One of the hottest topics of the offseason is coaching changes. Several Kansas high school coaches have announced their resignation or retirement and the spring is sure to bring an interesting list of new hires.

For now, here are some early coaching changes in the Kansas prep ranks:

6A

Olathe North: Pete Flood resigned at the end of the regular season after six years as the head coach. Flood posted a 51-16 record and took the Eagles to the 6A title game in 2009 and 10. Both times Olathe North played Wichita Heights, winning in 2009 and losing in 2010.

Flood told The Kansas City Star the move was made to spend more time with his family and athletic director Jason Herman said the move caught most by surprise, but the school was supportive of Flood's decision.

The Eagles entered the 2011 season as the top-ranked team in the Kpreps.com class 6A preseason poll, but they lost their final four games of the season to finish 5-4.

5A

Bishop Miege - Bishop Miege head coach Tim Grunhard, a former Kansas City Chief and Notre Dame standout offensive lineman, has accepted a position as the new offensive line coach at the University of Kansas. In six years at Miege Grunhard posted a 41-24 record and lead the Stags to the 2009 4A state championship. His teams won the last five district titles and produced a number of standout players including current Oklahoma wide receiver Justin McCay and Missouri defensive lineman Shane Ray. The Stags made the class 5A playoffs the last two seasons narrowly losing the last three games to 5A power Blue Valley by three points or less.

According to an article in The Topeka Capital-Journal Grunhard had previously interviewed with Weis when he was the head coach at Notre Dame and with Mark Mangino when he was the head coach at the University of Kansas.

Grunhard spent 11 seasons with the Chiefs earning a trip to the Pro Bowl following the 1999 season. While at the University of Notre Dame Grunhard started every game for the 1988 National Champion team. He is a native of Chicago.

Topeka West: West decided not to renew coach Tom Brian's contract after two seasons of winless football, that according to a statement provided to The Topeka Capital-Journal by athletic director Beau Huscher.

In the November 8 statement, Huscher said the search for a new head football coach was to begin immediately.

According to the Capital-Journal article Topeka West is looking for its fourth football coach in six seasons, has not had a winning season since 2005, three wins since 2006 with three winless seasons.

4A

Tonganoxie: Veteran coach Mark Elston resigned just days before the beginning of the season in response to his suspension following an alleged altercation between Elston and a player at practice. THS defensive coordinator Matt Bond served as head coach this season, but it is unclear if he will continue in that role permanently.

Some media outlets are reporting the position as open and according to Tonganoxie Mirror publisher Shawn Linenberger it appears the position may be "up in the air."

Tonganoxie athletic director Brandon Parker could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Wichita Collegiate: Bill Messamore resigned as head coach of the Spartans shortly after the season. He spent 16 years with the program.

In six years as the head coach Messamore posted a 62-15 record and led the Spartans to the 2009 3A state title. After a surprising season opening loss to Clearwater and a week two loss to eventual 4A champion Rose Hill the Spartans ripped off eight straight wins before narrowly losing to Garden Plain, 18-15, in the second round of the playoffs.

According to a November 11 article in The Wichita Eagle by Joanna Chadwick, Messamore had strongly considered resigning at the end of the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He plans to continue to teach at Collegiate.

3A

Ellsworth: Veteran Bearcat football coach Ken Windholz resigned in November after 12 seasons as the head coach and 20 years of coaching high school football. Windholz posted a 43-69 record and finished his career at Ellsworth with two of his best back-to-back seasons going 6-4 in 2009 and 10.

In an e-mail to Kansas Pregame/Kpreps.com he said he believed a coach should be "all-in" and after 20 years of coaching, "I wasn't sure I could be 'all-in.'"

Windholz says he plans to move into a full-time athletic director and assistant principal role at Ellsworth High School and spend more time with his family.

2A

Herington: The Railer community was shocked by the death of second year head coach Bud Peterson following a hospitalization due to symptoms of pneumonia in mid-September. Peterson came out of retirement to coach the Railers and after an 0-9 finish in 2010 the Railers broke a 15-game losing streak with a seasoning opening victory over Osage City.

The team learned of Peterson's death at half-time of the Railers' week two match-up with West Franklin and promptly erased a 10-point deficit and improved to 2-0 with a 21-10 victory. Herington appeared to play inspired football after coach Peterson's death and rolled to a 5-0 start before dropping the final four contests of the season to finish 5-4.

Peterson was the head coach at four different high schools over a 40 year head coaching career in which he posted a 166-90 record and won the 1997 8-Man I title as the head coach at Centre.

Another website is reporting the position as open, but a call to the Herington school district has confirmed interim head coach Pat Baalman, who took over following Peterson's death, will remain as the head coach of the Railers for 2012.

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