Vandebilt starts search to replace head football coach

Vandebilt Catholic is searching for a head football coach for the second time in six months.

Terriers’ head coach Walter Dupre stepped down after the game against Ellender Memorial on Nov. 7.

Dupre said it was always the intention of the Vandebilt administration and himself to only be head coach through the 2008 season.

“We decided that since the rest of the coaching staff was intact, I would coach this year and then the school would do a proper search for a permanent head coach after the season,” he said.

Vandebilt has posted the opening on its Web site and has received four inquiries regarding the position so far, including two current assistant coaches. Dupre would not say which coaches applied.

Vandebilt will continue accepting applications through Dec. 12, Dupre said. He and other school administrators hope to have candidates interviewed over the Christmas holidays and a new head coach hired before the spring semester begins in January.

Before becoming the Terriers’ head coach, Dupre was an assistant coach and offensive coordinator for 19 years at Terrebonne and Vandebilt Catholic high schools.

He had planned to step down from coaching in February when he took an administrative position as assistant principal overseeing extracurricular activities.

However, former Terrier head football coach Mark King resigned May 2 to take an oilfield sales job. Dupre was immediately named interim head coach after King’s resignation.

After interviewing several candidates for the job, Vandebilt officials announced Dupre as the permanent head coach on June 10. But Dupre said it was just a stopgap measure.

“We feel both those jobs are too important to have one person splitting their time,” he said. “Both of those are full time jobs.”

The coaching staff knew all year Dupre would resign after the season. Dupre told his players before the Ellender game that it would be his last as their head coach unless they made the playoffs.

Vandebilt’s defensive coordinator John Enfinger also resigned after the Ellender game. He stated he could not give his full attention to the football team while also running various business interests he has going.

The defensive coordinator post will not be filled until after a new head coach is found.