Jimmie Keeling

Jimmie Keeling
Biographical details
Born (1935-08-10) August 10, 1935 (age 89)
San Angelo, Texas, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1966Elgin HS (TX)
1968–1969Lubbock Estacado HS (TX)
1970–1971Andrews HS (TX)
1975–1978Lamar Consol. HS (TX)
1979–1988San Angelo Central HS (TX)
1989John Tyler HS (TX)
1990–2010Hardin–Simmons
Head coaching record
Overall172–53 (college)
182–125–12 (high school)
Tournaments5–5 (NAIA D-II playoffs)
4–6 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 TIAA (1993–1995)
7 ASC (1996, 1998–2001, 2003–2004)

Jimmie Keeling (born August 10, 1935) is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Hardin–Simmons University in Abilene, Texas from 1990 to 2010. After a highly successful coaching career in Texas high school football, Keeling was chosen to revive the Hardin–Simmons Cowboys football program, which hadn't played a football game since 1963. Keeling became the winningest coach in Hardin–Simmons football history in 1997, surpassing Warren B. Woodson.

Keeling graduated from Evant High School in 1953. He started his collegiate career at Tarleton State University, then a junior college, and finished his undergraduate work at Howard Payne University in 1958. Jimmie Keeling's first coaching job was as assistant football coach at Hico High School, Hico, Texas, from September 1956 to June 1957. His first head coaching job came soon after, taking the reins as head coach and athletic director at Dublin in 1959.

Keeling had several stops in his early coaching career, namely at Tulia, Elgin, Lubbock Estacado, Andrews and Lamar Consolidated. His 1968 Lubbock Estacado squad went 14–0 and claimed the Class 3A state championship, beating Refugio High School, 14–0. He also guided Lamar Consolidated to a regional championship in 1978.

In 1979 he overtook a storied football program at San Angelo Central, and remained there for 10 seasons. He guided the Bobcats all the way to the Class 5A regional championships in 1982 and in 1988, reached the state quarterfinals. Keeling's last high school stop was at John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas for one year.

Hardin-Simmons chose Keeling to revive their football program in 1990, after a 37-year absence. Keeling's Hardin-Simmons Cowboys had 19 consecutive winning seasons. His teams won 10 conference titles and played in 19 playoff games, and Keeling was named conference coach of the year six times.

In 1995, Keeling was rewarded for his 30 years of excellence in high-school coaching when he was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor. Keeling posted a career high school record of 182–125–12.[1]

Head coaching record

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College

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Hardin–Simmons Cowboys (Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1990–1995)
1990 Hardin–Simmons 3–6 2–4 T–5th
1991 Hardin–Simmons 5–5 3–2 T–2nd
1992 Hardin–Simmons 10–2 4–1 2nd L NAIA Division II Quarterfinal
1993 Hardin–Simmons 10–3 5–0 1st L NAIA Division II Semifinal
1994 Hardin–Simmons 8–3 4–1 T–1st L NAIA Division II Quarterfinal
1995 Hardin–Simmons 9–2 7–1 T–1st L NAIA Division II Quarterfinal
Hardin–Simmons Cowboys (American Southwest Conference) (1990–1995)
1996 Hardin–Simmons 8–3 3–1 T–1st L NAIA Division II First Round
1997 Hardin–Simmons 7–3 2–3 T–3rd
1998 Hardin–Simmons 9–1 7–0 1st
1999 Hardin–Simmons 12–1 7–0 1st L NCAA Division III Quarterfinal
2000 Hardin–Simmons 12–1 9–0 1st L NCAA Division III Semifinal
2001 Hardin–Simmons 8–2 8–0 1st L NCAA Division III First Round
2002 Hardin–Simmons 8–2 7–2 3rd
2003 Hardin–Simmons 8–2 8–1 T–1st
2004 Hardin–Simmons 10–1 9–0 1st L NCAA Division III Second Round
2005 Hardin–Simmons 8–2 7–2 T–2nd
2006 Hardin–Simmons 8–2 6–1 2nd L NCAA Division III First Round
2007 Hardin–Simmons 6–4 6–2 T–2nd
2008 Hardin–Simmons 9–2 7–1 1st L NCAA Division III First Round
2009 Hardin–Simmons 6–4 5–3 4th
2010 Hardin–Simmons 8–2 6–2 3rd
Hardin–Simmons: 172–53 122–27
Total: 172–53
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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