Butler County football coach Ryan Emmick keeps an eye on practice on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, at Butler County High School. (Austin Anthony / photo@bgdailynews.com)

Ryan Emmick stepped down as head football coach at Butler County High School after eight seasons.

Emmick coached the Bears to a 47-43 record after succeeding the school’s winningest coach, Robert Tuck, in 2010.

Emmick is director of the Butler County Learning Center and said continuing time demands of the job will no longer allow him to spend necessary time with the football program as head coach.

“It’s been a wonderful opportunity to coach here for eight seasons at Butler County,” Emmick said. “We knew we had some big shoes to fill and it was going to take some effort to grow the program how we wanted it to, but at the same time we knew there were some good classes coming and we knew there was going to be some real talent coming up through the mix. We took that talent and developed it and felt like we got the most out of the team.”

Butler County went 0-10 this fall for the first time since 2000. A mass exodus of seniors from 2016 and injuries never allowed Butler County to find its footing this year. It didn’t help that field conditions because of mole and skunk invasions forced the team to move its last two home games of the season.

Emmick said the next coach will be set up with talented underclassmen and community efforts to start the process of installing a turf field in the future.

“Everyone talks about a nice weight room and we’ve got a great weight room and a great indoor turf facility area,” Emmick said. “We’re getting the field fixed and all of a sudden we’ll have a great football field to play on. You’ve got support from the community and school system, so the coach that’s out there looking for a head job, this is a great opportunity.”

Between 2013-16, the Bears went 31-15 with record-setting quarterback Rex Henderson.

Butler County reached the playoffs in Emmick’s first seven seasons as coach and made it to the second round three times.

Emmick said he’ll take some time off and return to coaching down the road as an assistant.

“Looking at the program as a whole and where we’re at right now going forward, I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to step aside and let somebody come in with some energy and take this program to the next step,” Emmick said. “We’re at the point now where we’re expected to have winning seasons and compete for district titles and make the playoffs.”