Ensminger leaving RHS

Ruston High quarterbacks coach Steve Ensminger, Jr., has accepted a coaching position at Zachary High School, saying goodbye to the Bearcat program after helping build a state champion over the last three seasons.

Ensminger will serve in the same role on the Broncos’ staff, working in a familiar district and region for the Baton Rouge native.

“It was a very difficult decision obviously but after sitting down and thinking about it and praying I decided this is something I needed to do for myself and my career,” Ensminger said. “I knew a few of them already and they knew my dad too and so they really just reached out to me, and we went from there.”

Ensminger came to Ruston after stints at Assumption (2020), Patterson High (2012), and Covenant Christian Academy (2011-12), looking to find a fresh start and life and find a new family after the loss of his wife, sports broadcaster Carley Mc-Cord, in a December 2019 plane crash.

He was able to find it, thanks to a previous connection to Ruston offensive coordinator Earl Griffin, who asked head coach Jerrod Baugh to make Ensminger the school’s first call to join as quarterbacks coach.

“Coach Baugh trusted Earl’s opinion and Earl called me and asked me to come join them and I can’t thank Coach Baugh and Earl enough for them trusting me,” Ensminger said. “I talked with Coach Baugh and we both talked openly about our pasts and were open with each other. It was hard to tell them too. You see what he’s done with the program and what he’s done and how he treats those kids. He’s a father figure. He played that role to all of us.”

In a statement to the Leader, Baugh said, “We sure appreciate all of Coach Ensminger’s work here and what he brought to our football program,” Baugh said. “ We hate to see him leave but will support him and his future. Although he is very knowledgeable in football and brings a lot to the table in that forum, we will mostly miss him as a person and the relationships he built with the coaches and players. We wish him the best.”

In between a brief stint as head coach at Cedar Creek School before the 2022 season, Ensminger worked alongside Ruston’s All-District quarterbacks Jaden Osborne and Josh Brantley to lead the Bearcats to two District 2-5A titles, a 26-2 record, two trips to the state championship game, and a state title over the last two seasons.

Ensminger, son of former LSU quarterback and nationalchampionship winning offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger, Sr., helped develop Osborne and Brantley into key weapons in the Bearcats’ attack over the last three seasons – utilizing their gifts in the passing game and on the ground.

Osborne was first team All-District twice under Ensminger, including District 2-5A MVP in 2022 after completing 111-of-206 passes for 1,579 yards, 16 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Osborne also rushed for 385 yards and 2 touchdowns to help Ruston get back to the state championship game for the first time since 1998.

After Osborne graduated, Brantley stepped into the starting gig for the first time and got better as the 2023 season went on, culminating in his 328 total yards and 3 touchdowns in the state championship victory over Zachary, after which he was named the game’s Outstanding Player.

Brantley, in his first year as a starter, ended up a first team District 2-5A selection and went 80- of- 150 passing for 1,175 yds, 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, while toting the rock for 148 carries, 866 yards, and 11 rushing scores.

Saying goodbye to all the players was emotional, but Ensminger admitted sharing the news with Brantley was much harder given their personal relationship.

“It was hard to get the words out when I met with all of them and I broke down, especially telling Josh,” Ensminger said. “I took Josh out to dinner one night and on the drive back I told him, and we both broke down.

“Josh was the only quarterback that was there all three years I was at Ruston,” Ensminger continued. “To see him at the very beginning to watch him grow and develop and help him grow was awesome. It was about physically and mentally learning the position, how to be a leader, what to say, and he bought into everything. And I told him at times it gets frustrating, but he worked more than anybody to get better. I told him that just because I’m not going to be there, his goals don’t change. Your goal is to win a state championship and make it to college. All that work doesn’t change just because I’m not going to be there. But that kid, he made me a better coach and better person. He really changed my life.”

Ensminger may be leaving for Zachary, but still took time to drive Brantley for a recent official visit to Tulane and Jamar Woods on a visit to Louisiana Christian.

He may be moving on to a new journey, but Ensminger said the connections he fostered with his players goes beyond the walls of a school or weight room. It’s for life.

“To be honest, since I moved to Ruston three years ago this is all I know. Ruston has been my home,” Ensminger said. “When I had to start life over again after my wife passed, I left Baton Rouge and came up here and started life over again in Ruston. And that’s what I got here. I don’t coach those kids anymore, but I’ll still do anything for them if they need me.”