KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Kansas City Chiefs named their Week 10 Coach of the Week recipients for the 2026 season.
Raymore-Peculiar High School Head Coach Greg Jones (Missouri) and Mill Valley High School Head Coach Joel Applebee (Kansas) are the Week 10 selections following strong performances from their respective teams this past week.
This weekly spotlight continues the Chiefs mission to recognize outstanding high school football coaches across the region. Each week, one coach from Missouri and one from Kansas are honored for the meaningful impact they have on their players, their programs, and their communities. The Coach of the Week initiative celebrates the individuals working behind the scenes to help shape the next generation of football players and leaders, striving to make an impact beyond on-field performance.
As part of their recognition, both coaches will receive a $1,000 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation, a Chiefs bucket hat, a certificate of recognition, and a custom game ball. Both coaches also qualify for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which is selected at the end of the high school regular season by a panel from the Missouri and Kansas Boards of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
After finishing 0-10 just last year, the Raymore-Peculiar Panthers, led by Head Coach Greg Jones, engineered one of Missouri's biggest turnarounds in 2026, posting an 8-2 record and climbing from No. 100 to No. 6 in the MaxPreps state rankings.
Following a 52-41 win in the District Semifinal round of the 2026 MSHSAA Class 6 Playoffs over the Lee's Summit West Titans on Friday, Nov. 6, Raymore-Peculiar looks to capitalize on the momentum they've built and secure their best overall record since the 2020 season. The 52 points scored marked the Panthers most explosive offensive output of the entire 2026 season. Prior to this matchup, their season high was 49 points against the Staley Falcons on Friday, October 9.
The Panthers eight wins match the program's highest regular-season win total since 2021, when the team finished 8-3 overall. Raymore-Peculiar now has an opportunity to add to their win total as they prepare to face the Rockhurst Hawklets on Friday, Nov. 13. With the win, the Panthers would advance to the State Quarterfinals.
"This is a staff and program award," Jones said. "I'm very proud of our coaches and players for the work they have done and are doing this year."
Prior to taking on the role of head coach at Raymore-Peculiar in 2025, Jones worked at the collegiate level, serving as the defensive coordinator at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg for two years. Before then, from 2022-23, he was a defensive analyst and assistant safeties coach at the University of Oregon, serving under Dan Lanning.
Jones was the head football coach at Liberty North High School from 2017-22, and during those five seasons, the Eagles won two conference championships and two district championships. During his final three years as a high school head coach, his teams finished as a state quarterfinalist, state semifinalist and state runner-up.
From 2006-17, Jones was the head football coach at Kearney High School, amassing a 119-23 record over 11 years. The Bulldogs won nine district championships, six conference championships and two state championships while making three state championship game appearances.
He was inducted into the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2023, received the Simone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022, was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2021, and was named Liberty North High School Teacher of the Year in 2019-20. Jones was also named Kansas City Suburban Coach of the Year seven times (2002, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2019).
Jones was a dual-sport collegiate athlete at Northwest Missouri State University, where he played football and ran track. He earned his bachelor's degree in secondary education with an emphasis on physical education, health and coaching. Jones later pursued his master's degree while serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Bearcats linebackers and defensive line.
Under Head Coach Applebee, the Mill Valley Jaguars have posted one of the most dominant stretches in Kansas high school football history, capturing seven state titles, with two back-to-back wins in 2015-16, and five consecutive Class 5A championships from 2019-23.
Mill Valley is coming off their second KSHSAA playoff win, 47-7 at home in the Regional round, over the Olathe South Falcons Friday, Nov. 6. Throughout the contest, the Jaguars generated 402 total yards, averaging 7.6 yards per play on the ground and 14.8 yards per completion through the air. Mill Valley racked up 313 rushing yards on 41 carries and averaged 7.6 yards per carry. The team went a perfect 6-for-6 on PATs and 1-for-1 on field goals. The offense generated six touchdowns and a safety to put up 47 points.
Defensively, the Jaguars lived in the opponent's backfield, recording 63 total tackles, including 8.0 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. The unit forced 1 interception and recorded 2 pass deflections to disrupt the Falcons offense behind the line of scrimmage.
With the regional victory under their belt, Mill Valley enters their next matchup in the Sectional round against the Olathe North Eagles Friday Nov. 13. If the Jaguars come out on top, they will advance to the Final Four.
"Thank you to the Chiefs and the NFL for the tremendous honor," Applebee said. "This honor is a reflection of the coaches, players and managers in our program who have worked very hard all year to put us in the position we are in today. We are very proud of all of them."
This is Applebee's 17th season at the helm, and yet again, he has led the program to an undefeated overall record, 10-0 (7-0 District). With a 153-43 all-time win record, Applebee has ensured that his team is a force to be reckoned with in the state of Kansas.
The Jaguars in the last 15 seasons have had 15 consecutive playoff appearances, thus Applebee has taken Mill Valley into the postseason 100% of the time as head coach. Additionally, the team has won nearly one state title every other year (7 championships in 15 seasons) and averaged 9 wins per season (77% of games).
Applebee is 7-0 in state championship games at Mill Valley, giving him more state titles without a defeat than any coach in the history of Kansas high school football.
In May, Applebee was named a 2026 inductee into the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
He has been named the Kansas Coach of the Year and was awarded the 2015 Chiefs High School Coach of the Year for the state of Kansas.
Applebee has also been nominated to the Chiefs Coach of the Week in 2019 and 2025. He currently is a board member of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
Applebee is a Kansas State graduate and holds a master's degree from Fort Hays State University. Previously, he held stops as a defensive coordinator at Derby High School (2006-10), Russell High School (2004-06), and Junction City High School (2000-04).
Now in its 30th year, the High School Coach of the Week program is a joint initiative between the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League. In addition to highlighting head coaches for their team's performance, this award honors individuals who make a difference in the lives of high school student-athletes by preparing them for life beyond football.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week. For the past 16 years, PrepsKC has been Kansas City's only complete multimedia outlet covering high school, offering 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.
Uncrustables, the Official PB&J of the Kansas City Chiefs, is the presenting partner of the Chiefs Coach of the Week Program.
