Mike Jones, the former Lincoln University football coach, has been named the new coach at St. Louis University High School.
"As a man of faith, I am looking forward to mentoring and coaching at a school with a rich and deep history of grooming young men," Jones said in a release by SLUH. "I view my role as more than coaching. These young men are entrusted to me to teach life skills, focus on education and mentor to add value to their communities."
Jones was fired last September at Lincoln after going 8-51 in five-plus seasons at the school.
"We are fortunate to have Mike Jones as our new varsity football head coach," SLUH athletic director Chris Muskopf said. "Mike's accomplishments as a player and coach reflect his passion for and dedication to the sport."
Jones is familiar with the high school football scene in St. Louis, having coached from 2004-10 at Hazelwood East. He was the head coach for his final three years with the Spartans, leading the team to a state title in 2008.
Jones played 12 years in the NFL after a successful collegiate career at the University of Missouri.
"Our search committee felt confident that Mike's energy, emphasis on teaching the fundamentals of the game, and commitment to use football to develop character and life skills would allow him to establish a strong connection with the players in our program and the SLUH community," Muskopf said.
Jones succeeds Gary Kornfeld as head coach at SLUH. Kornfield retired after the season, leading the Junior Billikens to a record of 212-105 in 30 seasons.
Jones will be just the third head coach for SLUH since 1959.
The Jefferson City Jays defeated SLUH 26-0 last season. The Jays and Junior Billikens will meet this season Sept. 15 at Adkins Stadium.