Jerry Simmons Stadium will be filled tonight with emotions and high stakes for the Jennings Bulldogs.

After announcing his retirement last week, Longtime head coach Rusty Phelps will likely coach his final home game, and the Bulldogs need a win to secure a playoff birth.

“I am looking forward to it, but I am not, if that makes sense,” Phelps said. “I am sure emotions are going to be swirling in my head.

“I have coached a lot of games here. It is going to be different. I am good with the decision. I just woke up on a Monday and felt it was time, made the announcement, and got it over with to where the focus can be on the kids Thursday night. It is our senior night and I want it to be about them for their four years of contributions to the program.”

Jennings (3-6, 3-2) hosts St. Louis Catholic (7-2, 4-1) at 7 p.m. Jennings is ranked No. 30 in the latest Division II power ratings. The top 28 make the playoffs.

“They are explosive throwing and running the football,” Phelps said of the Saints. “I think Coach (Brock Matherne) and them have done a great job over there this year. I think they have really good balance.

“We are going to have to continue to run and throw the ball and hopefully we can make the plays with it.”

In a time of near-constant upheaval of coaching staffs at all levels, Phelps has managed to stay put for 29 seasons in Jennings, 28 as head coach.

“I work for good people in the central office and the front office here,” Phelps said. ‘I just came to work and tried to do the best job that I could.

“I was very fortunate to stay this long here. When I took this job 29 years ago, this was where I wanted to be. I was very fortunate to end my career here. This place has been good to me. The community has been good to me. I have had a lot of senior classes go through here, and I enjoyed playing at Jerry Simmons Stadium.”

Phelps, a 1981 Winnfield High and 1987 graduate from Northwestern State, joined the elite 200-win club in 2020 and is 213-144. His Bulldogs missed the playoffs twice in his tenure and reached the quarterfinals eight times, semifinals twice and the Class 3A final in 2019.

He started his coaching career at Humphreys Academy in Belzoni, Mississippi, followed by three years as head coach at now-closed Newellton and a short stint as an assistant at McNeese State before joining the staff at Jennings in 1994.

“I have been thinking about all the good times we have had and great players,” Phelps said. “They didn’t have to play in the NFL or the SEC. We have had a lot of great high school players. We were very fortunate to have some play at the next level. I have been thinking about those guys, and the ones we have now.”

Phelps said he is not sure what people do in retirement yet but said he will continue to support the Bulldogs, and just not from the sidelines.

“I think the toughest thing now is transitioning to a fan,” Phelps said. “It is going to be different next year when I just show up to watch a game. I won’t be on the sidelines. I will just take my seat, watch and be a high school football fan. I won’t be coaching, I will tell you that much.

“I will take it day by day. I will remain active in the Quarterback Club. My boys (Walker and Peyton) got to come to work with me and I got to coach them. My wife (Martha) has been very supportive over the years. I don’t know what retired people do, but I am going to find out pretty quick.”

After an 0-5 start, the Bulldogs have won three of their last four games, including a come-from-behind 27-23 win over Lake Charles College Prep last week.

“I think a lot of that had to do with the front half of our schedule,” Phelps said. “We played some really good teams.

“We also start so many underclassmen. We have three sophomores on the offensive line, a sophomore running back, freshman quarterback. I think they understand now how to play with the speed of the game.”