Ted LePage announces his resignation as head coach of the Jefferson City Jays at the end of the team's banquet Sunday night at the high school.

LePage announces his resignation

after 12 years at helm of Jays

Dec. 10, 2017

JEFFERSON, CITY, Mo. --- Ted LePage announced his resignation as head coach of the Jefferson City football Jays at the team's annual banquet Sunday night at the high school.

"Because of my children, who have all graduated (from JCHS), I've coached my last game at Jefferson City and I'm moving on to better opportunities" LePage said.

The announcement came at the end of LePage's five-minute speech, which came at the end of the 2 12-hour banquet. It was a somber finish to an otherwise light-hearted night, and it came as a surprise to many in attendance, including his players.

Quarterback Devin Roberson, who will be a senior next season, had a jaw-dropping look of shock on his face when the announcement was made.

Lepage ends his 12-year tenure with a record of 86-46, making him the second-winningest coach with the second-longest tenure in school history. He trails only Pete Adkins in both categories, although the gap is considerable --- Adkins won 354 games in 37 years.

To show how dominant Adkins was during his Hall of Fame career, he had 48 career losses with the Jays --- only two more losses than LePage had in 25 more years.

While the Jays went 3-7 this season, LePage's teams certainly had some good moments.

The Jays advanced to the semifinals in two of his first three seasons, and went to the quarterfinals three times in the next eight years. In the six seasons prior to his hiring, the Jays had three losing seasons, while LePage --- who won a state championship at Blair Oaks before joining the Jays in 2006 --- had only one losing season in 12 years.

Still, the Jays haven't come close to matching the level of dominance the program enjoyed for nearly four decades under Adkins, who won nine state championship, and Ron Cole, who won the school's last football title in 1997.

As a result --- and while many seemed surprised by Sunday night's announcement --- others thought this move was inevitable. The grumblings from some of the power brokers surrounding the program had grown in the recent years, leaving LePage in a seemingly tenuous spot.

Jefferson City had one signature win this season, a 31-14 decision over state-ranked, Class 5 Battle. But the Jays' other wins came against two teams (McCluer North, Hickman) who finished a combined 1-19.

Jefferson City did play a demanding schedule, as always, including a game against eventual state champion CBC. But critics maintained that the inability to beat those high-level teams, at least occasionally, was a major concern for a program that wants to posture itself as one of the best in the state.

Some things, however, were beyond LePage's control, which didn't make his job any easier.

"I've been here 12 years and in those 12 years, there's been a lot of uncertainty at the school," LePage said during the announcement. He declined further comment when the banquet concluded.

"I've experienced three superintendents, five high school principals, and six athletic directors. Through all this, I've kept the Jay badge of honor, I've defended the school, I've wanted to be here, and I've kept the integrity, character and pride in the Jay football program."

Those things should not be forgotten or swept under the rug --- his teams showed integrity, win or lose.

But in the end, LePage didn't win enough games --- he was simply a victim of this program's past success and current expectations.

Loeffler's Link