By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Steve Hensley has been named head coach of the Scott High School football team following the unexpected resignation of Jake Owens, who was hired in January to lead the program.
Owens was a high school football coach in Florida for several years before taking the job at Scott. He started preseason practice with the Eagles earlier this month before turning in his resignation on Thursday.
Jake Owens, center, resigned as head coach of the Scott football team three weeks before the season opener. (Photo from team website)
On Friday, Owens posted a statement about his resignation on the Scott football team’s Facebook page.
“My family and I are heartbroken to have to leave such an incredible community and school, however, an unforeseen family situation has risen back in Florida and we must return, as Family must always come first,” he said in the statement. “These last 7 months have been an absolute blessing to have met and worked with so many incredible people.”
Hensley was athletic director at Campbell County High School for 12 years before retiring in 2022. Earlier in his career, he was the head football coach at Ludlow High School and Taylor High School in Cincinnati.
“He’s a football guy,” said Scott athletic director Casey Fisk. “He goes, ‘I feel like I can do powerful things working with your kids and your coaches at this point.'”
Hensley is taking charge of a Scott team that finished 4-7 last season and compiled a 21-22 record over the last four years under former head coach Eric Turner. A statewide realignment moved the Eagles into a Class 5A district that includes Boone County, Conner, Cooper, Dixie Heights and Highlands for the next two seasons.
Steve Hensley
Scott has a pre-season scrimmage game against Cooper scheduled for next Friday. That gives Hensley less than seven days to get familiar with the players and coaching staff. The team’s season opener is just three weeks away on Aug. 18 at Campbell County, where Hensley was athletic director.
“We’ve got a lot of kids and coaches who have been working hard for Jake Owens and we’re trying to make the best of a situation that isn’t ideal for anybody,” Fisk said. “You lose a head coach the week before the first scrimmage, it’s not a good situation. I think we’re in a situation though with Steve where we’re going to come out ahead.”
Owens had some encouraging parting words for the Scott football players in his Facebook statement.
“I am sad to leave but excited for the future of Scott football and the direction now that it is headed,” Owens said. “What we have accomplished these last 7 months was a group effort and everyone involved should be extremely proud.”
