Tyler Hopperton begins his 9th season as the Head Football Coach and his 14th year with the Mount St. Joseph University Lions Football coaching staff in 2025. Alongside his role as Head Coach, he also serves as the Special Teams Coordinator.
Under Hopperton’s leadership over the past 8 seasons, the Lions have amassed an outstanding 59-20 overall record, with an impressive 47-9 mark in HCAC play. His tenure has been marked by numerous achievements, including guiding the team to its 5th HCAC Championship in 2018, its 6th HCAC Championship and NCAA Playoff appearance in 2022, and securing the 7th and 8th HCAC Championships along with NCAA Playoff berths in 2023 and 2024. Hopperton’s coaching excellence has earned him the HCAC Coach of the Year award in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Reflecting on his journey, Coach Hopperton shared, “It’s an honor to serve as the Head Football Coach at Mount St. Joseph University. The Mount is a special place for my family, and leading this program is truly a privilege. Our ongoing success is built upon a legacy of hard work and dedication established over the past 34 years. We aim to make The Mount Family proud every day.”
Throughout his tenure, Hopperton’s leadership has helped the Lions secure 128 All-Conference honors in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, including 70 First Team selections. The team has also garnered multiple prestigious accolades: 4 Offensive Players of the Year, 2 Special Teams Players of the Year, 2 Defensive Players of the Year, 1 Newcomer of the Year, 2 D3Football All-Americans, 1 AFCA All-American, and the 2019-2020 HCAC Male Athlete of the Year. Additionally, 56 Lions have been recognized as "Players of the Week" by the HCAC, and the team has broken or tied over 80 MSJ team and individual records over the past 7 seasons. Off the field, Coach Hopperton’s players have excelled in academics, with 106 Lions named to the Academic All-Conference Team, and one player achieving CoSIDA 2nd Team Academic All-American honors in 2022.
As Special Teams Coordinator and position coach, Hopperton has made significant contributions to the success of MSJ's special teams. His coaching achievements include 2 HCAC Special Teams Players of the Year, a USA All-American Kicker, an NCAA Statistical Champion in Punt Return Average, and 5 First-Team All-Conference Kickers/Punters. He has also coached 7 All-Conference Punt and Kick Returners. In his time as the Linebackers Coach, Hopperton’s players earned 7 All-Conference honors, and during his tenure as Defensive Backs Coach, 14 players received All-Conference recognition, including a 2023 D3Football 4th Team All-American Cornerback. His most recent success as the Tight Ends Coach in 2024 saw Tight End Gary Powell earn HCAC First Team honors.
Coach Hopperton’s journey at MSJ began as a standout player, culminating in his graduation in 2012. As a student-athlete, he earned accolades including team captaincy, First-Team HCAC All-Conference honors, and All-Ohio recognition. Off the field, Hopperton was equally impressive, earning three-time HCAC All-Academic honors and being named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete in 2012. He also served as President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from 2011-2012, represented MSJ at the NCAA Convention in 2012, and participated in the Diversity and Gender Issues Workshop. In addition, he was a Resident Assistant from 2010-2012 and earned membership in the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, Sigma Beta Delta, and Chi Alpha Sigma. Hopperton graduated Magna Cum Laude from MSJ.
Tyler Hopperton resides in Northern Kentucky with his wife, Abbie, and their children, Emorie and Graham.
