Thomas Jefferson High School is altering its football strategy — and the plan seems to be working.

Among Richmond’s beleaguered football programs, Thomas Jefferson is most determined to schedule opponents more in line with its own size and capabilities.

“We’re trying to place our kids in a situation where they have a chance for some (wins) and at least to be competitive,” said the school’s activities director, Dr. William Holt. “No one wants 50-0 games.”

That’s a comforting philosophy for first-year Vikings Coach P.J. Adams, a former assistant coach who recalls hard times.

“I remember games, like against Hermitage, where we knew we couldn’t win. We just hoped no one got hurt,” Coach Adams said.

“That put a lot of wear and tear on our players and coaches.”

Last year, with a more realistic schedule, the West End school won four games under Coach Chris Mitchell, the most wins since 2004.

With a current enrollment of 867 students, Thomas Jefferson is rated in enrollment Class 3 — on a scale of 1 to 6 — by the Virginia High School League.

The Vikings struggled mightily in the past against the old Colonial District schedule in playing larger schools from Henrico and Hanover counties. Dr. Holt has made it a pet project to level the playing the field in all sports, starting with the gridiron.

Thomas Jefferson’s current schedule includes playing against two Class 1 schools, Essex High of Tappahannock and William Campbell High of Campbell County; two Class 2 schools, Goochland High and Greensville County High of Emporia; two Class 3 schools, Richmond’s Armstrong and John Marshall; a Class 4 school, Caroline High of Caroline County; and three Class 5 schools, Henrico County’s J.R. Tucker, Glen Allen and Deep Run.

Tucker, Glen Allen and Deep Run are the suburban schools against which Thomas Jefferson has been more competitive.

“There’s no awe factor with any of our opponents,” Coach Adams said. “Yeah, it’s more travel. But we feel like we have a chance to be successful every week.”

Gone from the season schedule are Class 5 perennial playoff contenders Hermitage, Douglas Freeman, Mills Godwin and Patrick Henry from the former Colonial District era.

Thomas Jefferson football bottomed out in 2011, with the team going 0-10 while being outscored 432-65. In its final two games against Henrico’s Hermitage and Richmond’s John Marshall, the Vikings were pounded by a combined 110-0.

There was a cry for a change.

Chad Hornig arrived as coach in 2012 and got the ball rolling with improvements in facilities and uniforms and by organizing the sponsoring TeeJay Viking Fund. He also assisted in removing juggernaut Hermitage High from the schedule in 2015. From 2010 through 2014, Hermitage walloped Thomas Jefferson 245-21.  

“High school football is often a numbers game, and we don’t have the numbers,” Dr. Holt said. “When you take into account how many of our male students are ineligible or working a job after school or just not interested, our target base is down to 30 to 40 kids.”

The Vikings were 9-32 under Coach Hornig after going 1-59 during the previous six seasons.

Despite mounting losses, often by embarrassing margins, other Richmond schools have mostly stuck with their long-standing schedules, based mostly on a combination of convenience, tradition, location, lingering contractual agreements and also prospects of higher revenue against more familiar opponents.

Dr. Holt is hopeful the less formidable schedule will foster an upgrade in team and school spirit.

“The kids aren’t stupid,” Dr. Holt said. “They don’t want to sign up for a team that they know in advance is going to get pounded.

“With out current schedule, we can recruit better within the building. And we’re confident that as we become more competitive, our crowds will grow.”

Outstanding seasons have been scarce in recent decades for the school at 4100 W. Grace St. Thomas Jefferson, called the Presidents at the time, won state titles decided by media vote in 1943 and 1952 before the introduction of the playoff system in 1967.

Since then, Thomas Jefferson shared its best seasons with Huguenot and George Wythe high schools as part of the Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe merger in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Then with the name the Trojans, Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe reached the Central Region final in 1979, 1981 and 1983, losing to Petersburg, Highland Springs and Hopewell, respectively, all under Coach Frank Butts.