Junior Joel Smith knew who the new leader of the football program was as soon as he saw Kendal Jefferson, the assistant track coach, dressed to impress near the gym.

“He doesn’t come [to practice] with a suit on,’’ Smith said, “He doesn’t ever take his hat off.”

Yet on this Monday, Jefferson switched from a ball cap and running gear to business formal, accepting the job as Granby’s head football coach and promising to rebuild a team that’s endured lopsided losses and losing seasons.

“I want to turn it from a football team to a program,’’ Jefferson said, “Let’s get the pride back at Granby. Let’s get the morale up.’’

Jefferson didn’t exactly surprise his new squad.

“We already expected it,’’ Smith said, who plays football and runs track.

Jefferson, who is 38, has been a familiar sight in Granby’s halls and at indoor meets. He assists Carmen Wynder, his wife, who is the head coach of Granby’s indoor track team. Anyone passing by the girls’ and boys’ track teams warming up in the school halls can hear Jefferson tell students to make technical corrections or get serious about their warm-ups.

Smith said he started to wonder if Jefferson would get the nod as the head football coach when Jefferson brought colleagues to Granby track practices to help the Comets improve in events such as the shot put.

Jefferson said he intends to visit youth leagues and encourage middle school students to set their sights on Granby football.

He’s already chatting up students in the hall. Michael Wilson, a 6’2’’, 265-pound junior and transfer student from Oscar Smith High School, said Jefferson asked him if he plans to play football next fall.

“I said yeah,’’ Wilson told us. He played on the defensive line at Oscar Smith.

Jonah Burris, a freshman who played on Granby’s football team, said it was pretty cool that Granby was getting a new coach.

“Maybe a new coach will get people to try out,’’ Burris said.

Smith said Jefferson will be a good fit as “he knows how to discipline athletes.”

Furthermore, Jefferson brings a fresh look informed by his experience at four other district schools. Jefferson graduated from Maury High School and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Norfolk State University. At Maury, he was the starting quarterback and safety. He helped coach at Lake Taylor Middle School for five seasons, two of which included trips to title games, as well as Maury’s junior varsity team for two seasons. Over four seasons, he rose to assistant head coach at Norview High School. Last year, he helped at Booker T. Washington High School.

“I wouldn’t be taking this job if I couldn’t turn it around,’’ Jefferson said.

Coaches Eric Harris and Valentine Belgrave will return as assistants.