To Joplin offensive coordinator Brandon Taute, the opportunity was too good to pass up.
Taute has been named the new head football coach at Neosho High School.
The hire became official on Monday.
“I’m excited for the opportunity,” Taute told SoMo Sports on Monday. “It’s a great community that cares about its kids. The administration is super supportive and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity.”
Taute replaces Leon Miller, who stepped down after the Wildcats went winless in 2020.
Taute has been with the JHS football program for 10 years, the last six as offensive coordinator.
“I never looked to leave,” Taute said. “I’ve loved my job at Joplin. There are awesome people and awesome kids at Joplin. I’ve loved the kids, the staff and the administration. An opportunity presented itself. I talked with my wife, we prayed and I felt like it was too good of an opportunity for us to pass up.”
Neosho went 0-10 in 2020 and 2-8 in ’19 following a successful 2018 season that saw the Wildcats go 8-4, with the team’s only losses coming to Webb City (twice), Carthage and Joplin.
Neosho upgraded its football stadium ahead of the 2020 campaign with a new turf playing surface. A new end zone facility is in the works.
“They’re definitely investing in the program,” Taute noted.
With Curtis Jasper’s Eagles, Taute coached the offense and was the quarterbacks coach. Taute noted he will continue to utilize a spread offense at Neosho.
“I’m going to run the same offense I’ve run in Joplin,” Taute said. “Every year we tweak it to fit the kids we have. We’ll tweak the offense to fit the kids at Neosho.”
Of course, due to his time in Joplin, Taute is very familiar with the always-tough Central Ozark Conference.
“It’s the best conference in the state,” said Taute, who will look to build a winning program at NHS. “Having coached in it the last three years is definitely a benefit. I don’t have to learn nine new opponents and their tendencies. I can take the knowledge I’ve built at Joplin and hit the ground running at Neosho.”
In 2020, Joplin went 6-5 and reached the district semifinals, falling 28-7 to eventual state champion Raymore-Peculiar.
It was the third-straight year the Eagles lost in the Class 6 playoffs to the eventual state champion, as Joplin suffered a loss to CBC in the state semifinals in 2018, a title game setback to DeSmet in ’19 before this year’s loss to Ray-Pec.
Taute’s offense averaged 47 points per game in ’19 and 33 per night in ’20.
Taute coached Joplin’s explosive and record-setting offense that featured the likes of Isaiah Davis, Zach Westmoreland and Blake Tash in 2019. Of course, that team went undefeated until the state championship game loss.
“There will always be a special place in my heart for Joplin,” Taute said. “We’ve had a lot of success, but more importantly, I’ve built a lot of great relationships with the kids and the coaches. Those will last for a lifetime.”
Taute will coach the Joplin track and field teams in the spring before taking over the reins of the Neosho football program this summer.
“I’m just excited to get started,” Taute said.
Pictured is Brandon Taute and his wife Kelly. Taute is the new head football coach at Neosho. (Courtesy photo)
