Indiana’s ‘Hep’s Rock’ alternate uniforms honor late Hoosiers coach Terry Hoeppner

When the Indiana Hoosiers take on the Georgia Southern Eagles this Saturday, the Hoosiers’ traditional red and white uniforms will look a little bit different than usual. Indiana will be sporting new “Hep’s Rock” alternate uniforms, which pay tribute to the 10-year anniversary of the passing of former IU head coach, Terry Hoeppner.

The rock-print pattern on the jersey numbers represent Hoeppner’s creation of players rubbing “The Rock” before the start of every home game. In 2005, Hoeppner had a limestone boulder that was installed at the practice field removed and installed at an end zone of Memorial Stadium.

Hoeppner died of brain cancer on June 19, 2007, and The Rock (renamed “Hep’s Rock” in 2010) now serves as motivation for the team as well as a tribute to Hoeppner’s influence on the football program.

Indiana will also honor the 2007 Hoosier football team, which won an Insight Bowl the season following Hoeppner’s death. Crimson Quarry has more on that season:

This weekend, Indiana University will honor the 2007 football team that, after the death of Terry Hoeppner, made his battle cry of “Play 13” a reality and qualified for the Insight Bowl thanks to a 7-5 season and an emotional victory over Purdue in the Old Oaken Bucket Game. CQ’s Kyle Swick recounted that season a few weeks ago as it played out from his vantage point as a freshman at Indiana. As that team comes back to Bloomington without the coach who set them on their path and without their star wide receiver, the focus of the weekend should and will be on reflection of those lives, that season, and how a group of young men managed to grab success out of thin air - even the Hoosiers’ uniforms will pay tribute to Hoeppner and that team.

This is obviously a very cool thing Indiana is doing to honor its former head coach, who finished his tenure with a 9-14 record over two seasons.