Semoball

Search for new football coach at Doniphan begins

Doniphan football coach Jeremy Stout, seen in this file photo from the 2021 season, has resigned after four seasons.
PROSPECT-NEWS FILE

The Doniphan football program will have a new coach next fall after Jeremy Stout recently resigned after leading the Dons during their first four varsity seasons back on the gridiron.

“Coach Stout did a good job with the program during my three years here. I feel like he was passionate about the program,” Doniphan R-I Superintendent Brad Hagood said.

“I think he was passionate about all of our programs too as the athletic director.”

Stout also served as the athletic director overseeing Doniphan’s eight varsity sports.

Hagood said the district is advertising for both positions and that a search has begun.

“It could go along with this job but it may not,” Hagood said of the athletic director and football head coaching positions.

Stout took over the football program when the Dons made their varsity debut in 2018 after nearly 40 years.

The community, led by the Doniphan For Football group, raised money to restart the program.

In 2017, the Dons returned at the junior varsity level and this past fall, the program was officially turned over to the district.

“Over the last five years they’ve shown improvement every year,” Hagood said.

“We’ve had pretty good numbers of kids participating since the beginning. … (The program) has been successful getting more kids involved into extracurricular activities.”

The search is now on for someone to keep that momentum going, building a program that is coming off a 2-8 season.

Hagood said candidates with previous head coaching experience will get a “hard look” but said the district is just now in the stage of getting the word out about the opening.

Stout leaves as the second-longest tenured football coach in the program’s history with Ed Rickus, who also coached the Dons over the final four years from 1976-79. Tom Waller coached the Dons five seasons before Rickus when the program restarted for a second time and holds the program record with 22 wins.

In their return led by Stout, the Dons lost their first 16 games before a 19-0 win at Chaffee on Oct. 11, 2019. It was a day before the 40th anniversary of Doniphan’s last win, a 33-6 victory at South Pemiscot.

The 2020 season, which was cut short due to COVID-19, ended with a four-overtime 52-46 victory over Caruthersville for Doniphan’s first home win.

This past season, the Dons also won at Caruthersville 40-20 and at East Prairie 32-12 while also losing in overtime to Fredericktown 34-28.

Injuries plagued the Dons this past season with only 20 players available in the district playoff at Dexter. All but five players who graduated can return next fall.

“Hat’s off to our young guys,” Stout said that night. “This was pretty much a JV game. We started seven freshmen. … We gave it everything we had. I think we played a heck of a first quarter, but when we run out of bullets, we run out of bullets.

“I’m very proud of my team. I’m very proud of where we’re at.”

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