Hoeppner will not return to football team in 2007

Nearly three months after IU head football coach Terry Hoeppner took a leave of absence, the IU Athletics Department announced Friday he will not return to the Hoosiers for the 2007 season. Assistant head coach Bill Lynch, who took over Hoeppner’s day-to-day duties when Hoeppner took the leave of absence in March, will lead the Hoosiers this fall.\n“I’ve been in regular communication with the Hoeppner family for the duration of this medical leave,” IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan said in a press conference Friday. “As we got closer to the season, we were monitoring, trying to get an assessment of Terry’s capabilities health wise to come back. Terry said a while ago ‘I want to do what’s right for Indiana University.’ I think those that know him know that he doesn’t say that without significant thought or concern.”\nGreenspan said he will re-evaluate the head coaching situation at the conclusion of the season.\nJunior wide receiver James Hardy said in an Athletics Department press release that the team is keeping Hoeppner in its thoughts, and is focused on the upcoming season.\n“As a group, our thoughts and prayers will continue to be with Coach Hep and his family,” Hardy said in the release. “I think our coaches have brought this team along and made it even closer. We are focused on having the best season we can possibly have, and Coach Lynch will continue to bring out the best in us.”\nHardy and the rest of the players were informed of the change Friday morning in a team meeting. In addition to Lynch and Greenspan, Hoeppner’s wife, Jane, also spoke with the team during the meeting.\n“Our kids have been a very resilient group through this,” Lynch said “They really are a great group and I think they’ve grown together through this. We believe in them and they’re starting to believe in one another.”\nThe leave is Hoeppner’s third since he had surgery to remove a brain tumor in December 2005. Hoeppner returned in time for the start of spring practice in 2006 and coached for the beginning of the season before having to take another leave in September to remove some scar tissue. \nHe sat out for two games, at which time Lynch took over head coaching duties, losing two games to Southern Illinois and Connecticut. Hoeppner returned for the Hoosiers’ Big Ten opener against Wisconsin.\n“We hoped this most recent medical leave of absence would follow a similar pattern (of a quick recovery), and he would return invigorated, rested and healthy,” Greenspan said. “Hep has shown great determination, passion for his position and pride in Indiana University. Unfortunately Terry has been out for longer then we had hoped and we need to move forward and make appropriate leadership decisions with the start of our fall camp only weeks away.”\nGreenspan said Hoeppner had spent the past several days in the hospital and he expected him to be released Friday. In the release, Jane Hoeppner said her husband has been receiving chemotherapy and radiation for the past several months.\nGreenspan would not give an exact diagnosis, but did indicate Hoeppner’s recent leave of absence and medical treatment are related to the brain tumor Hoeppner had removed in December of 2005.\n“I won’t say that, but I think it’s apparent by definition,” Greenspan said.\nLynch now assumes the task of leading a team built by Hoeppner, who from his first day at IU had high expectations for the team, envisioning the Hoosiers playing in a bowl game within his first few years, and eventually playing in the Rose Bowl.\n“The thing that Terry did for this football program is getting the kids in the program and the fans to believe that Indiana football can win,” Lynch said. “I think our kids have bought into that and believe in that. The one mission we have is to carry on the vision that Terry brought.” \nAnother challenge Lynch will face is recruiting high school players to the football program in the face of adversity. \n“We’re going full steam ahead,” Lynch said. “We’ve had a lot of good kids on campus and we have a lot more lined up. They come to campus somewhat knowing the situation. This is an ongoing thing, but it’s been very easy to sell the University and the football program.”\nLynch also said no one from IU ever heard of other teams using Hoeppner’s health as a recruiting tool against IU. \nLynch will have to prepare the Hoosiers to play football through Hoeppner’s most recent setback.\n“It’s tough, but as Terry would want, you’re going to move forward,” Lynch said “The last message (through e-mail) that he sent was ended with ‘Defend the rock and play 13.’ That’s our challenge, and that’s what we’re going to do. I felt good when they left the room today. It was a tough day for them, but I think a bunch of them headed right for the weight room.”\nGreenspan said he was thankful to Lynch for leading the Hoosiers in 2007 and pointed to his experience as an indicator of his head coaching qualifications. He said Lynch’s contract would be adjusted for bonuses and compensation packages. \n“I’m very appreciative for Bill stepping in,” Greenspan said. “It’s not his first rodeo.”\n-Editor-in-Chief Zachary Osterman contributed to this report