Chiefs Name Week 5 High School Coaches of the Week: Kearney’s Logan Minnick, Blue Valley North’s Blake Mudd
On Oct. 7, 2026, the Kansas City Chiefs recognized Kearney High School head coach Logan Minnick and Blue Valley North head coach Blake Mudd as the Week 5 High School Coaches of the Week in the club’s program presented by Uncrustables. Each coach 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.
Kearney enters the selection on an extended run of success under Minnick, who has compiled a 49-4 record since taking over in January 2022. The Bulldogs posted a perfect 14-0 season in 2025 to capture the Missouri Class 4 state championship, earning permanent possession of the trophy with a 21-14 victory over Hannibal. Kearney has carried that momentum into 2026, opening 6-0 while outscoring opponents 265-35, averaging 44.2 points per game and allowing 5.8, including a 72-7 win over Winnetonka and a 22-13 victory over Rockhurst.
Blake Mudd is in his second season leading Blue Valley North after serving as the program’s interim head coach in 2025; he was named the program’s full-time head coach on Dec. 9, 2025. On Oct. 2, 2026, the Mustangs secured a 55-34 victory over rival Blue Valley Northwest, their highest single-game output of the season, which moved them to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in district play. Mudd previously coached at Ottawa University, Northern Illinois University and several high schools, 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, and serves as an industrial technology teacher at Blue Valley North.
The Chiefs and PrepsKC selected the weekly honorees as part of the NFL-affiliated Coach of the Week program now in its 30th year, which recognizes leadership and preparation of student-athletes on and off the field. Both winners will remain eligible for the season-ending Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, 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. Kearney is scheduled to visit Raytown South, and Blue Valley North will travel to Blue Valley West on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The Chiefs’ weekly recognition spotlights two programs at different stages: Kearney sustains a state-championship culture under Minnick, while Blue Valley North under Mudd shows offensive growth highlighted by a 55-point game. The Hunt Family Foundation grants and the Eric Driskell Award provide tangible financial and postseason recognition for successful high school staffs. Watch whether Kearney’s defense continues to dominate and whether Blue Valley North’s offense can sustain its recent surge in district play. The recognition and grants can help both programs sustain community support and postseason momentum.