Josh Heupel
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Current position | |
| Title |
Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach |
| Team | Missouri |
| Conference | SEC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
March 22, 1978 Aberdeen, South Dakota |
| Playing career | |
| 1997 1998 1999−2000 2001 2002 |
Weber St. Snow College Oklahoma Miami Dolphins* Green Bay Packers* *Offseason member only |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2004 | Oklahoma (GA) |
| 2005 | Arizona (TE) |
| 2006−2010 | Oklahoma (QB) |
| 2011−2014 | Oklahoma (Co-OC) |
| 2015 | Utah St. (AHC/OC/QB) |
| 2016−present | Missouri (OC/QB) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
|
Consensus All-American (2000) AP Player of the Year (2000) Walter Camp Award (2000) Archie Griffin Award (2000) Harley Award Winner (2000) Quarterback of the Year (2000) | |
Josh Heupel (born March 22, 1978) is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Missouri Tigers. He is also 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] After one season at Utah State, he was hired at the University of Missouri under Barry Odom's new staff.
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 watched 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 a Walter Camp Award winner. 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
- ↑ Evans, Thayer. "Oklahoma fires OC Josh Heupel after four seasons". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
- ↑ "Josh Heupel Named Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach at Utah State". Utah State Aggies Athletics. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- ↑ National Football League, Historical Players, Josh Heupel. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
- 1 2 Austin Murphy, "Norman Conquerer," Sports Illustrated (December 25, 2000). Retrieved June 25, 2012.
- ↑ "Josh Heupel author of the new era for OU". Bleacherreport.com. 2009-06-05. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
- ↑ "Orlando Sentinel "Heupel's Odyssey Hardly Average"". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. 2000-12-31. Retrieved 2012-02-07.
- ↑ Drehs, Wayne (2002-09-16). "Heupel on biggest stage of his life". ESPN. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- ↑ Dienhart, Tom (2000-12-18). "Heupel deserved Heisman; QBs are favorites in 2001 - Josh Heupel - Brief Article". CNET Networks (Business Network). Retrieved 2008-03-07.
- ↑ Josh Heupel NFL Draft Profile
- ↑ Josh Heupel heads to Arizona
- ↑ Matt Baker, "Heupel is happy to serve under Stoops on OU staff", Tulsa World, July 15, 2010.
- ↑ John E. Hoover, "OU names co-offensive coordinators; Heupel will call plays", Tulsa World, December 13, 2010.
- ↑ "School Bio: Josh Heupel". Sooner Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- ↑ Tramel, Berry (December 12, 2012). "Oklahoma football: Should Josh Heupel have gone to Louisiana Tech?". NewsOK.com. Retrieved June 17, 2014.