Verbum Dei has informed schools still on its football schedule that it is dropping its program for the rest of the season for lack of players. Head coach Kevin Smith confirmed on Wednesday that he has resigned. The team was 0-4.

Smith said the team had 19 players for last week’s game against Mary Star and suffered several injuries. There also was an incident in which a Verbum Dei player slapped an opposing player. Smith said the player was removed from the team.

“I tried my best,” Smith said of trying to develop a program that faced challenges with the school’s requirement that all students participate in a work studies program.

“Maybe it’s a good thing to start over,” Smith said.