KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the Kansas City Chiefs announced their Week 5 Coach of the Week recipients for the 2026 season.
Kearney High School Head Coach Logan Minnick (Missouri) and Blue Valley North High School Head Coach Blake Mudd (Kansas) are the Week 5 selections for their team's performances last week. This honor recognizes Kansas City-area head coaches for their leadership and commitment to student-athlete development and success on and off the field.
As part of this honor, 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.
"The Kearney Football staff is incredibly humbled to receive this honor," Minnick said. "I'm incredibly fortunate to work alongside a staff that pours countless hours, energy and passion into our players and our program every single day. Our success is a reflection of our entire staff, our players and everyone who continues to invest in Kearney Football."
Fresh off a perfect 14-0 season and the school's second state championship in three years, Kearney High School continues to establish itself as one of Missouri's premier football programs under Head Coach Logan Minnick. The Bulldogs secured the 2025 Missouri Class 4 State Championship with a 21-14 victory over the Hannibal Pirates, earning permanent possession of the championship trophy. Following the season, Minnick and Defensive Coordinator Marcus Brinkley were recognized by the Missouri Football Coaches Association as Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively.
Since taking over the program in January 2022, Minnick has compiled a remarkable 49-4 record, leading Kearney to three conference championships, three district titles, two state championships (2023 and 2025) and a state semifinal appearance in 2024.
The Bulldogs have carried that momentum into the 2026 season, opening with a strong 6-0 record while outscoring opponents 265-35. Kearney is averaging 44.2 points per game and allowing just 5.8 points per contest, resulting in an average margin of victory of 38.3 points.
Kearney has surpassed the 40-point mark in four of its six victories and has held five opponents to single-digit scoring totals. The Bulldogs largest victory came in a 72-7 win over district opponent, the Winnetonka Griffins, on Sept. 25, while their closest contest was a 22-13 triumph over the Rockhurst Hawklets.
Defensively, Kearney has recorded one shutout and has not allowed more than 13 points in a game so far this season. The Bulldogs are also 2-0 against district opponents, outscoring Smithville and Winnetonka by a combined score of 121-14 and winning those contests by an average of 53.5 points.
Minnick is no stranger to building successful programs. Prior to returning to Kearney, he spent five seasons as head coach at Raytown High School, where he revitalized the Bluejays program, posting a 36-18 record, four consecutive winning seasons, two conference championships and three district championship appearances. His teams also advanced to the state quarterfinals.
Minnick's connection to Kearney runs deep. He previously served on the Bulldogs coaching staff during the school's 2015 state championship season and helped guide Kearney to a state finalist appearance in 2016.
Before beginning his coaching career, Minnick played collegiate football at William Jewell College. Beyond the football field, Minnick serves as a physical education and weights instructor, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Head Summer Strength and Conditioning Coach, and Spring Activities Supervisor at Kearney High School.
Minnick's success has also earned statewide recognition. Following Kearney's 2023 Missouri Class 4 state championship season, the Missouri State High School Activities Association named him the Class 4 Coach of the Year. In just his second season leading the Bulldogs, Minnick guided Kearney to a 13-2 record and a 68-28 victory over Hillsboro in the state championship game. He was also named the Suburban Blue Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to a conference title and an undefeated 9-0 regular season.
"A giant shoutout to the Kearney community. You showed up in a huge way and make every away game feel like a home game," Minnick said. "The support, energy and pride you brought were incredible, and our players absolutely felt it. Thank you to our players for continuing to work, compete and represent Kearney the right way, and thank you to our families, school, administration and community for believing in our program."
Minnick and the Bulldogs will look to improve to 7-0 when they travel to face the Raytown South Cardinals on Friday, Oct. 9.
Blue Valley North High School Head Coach Blake Mudd is in his second season leading the Mustangs after serving as the program's interim head coach in 2025.
The Mustangs secured a 55-34 victory over their rival, the Blue Valley Northwest Huskies, on Oct. 2, improving to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in district play. The win marked Blue Valley North's highest-scoring output of the season and snapped a two-game skid.
The Mustangs have eclipsed the 30-point mark in three games this season, including their Week 5 victory over Blue Valley Northwest. The team's 55 points against the Huskies marked their highest single-game total of the season.
"We had a great victory as a program Friday night," Mudd said. "It's good to be competitive in the rivalry against Blue Valley Northwest again. I'm proud of our players and staff for all their hard work and commitment to our process. We have been so competitive this year, and I am glad we were able to earn a hard-fought victory."
Mudd took over as Blue Valley North's interim head coach in October 2025 and guided the Mustangs to a victory over the Bishop Miege Stags and a first-round playoff win. He was later named the program's full-time head coach on Dec. 9, 2025. Prior to joining Blue Valley North, he spent two seasons as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ottawa University.
Before arriving at Blue Valley North, Mudd built an extensive coaching résumé spanning both the high school and collegiate ranks. His experience includes coaching stops at Ottawa University, Northern Illinois University, Presentation College, Lawrence High School and Veritas Christian High School, while also serving in developmental coaching roles with USA Football. He earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from the University of Kansas and a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from Ottawa University.
Beyond the football field, Mudd serves as an industrial technology teacher at Blue Valley North High School. As a member of the school's Engineering and Applied Technology department, he helps students develop hands-on technical and drafting skills.
Mudd and the Mustangs will look to improve to 3-3 when they travel to face Blue Valley West on Friday, Oct. 9.
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.
