Hardin-Simmons' Head Coach Jimmie Keeling helped bring football back to Hardin-Simmons in 1990, after a 37 year absence, and has posted a 143-41 record. His teams have won 10 conference titles, played in 19 playoff games and he has been named conference coach of the year six times. Keeling ranks 10th among active Division III coaches in career winning percentage and is 18th in career wins.

In 1997, he became the school's all-time wins leader, surpassing the late Warren Woodson. When Keeling's team took the field against Chapman on Sept. 19, 1998, it was his 89th game, passing Woodson for the most games ever as an HSU coach.

Last year's 8-2 record marked the program's 15th straight winning season.

"This job is about the kids, if you don't like being around young people then there is no reason to be in coaching," said Keeling. "We want to win a lot of football games, but on top of that we want to produce young men that are going to represent the school and themselves."

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 in 1958. His first coaching job came soon after, taking the reins as head coach and athletic director at Dublin in 1959.

Later came stops in Tulia and Elgin. In 1968, Keeling enjoyed perhaps his finest hour as a high school coach when his Lubbock Estacado squad went 14-0 and claimed the Class 4A state championship. Two years later, he helped Andrews to the Class 4A quarterfinals. Later, in 1978, he led Lamar Consolidated to a regional championship.

That success continued when Keeling became head coach at San Angelo Central in 1979, and remained there for 10 seasons. His Bobcats advanced 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 for one year.

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 196-91-11.

In July of 2003, he received the Head Football Coaching Award by the All-American Football Foundation.

In 1990, Keeling was chosen to revive the Cowboy program, which hadn't played a football game since 1963. The Cowboys went 3-6 with a team comprised of almost all freshmen the first season. The next year, the Cowboys challenged for the TIAA title in 1991, going 5-5. Keeling guided the next five Cowboys squads to the playoffs, including a NAIA Division II semifinal game against Westminster (Pa.) in 1993.

Keeling succeeded Dr. Merlin Morrow as director of athletics in 1995, a position he held two years. On May 7, 1997, Keeling officially relinquished his post as athletic director so he could focus solely on coaching. It's a decision he doesn't regret.

Keeling, born in San Angelo on Aug. 10, 1935, is a member of the American Football Coaches Association Nominating Committee. He's married to the former Susan Zesch, and the couple has five grown children. Dale, who is the head football coach and athletic director at Everman High School; Judy, who lives in Tyler; Lisa, who lives in Austin; Lana, who lives in San Antonio and Kelly, who now resides in Graham.

Susan, a native of Mason and a graduate of Texas Tech, is now retired as the executive director of the Noah Project, a center for battered men and women and their children. A former business teacher and past president of the American Football Coaches Association Wives Association, she was also honored as the Woman of the Year by the Texas High School Coaches Wives Association

The Keelings are active members of the First Baptist Church in Abilene.