Tyler Hopperton

Tyler Hopperton enters his 8^th season as Head Football Coach and his 13^th overall as a member of the MSJ Lions Football coaching staff going into the 2024 Football Season. Hopperton also serves as the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach for the Lions. 

In his first 7 seasons as Head Football Coach, Hopperton has earned a 51-17 overall record (41-9 HCAC) and has led the Lions to the program’s 5^th HCAC Championship in 2018, 6^th HCAC Championship and NCAA Playoff appearance in 2022, and 7^th HCAC Championship and NCAA Playoff appearance in 2023. Hopperton was named the HCAC Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2023. 

Quote from Coach Hopperton: “It is an honor to serve as Head Football Coach at Mount St. Joseph University. The Mount has been such a special place for my family and it is truly a privilege to lead the football program. The success we enjoy today couldn’t be achieved without the foundation that has been built over the last 34 years. We work every day to make The Mount Family proud!”

During Hopperton’s 7-year tenure the Lions have placed 111 Student Athletes on the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference Team, including 57 First Team recipients, 3 Offensive Players of the Year, 2 Special Teams Players of the Year, 1 Defensive Player of the Year, 2 D3Football All-Americans, 1 AFCA All-American, and the 2019-2020 HCAC Male Athlete of the Year. During that same timespan, the HCAC has recognized 47 Lions as “players of the week”, which recognizes the top conference performers each week of the season. Coach Hopperton’s Lions have also set or tied over 80 MSJ Team and Individual Records over the last 7 seasons. In addition to recognition for on-the-field success, the Lions have also placed 91 Student Athletes on the Academic All-Conference Team and a 2022 CoSIDA 2^nd Team Academic All-American during the Hopperton era.

Hopperton has also seen success as a Special Teams Coordinator and position coach. Coach Hopperton has mentored 2 HCAC Conference Special Teams Players of the Year, a USA All-American Kicker, an NCAA Statistical Champion for punt return average, 5 First-Team All-Conference Kickers/Punters, 4 Second-Team Kickers/Punters, and 7 All-Conference Punt and Kick Returners. 7 Linebackers earned All-Conference Honors during Coach Hopperton’s time as a Linebackers Coach, 14 Defensive Backs in his time as DB Coach, and a 2023 D3Football 4^thTeam All-American Cornerback. In 2019, Hopperton was named to the American Football Coaches Association’s “35 under 35” Leadership program.

Hopperton graduated from the Mount in 2012 after a playing career that ended with him as a team captain, First-Team HCAC All-Conference, All-Ohio, MSJ Defensive Player of the Year, and was chosen to play in the Ohio Army National Guard Senior Bowl.

Along with his on-field success, Hopperton was more impressive off it. He was a three-time HCAC All-Academic award winner and a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete (2012). While at the Mount, Hopperton was President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), 2011-2012, was the Mount St. Joseph Student Athlete Representative at the 2012 NCAA Convention, and the Representative at the Diversity and Gender Issues Workshop. He was a Resident Assistant at the Mount from 2010-2012, was named to the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society (Spring 2012), and named Sigma Beta Delta and Chi Alpha Sigma (Spring 2011). After graduating from the Mount Magna Cum Laude, he immediately began his coaching career at The Mount.

Hopperton lives in Northern Kentucky with his wife, Abbie, his daughter, Emorie, and son, Graham.