High School

Top Missouri high school coach resigns to take college job with Division I FCS program

Coach's resignation creates big opening at top Missouri program

Levi Payton

Lutheran North coach Kyle Wagner led the Crusaders to the 2024 Missouri Class 4 state championship. / Photo by David Smith
Lutheran North coach Kyle Wagner led the Crusaders to the 2024 Missouri Class 4 state championship. / Photo by David Smith / David Smith

The head coaching position at one of the top high school football programs in the state of Missouri just became available.

Lutheran North head football coach Kyle Wagner has resigned his position with the reigning Class 4 champions to accept a position as Senior Offensive Analyst under new head coach Brennan Marion at NCAA Division I Sacramento State University. He’ll be joined by Lutheran North all-state safety Karvon Jefferson, who de-committed from Ball State and announced his intent to attend Sacramento State in a post on X.

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Michigan and Ohio State host 5-star 2026 OT Jackson Cantwell.

Wagner told High School on SI that he can't wait to get to work with the Hornets.

"I'm just excited to work with one of the greatest minds in football in Coach Brennan Marion," Wagner said. "The impact of our staff has already been felt on the recruiting trail and we are just getting started!"

His second stint at Lutheran North saw him lead the Crusaders to their first state championship since 2019. That title occurred during Wagner’s first stint at Lutheran North, when he served as offensive coordinator under coach Carl Reed.

At the time of his hiring, Lutheran North athletic director Jon Mueller called Wagner a “dynamic coach” and “a transformational leader of young men.”

Wagner’s hiring as head coach at Lutheran North was announced on May 14, 2001. Between stops he served as head coach at Ritenour and Sikeston. Prior to serving as offensive coordinator in 2019, Wagner was the Crusaders’ defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018 and coached at CBC from 2015-2016.

A Kirkwood (Mo.) high and Westminster College standout, Wagner led the Crusaders to a 13-1 record in 2024. They dismantled Festus 46-7 in the Class 4 title game on Faurot Field at Mizzou.

He joins Marion’s staff at Sacramento State as one of Marion’s first hires after being announced as the 13th coach in Hornets history, Dec. 20.

The connection between Wagner and Marion runs deeper than Jefferson. While at UNLV, Marion coached former Lutheran North defensive standout Antonio Doyle, Jr., an edge who just announced his declaration for the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Hornets, members of the FCS Big Sky Conference, went 3-9 last season under coach Andy Thompson.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

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