Ken Stephens

Ken Stephens

Biographical details
Born	(1931-04-02)April 2, 1931 Conway, Arkansas, U.S.
Died	August 28, 2023(2023-08-28) (aged 92) Conway, Arkansas, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1949–1951	Arkansas State Teachers
Track and field
c. 1950	Arkansas State Teachers
Position(s)	Defensive back (football)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1952	Crossett HS (AR) (assistant)
1953	Bethany HS (OK)
1956–1957	Walnut Ridge HS (AR)
1958–1959	Conway HS (AR)
1960	Arkansas State (assistant)
1962	Morrilton HS (AR)
1963–1970	North Little Rock HS (AR)
1971	Arkansas (assistant)
1972–1981	State College of Arkansas / Central Arkansas
1982–1985	Lamar
1986–1992	Arkansas Tech
2001–2004	Ranger
Golf
2000	Central Arkansas
Head coaching record
Overall	106–106–8 (college football) 15–25 (junior college football)
Tournaments	Football 1–4 (NAIA D-I playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football 4 AIC (1976, 1978, 1980–1981)

Kenneth Gene Stephens (April 2, 1931 – August 28, 2023) was an American football coach. He served as head coach of the University of Central Arkansas from 1972 to 1981 Lamar University from 1982 to 1985, and Arkansas Tech University from 1986 to 1992, compiling a career college football coaching record of 106–106–8.

Stephens was a graduate of Central Arkansas, where he played as a defensive back and still holds the record for interceptions in a game with five. Stephens also competed in track and field, where he was the NAIA runner-up in the 120-yard hurdles in 1951 and 1952. 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 University and the University of 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 Central Arkansas, 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. 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 four seasons.

On February 28, 2014, Stephens was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Stephens died in Conway on August 28, 2023, at the age of 92.

Head coaching record

College football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
State College of Arkansas / Central Arkansas Bears (Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference) (1972–1981)
1972	State College of Arkansas	2–7–1	0–5–1	7th
1973	State College of Arkansas	6–5	3–3	4th
1974	State College of Arkansas	6–3–2	2–2–2	T–4th
1975	Central Arkansas	4–6–1	3–2–1	4th
1976	Central Arkansas	9–3	5–1	T–1st	L NAIA Division I Championship
1977	Central Arkansas	7–3	4–2	2nd
1978	Central Arkansas	9–2	6–0	1st	L NAIA Division I Quarterfinal
1979	Central Arkansas	7–2–2	2–2–2	4th
1980	Central Arkansas	9–1	6–0	1st	L NAIA Division I Quarterfinal
1981	Central Arkansas	8–3	6–0	1st	L NAIA Division I Quarterfinal
State College of Arkansas / Central Arkansas:		67–35–6	37–17–6
Lamar Cardinals (Southland Conference) (1982–1985)
1982	Lamar	4–7	1–4	T–5th
1983	Lamar	2–9	1–5	7th
1984	Lamar	2–9	1–5	T–6th
1985	Lamar	3–8	0–6	7th
Lamar:		11–33	3–20
Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys (Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference) (1986–1992)
1986	Arkansas Tech	6–4	5–2	T–2nd
1987	Arkansas Tech	2–6–1	1–4–1	7th
1988	Arkansas Tech	6–4	3–3	3rd
1989	Arkansas Tech	6–3	3–3	4th
1990	Arkansas Tech	4–6	0–6	7th
1991	Arkansas Tech	0–10	0–6	7th
1992	Arkansas Tech	4–5–1	2–4	5th
Arkansas Tech:		28–38–2	14–28–1
Total:		106–106–8
National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Junior college football

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl/playoffs
Ranger Rangers (Southwest Junior College Football Conference) (2001)
2001	Ranger	2–8	1–6	7th
Ranger Rangers (NJCAA independent) (2002–2004)
2002	Ranger	5–5
2003	Ranger	4–6
2004	Ranger	4–6
Ranger:		15–25	1–6
Total:		15–25