Awards

Bill Orwig Award - 2020

About Bill Lynch

Bill Lynch had an enormous impact on Indiana University Football as an assistant coach, associate head coach and finally as the program’s head coach from 2007-10.

Lynch first joined Coach Bill Mallory’s IU football staff in 1993 as its quarterback coach. After a successful two-year run that included a trip to the 1993 Independence Bowl, Lynch departed to become the head coach at Ball State, where he spent eight years and guided the Cardinals to the 1996 MAC Championship and a West Division co-championship in 2001.

Lynch returned to Bloomington in 2005 as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator under his long-time friend, Terry Hoeppner. When Hoeppner was diagnosed with cancer, Lynch stepped in as the interim head coach for two games in 2006, and was later named the program’s head coach just days before Hoeppner’s passing in 2007. In his first year as IU’s head coach, he fulfilled the program’s pledge to “Play 13” in honor of Hoeppner, leading IU to a 7-6 record and a berth in the Insight Bowl. In doing so, Lynch became the only head coach in program history to lead the program to a bowl game in their first season.

After leaving IU, Lynch enjoyed a successful seven-year run at DePauw, which included the school’s first-ever run of three consecutive eight-win seasons. Lynch, who retired from coaching in January 2020, compiled a 145-122-3 overall record in 25 years as head coach at Butler (1985-89), Ball State (1995-2002), DePauw (2004, 2013-19) and Indiana (2007-10).