football for the Central Golden Eagles. In the second half of the first game of his sophomore season in 1994, he became the Golden Eagles' quarterback in a scaled-down version of the run and shoot offense. As a senior, he was named South Dakota's player of the year. He got recruiting inquiries from major college football programs at the universities of Houston, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming—but, "it seemed I was always the second or third guy on their list," according to Heupel.^[4]

College career

Heupel began his collegiate playing career at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. He redshirted in 1996 and saw action in four games as a freshman in 1997, but he suffered an ACL injury during spring practice in 1998,^[5] pushing him down the team's depth chart. He transferred to Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, where he beat out Fred Salanoa as the team's starting quarterback. Heupel passed for 2,308 yards and 28 touchdowns, despite sharing playing time with Salanoa.^[6] He held a scholarship offer from Utah State University, but committed to Oklahoma after meeting with Mike Leach, the Sooners' new offensive coordinator.

Heupel was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2000. He was also an All-American, the AP Player of the Year, and Walter Camp Award. Heupel led the Sooners to an undefeated season and a national championship with a victory over Florida State in the 2001 Orange Bowl.^[7][8]

Professional career

Heupel was drafted in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.^[9] Compromised by shoulder tendinitis of his throwing arm, he was relegated to fourth string for the entire preseason and failed to make the team.

He was then later signed by the Green Bay Packers in early offseason 2002, but was released a month before training camp. He did not further pursue a career in professional football afterward.

Coaching career

Heupel spent the 2004 season as a graduate assistant for Oklahoma under head coach Bob Stoops. In 2005, Heupel was hired as the tight ends coach at the University of Arizona by newly-appointed head coach Mike Stoops, brother of Bob and an Oklahoma assistant coach during Heupel's playing days.^[10]

Heupel became the quarterbacks coach for Oklahoma in 2006. In that capacity he coached Sooner quarterback Sam Bradford, who won the Heisman Trophy in 2008.^[11] On December 13, 2010, Bob Stoops named Heupel and Jay Norvell as co-offensive coordinators at Oklahoma, replacing Kevin Wilson, who had accepted the head coaching job at Indiana. Stoops said Heupel would be in charge of calling offensive plays during games.^[12] Heupel was released from his coaching responsibilities in January 2015 following an 8−5 season capped by a 40−6 loss to Clemson in 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl.

Personal

Heupel is married, and he and his wife Dawn have a son, Jace, and a daughter, Hannah.^[13] His sister, Andrea Heupel, is married to former U.S. Representative Dan Boren.^[14]

References

External links

• Josh Heupel's The #14 Foundation
• Utah State profile