Ken Sparks was born on February 25, 1944, and died on March 29, 2017.

He was a former American football coach and player.

Sparks served as the head football coach at Carson–Newman University in Jefferson City, Tennessee from 1980 until his retirement at the end of the 2016 season.

Sparks was the current the record-holder for the most wins as a coach in NCAA Division II history.

Sparks’ Carson–Newman Eagles won five NAIA Championships (1983–1984, 1986, 1988–1989), and were once runners-up in the NCAA Division II playoffs (1996).

He spent 37 years as the head coach at Carson-Newman University, Sparks announced his retirement on November 14, 2016 at a press conference in the Ken Sparks Athletic Complex on the campus of Carson-Newman University

Ken died after a four-year battle with prostate cancer.

Ken Sparks passed away at 73 years old.