Ken Stephens
| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
April 2, 1931 Conway, Arkansas |
| Playing career | |
| 1960s | Central Arkansas |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1972-1981 | Central Arkansas |
| 1982-1985 | Lamar |
| 1986-1992 | Arkansas Tech |
| 2001-2004 | Ranger College |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 120–130–8 |
Kenneth Gene Stephens (born April 2, 1931) is a former American football coach and athlete.[1] He served as head coach at Central Arkansas,[2] Lamar University and Arkansas Tech.
Stephens is a graduate of Central Arkansas, where he played as a defensive back and still holds the record for interceptions in a game (five). He began his coaching career at the high school level, winning three state championships at North Little Rock, Arkansas, before moving on the Arkansas State and Arkansas as an assistant. He was appointed head coach at his alma mater in 1972. In 10 seasons, Stephens built a 67-35-6 record at UCA, third-best in school history only to his two successors, winning four Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference titles and taking the Bears to four NAIA playoffs, the first in school history.
In 1982, Stephens went on to coach at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, but resigned in 1985 after four consecutive losing seasons.[3] He then became head coach at Arkansas Tech, spending seven seasons there before retiring in 1992. Stephens returned to coaching in 2001, taking over as head coach at Ranger College in Ranger, Texas, for 4 seasons.
On February 28, 2014, Ken Stephens was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.[4]