STM's Tim Leger heads to McNeese!

It can be hard to leave your hometown and still feel at home.
But that's exactly how St. Thomas More's Tim Leger and his family are experiencing now that he's accepted an offer to be the quarterbacks coach the McNeese State in Lake Charles.

Leger will officially began at McNeese on Feb. 1. Mike Lemoine will take over Leger's position as STM's head baseball coach, while football coach Jim Hightower said the Cougars will hope to fill Leger's offensive coordinator spot by that Feb. 1 date.
"Lake Charles is like a second home to us,'' Leger said. "Our plan all along was to wait until my son graduated from high school and then start applying for college jobs, going wherever that would take us. This allows us to start that process early while avoiding some of the difficulties that comes with moving around.''
Leger and his wife, Ashley, previously lived in Lake Charles while Leger played quarterback at McNeese State from 1995-98. Leger graduated from Acadiana High in 1992 and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round. He finished up his professional career in 1995 and began playing football.
His son, Gunner, is in the fifth grade.
"He's played baseball with a lot of the kids from the Lake Charles area growing up,'' Leger said. "He likes coach (Glenn) Cecchini at Barbe, and has a lot of ties in that area, so he's excited about it as well.''
Leger will be working for former Jennings High coach Matt Viator, who is now the full-time head football coach at McNeese.
"I'm excited about working with coach Viator,'' Leger said. "I think a lot of him. He's had success at all levels. He's a great leader. They're about to put $12 million into improving the athletic facilities there.
"We're going to win games. Even with all the turnover in the program had this past season (coach leaving at midseason), they still won the conference championship.''
In addition to his coaching duties, Leger will be in charge of recruiting the high schools from Iowa to Cecilia and from the Opelousas area down to Morgan City.
"I even get to come home to recruit,'' Leger said. "That's great for me.''
As usual, the toughest part in making such decisions is leaving the high school.
"Coach Hightower has been unbelieveable to work for,'' Leger said. "He gave me a lot of freedom. He's as good a guy as you could ask to work for. The kids here are great to coach. I've had a great relationship with them."

Congratulations Donna and Tim!