Bill Cooke, head football coach, has handed in his resignation effective immediately.

On Oct. 12 Cooke held a meeting with the football team and told them he was stepping down as head coach. Rob Green, assistant head coach, will step up and lead the team for the remainder of the season.

“Bill Cooke will land on his feet,” Cooke said.

Green said as soon as the press conference was over the Lions will start a new season. Cooke has been with Missouri Southern for 16 years. He took over as interim head coach in 1988, two weeks prior to the ’88 season opener following the departure of Rod Giesselmann. He then took over as head coach in 2000. Cooke has led the team to an 11-18 record in three and a half seasons.

A complete wrap up of the Southern football coaching changes will appear in the Oct. 17 issue of The Chart.