The Kansas City Chiefs have announced the Coach of the Week honors for the first week of the 2024 season. The Week One awards went to Lee's Summit High School Head Coach Todd Miller (Missouri) and J.C. Harmon High School Head Coach Keith O'Neal (Kansas).
As a result of this honor, the awarded schools will receive a $500 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation. Additionally, the coaches will be presented a pair of sunglasses, courtesy of Oakley, and a certificate recognizing their selection. These coaches are now qualified for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which will be voted on later this fall. The Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award is selected by a panel comprised of the Missouri and Kansas Boards from the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
Lee's Summit opened the season with impressive wins over Liberty and Blue Springs. These are the first two games under Miller who took over the program after coaching in Colorado for two decades. This is the first time the Tigers have started 2-0 since 2018 and they have done it in dominant fashion, scoring 75 points in their first two games. Miller said he was thrilled, and that the team's success is due to the work of his assistants and the players.
"I am so humbled to be nominated for this honor and to be part of Tiger football. This area is so rich in high school football talent and coaching, just to be recognized is extremely exciting for our community," Miller said. "I am just a piece of the puzzle here at Lee's Summit. Our coaches are unbelievable and do a great job with our players. Coach (Benny) Palmer and Coach (Jason Linn) Wright are the reason for our fast start, and our players are showing great effort and coachability. Thank you again on behalf of Tiger High Football."
J.C. Harmon opened its season with a 52-6 win over Maranatha. It was the first opening game win for the Hawks since 2019 and just their second season-opening win in the last 14 seasons. After battling through almost two full missed seasons due to covid and program rebuilding, O'Neal said the award is for everyone.
"I'm honored to have received this reward, as it represents the hard work that my staff and student athletes put in each and every day," O'Neal said.
In its 28th season, the 2024 High School Coach of the Week is a joint initiative of the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League. This program is designed to recognize and reward Kansas City area high school coaches for superior performance on a weekly basis while honoring individuals who are shaping today's youth and tomorrow's leaders.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week. PrepsKC is the only complete multimedia coverage of high school football in the Kansas City Metro. For the last 15 years it has combined a dynamic website, weekly magazine and comprehensive weekly radio show. More information about PrepsKC, including scores, schedules and coverage can be found at www.prepskc.com.
