From 2021-24, Hayden Ekern led Minnesota State University-Mankato as a standout quarterback. Football taught him life lessons in adversity, resilience and perseverance. When he got knocked down, he came back stronger – overcoming right and left shoulder separations, a knee injury, and surgery on his left shoulder.
“Injuries can be mentally draining, but they happen for a reason. As an athlete, you need to see the good stuff that can come from it. Look at it as an opportunity on how to improve yourself. When you get surgery or are sidelined for a couple weeks, there are so many other things you can see. You can improve yourself and your mindset,” Hayden says.
That mindset is already taking him to the next level. This season, he is stepping onto the sidelines as the running backs coach for the University of Central Oklahoma. He plans to follow football as far as it will take him, but he also has a solid game plan beyond the field.
Hayden is on track to complete his Master of Business Administration from MNSU-Mankato in December. He played his first two years at the University of South Dakota before transferring to Minnesota State University. With an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hayden pursued an MBA.
As a college athlete, he leaned on Allison Petzel, PT, DPT, at Mankato Clinic Physical Therapy. Allison has been Hayden’s physical therapist for roughly three years, first at Orthopaedic and Fracture Clinic and then at Mankato Clinic.
“Professionally, Hayden kept me on my toes. I always needed to come up with a game plan to help him recover as quickly as possible,” Allison says. “Hayden handled all of his collegiate injuries with a positive mindset. He was dedicated to his rehab, showed he has a great work ethic and is a great leader both in the game and from the sidelines.”
Allison takes a student first approach to college and high school athletes – checking in with Hayden to see how classes were going. To help Hayden recover from injuries, Allison struck a careful balance to advance his strength and function in physical therapy while considering the expectations and regimen of the team’s conditioning program.
“Allison was always consistent, and she was always pushing me to do better. She was smart about returning to practice and she didn’t let me slack in my rehab or training,” Hayden says.
A series of hits in the 2024 season caused an AC (acromioclavicular) joint separation. In Hayden’s case, the ligaments between the clavicle and the shoulder blade were torn. Hayden made the decision to play through the injury.
“Hayden’s left AC injury and treatment plan were unique because he didn’t sit out any games. We had straight forward conversations that it would benefit him to take some time off. We talked about worst case scenarios and long-term implications of the injury,” Allison says.
The treatment plan was taping the shoulder to support and protect it while keeping the shoulder mobile. Between games, Hayden had multiple PT appointments with Allison. He also worked closely with the team athletic trainers in the training room. On the field, he trusted his offensive line to protect him.
- MNSU-Mankato Quarterback 2021-2024
- Bachelor of Business Administration
- MBA – December 2025
- Coach of Running Backs, University of Central Oklahoma
Best Advice to youth athletes: “Sports are not who you are, it’s what you do.”
Hometown Values
While Hayden grew up in Chicago, his family is originally from a small town called Mexico, Missouri. In 2019, they returned to their roots after Hayden graduated from high school. His dad coaches football at the middle school there. This summer, Hayden volunteered at the youth football camp his dad led.
He loves the outdoors – fishing for bass and crappies and playing golf. You will also find him working cattle on his family’s cattle farms in Missouri.
Hayden started in all 15 games in the 2024 season. They had three consecutive playoff wins. Hayden threw 3,192 yards and 24 touchdowns and put up a team-best of 14 rushing touchdowns for the season. He finished his career as Minnesota State’s all-time leader in touchdown passes with 73.
“Coach Todd Hoffner runs a really good program and wins a lot. It stems from the brotherhood of the team and the community, which is such a big support system,” Hayden says.
That’s why giving back to the community matters to him. He was a mentor in the Brother/Sister Mentor Program at the Mankato Family YMCA. He also developed a bond with the Petzel family. As a role model to Allison’s three young children, he watched them grow during his years in Mankato.
“My kids loved watching him play and talking to him after his games. He always took the time to chat with them and get a picture, even when he had a long line of people waiting to talk to him,” Allison says.
Ready for Coaching
Being a college athlete is incredibly demanding. As a coach, Hayden understands those demands – practices, games, travel, lifting, conditioning and team meetings. He also understands another reality many athletes face – recovering from an injury.
“With my experience as a college player, it’s cool to relate to the players knowing that I went through it all just as they’re doing right now,” Hayden says.
Since joining the University of Central Oklahoma coaching staff in February 2025, he has found excellent comradery among the coaches. He also loves being on the field, throwing the ball to his players.
“I’m not getting hit anymore. It feels a lot better,” he says.
While he puts in just as much time as any player, coaches don’t do the player workouts. To stay fit, he does 100 pushups, 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, and at least 10,000 steps every day. He’s taking a break from the weight room but knows he will get back in there.
As a quarterback, he memorized playbooks and had a strong grasp of the leadership, coaching and strategy that goes into every game and season. As a coach, he is learning how much more goes into coaching, managing a team and building a program than he ever realized as a player.
“I love football because it’s a game that features many life lessons. People from all different walks of life are in the locker room. You interact with so many diverse people. You make 100 new friends a year,” Hayden says.
The UCO Bronchos won its conference title in 2024 and there are many returning players. “No two years are the same. I’m excited for the opportunity to build on what they did last year.”
Photo credit: SPX Sports and University of Central Oklahoma Athletics
