Kicking off this 2016-17 school year, there are multiple new changes to our school and staff. Not only did we add fifteen new teachers to the building, we also added a new head football coach. Jon Franks was Lebanon’s defensive coordinator for the past eleven seasons at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Missouri. When the head coach position opened up here at Rolla High, Franks jumped on the opportunity.

“[It was] a great opportunity for me and my family,” Franks said.

This season will be Franks’ twenty first season as a football coach. His career started at Missouri Southern State University, where he graduated from and became a graduate assistant there for two years. After that, he headed to Stockton, Missouri as an assistant coach for five years and a head coach for four. He then transferred to Lebanon where he was apart of their football coaching staff the past eleven years. And in Rolla, Mo for his twenty first coaching season, Franks is hoping for many more to come.

With his long history of coaching, Franks expresses why he wanted to become a coach in the first place.

“I really enjoy sports and it was an opportunity to help kids avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve made, the decisions I’ve made and just to give back,” Franks said.

With the tremendous amount of work our football team did in this past off season and the amount of potential they all have to offer, Franks is looking forward to an exciting year.

“[I’m looking forward] to watching our program grow and become exciting and just the change in the whole environment,” Franks said.