Lou Tepper

Lou Tepper (born September 7, 1945 in Keystone, Pennsylvania) is an American football coach. Tepper has been the head coach at the University of Illinois (1991-1997), Edinboro University (2000-2005), and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2006-present). Tepper also served as the defensive coordinator at Louisiana State University from 1997 to 1999.

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 to succeed Mackovic 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 6-3. Tepper would be the head coach for five more seasons, and had an overall record of 25 wins, 31 losses, and 2 ties, for a winning percentage of .446. The Illini went to the Holiday Bowl after the 1992 season, losing to the University of Hawaii by the score of 27-17, and the Liberty Bowl after the 1994 season, beating East Carolina University 30-0 for Tepper's only bowl victory.

Tepper's defensive squads as coordinator were generally strong defensively, and the Fighting Illini would continue to have strong defenses with Tepper as head coach. Tepper's defensive players as head coach include Dick Butkus Award winners Dana Howard and Kevin Hardy, as well as National Football League standouts Simeon Rice and John Holecek. Tepper even authored a book, "Complete Linebacking", to teach his style of defensive play of the linebacker position.

Tepper was the first Illinois coach since Robert Zuppke to win or tie both of his first two meetings against Michigan. [ [http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/AllTimeScores.html#Zuppke Fightingillini.Com // The Official Site Of University Of Illinois Athletics ] ] The 1992 game, a 22-22 tie, ended Michigan's nineteen game conference winning streak.

Despite Tepper's abilities as a defensive coach, his teams would be unable to match the moderate success of Mackovic's teams at Illinois, and the Illini got progressively worse over his tenure. The Illini finished in 4th in the Big Ten Conference in Tepper's first full season, 1992, and would finish in 4th, 5th, 7th, and 9th places in his remaining years. Tepper was fired after the 1996 season, when the Illini finished 2-9, with a 1-7 conference record.

Prior to coaching at Illinois, Tepper served as an assistant defensive coach at Pittsburgh (1967, graduate assistant), New Hampshire (1968-71), William & Mary (1972-1977), Virginia Tech (1978-82), and Colorado (1983-1987).

Tepper played college football at Rutgers University. As a defensive back from 1965 to 1967, Tepper led the team in interceptions as a junior in 1966, and in tackles as a senior in 1967. Tepper graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1967.

References

External links

* [http://www.iup.edu/varsitysports/sports/fb/tepperhiring.shtm IUP Names Lou Tepper New Head Football Coach]