Northeast eagles finally get coach

[babe]

After one of the longest and exhaustive coaching searches in school history, Northeast High has finally found its man.

 

 

The Eagles named Bryan Johnson its new head football coach Monday after approval from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System.

 

"It's awesome," Northeast athletics director Kim Yarbrough said. "It's been a rough road, but we finally have a guy we feel fits this program perfectly. It came down to a couple of applicants, but coach Johnson was the one who stood out the most."

 

Yarbrough and Northeast principal Galea Jefferies made the decision to offer Johnson the position last week, but the school system has to approve all head coaching hires. Their final approval ended an eight-month search.

 

"I'm certainly looking forward to the challenge," Johnson said. "Right now the kids are in the mandatory dead-period, but once that's over we need to hit the ground running."

 

Johnson will have little time to implement his scheme once the dead period ends in early July. While much of the city schools have benefited from a spring practice with its head coaches, Northeast has relied on assistant coaches from last year's Paul Watkins-led staff to keep players motivated and conditioned.

 

"They've actually done a great job from what I've heard," Johnson said. "I'm extremely grateful to them for that and I'm really excited about how those kids stuck together despite not having a head coach."

 

Assistant coach Henry Mitchell was named interim coach throughout the spring drills with the understanding Northeast would be actively searching for a permanent head coach. Johnson has made no decisions on whether he'll retain any of Northeast's current assistants.

 

"I'm not at liberty to say that yet because I haven't talked to them to find out what their desires are," Johnson said. "I'm looking for good coaches and most of all good people."

 

Johnson, who spent last season as the offensive line coach at Clarksville High and was the head track coach this spring, will have one coach roaming the Eagles sideline. He'll bring former Wildcats offensive coordinator Issac Shelby to Northeast.

 

"We lost two quality coaches," Clarksville High coach Jim Snider said. "But Bryan's a mature, very bright young man. He'll do a good job at Northeast."

 

Snider doesn't expect any other assistants to be pulled from his staff, and Johnson said he's made no efforts to bring any more Wildcat coaches to Northeast, but Snider does have shoes to fill.

 

The Wildcats coach will shift defensive secondary coach Ken Busby to offensive coordinator, while he looks for a new offensive line and defensive backs coach.

 

"We wanted to have (Bryan) on the staff for a few more years, but it didn't even last that long," Snider said. "When you've been blessed with a good program, you lose good assistants. But the good things is that you have a lot of coaches that want to coach for a good program."

 

As for Johnson, he knows that his work will be cut out for him with a little more than a month to prepare for the season opener once the dead period ends.

 

However, he's not worried about the disadvantages a late start brings.

 

"I don't think it'll matter that much," he said. "I'm an educator first. I approach the season like I would approach the classroom.

 

"If I had something to teach in a short amount of time, then I have to start with the basics first and build from there. In football, if you can run, block and tackle, you're going to win games. It's that simple. Those are the fundamentals and that's what we start with, regardless of scheme."

 

Johnson is a product of Overton High School's football program, graduating in the spring of 2000. By the fall of that year he joined the Austin Peay football team and played until 2004. Johnson was hired as an assistant football coach under former Eagles coach Steve Kordisch before Watkins took over in Johnson's second year with the Eagles.

 

Johnson then took a year off from football to finish school before he approached Snider, who had just finished taking his team to the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

 

With Johnson guiding the offensive line, the Wildcats finished 10-2, losing to Maplewood in the second round of the playoffs last November.

 

Meanwhile, Northeast finished 0-10 in Watkins' swan song, struggling to score points despite talent. A rough Class 5A schedule with region opponents that included Ravenwood, Brentwood, Franklin and Independence took its toll on the Eagles.

 

Watkins' desire to spend more time with his family led to his resignation, but struggles with team parents, the administration and team morale also factored into his decision.

 

"Some things will change as far as schemes go," Johnson said.

 

"But we'll give the kids time to adjust. They've already shown the dedication to this program and that's a huge sign for any coach coming into the program. I can't wait to get started with them."

 

I agree with the article northeast has alot of talent and now they have a great young coach so northeast should be able to compete right away.

[HesterBeSeeinULater]

Northeast will be fine. Give the new coach some time. If the results don't show up right away ths season then you people need to be patient. This is the Eagles final year competing against all of those 5A powerhouse Williamson County programs so it's not like the worst is yet to come. Playing against the schools within the area beyond the 2008 season will be great for the Eagles.

[macdaddy]

do you all forget that Kenwood played 4 years at 5A with just 1100 people in the bldg. They took enrollment numbers and did not factor in that Rossview was opening up. NE will be fine when they go back down as they will be losing lots of kids and from what i hear athletes to the new West Creek HS opening up in the fall of 2009.

[theydontcare]

Northeast will not compete for 2 years. If they do the community will be pleased. Who is calling the offense and defense. Word is they are keeping two of the para professionals, but whom else is going to be with Coach Johnson. Plus I have a question, Why did they release Johnson 3 years ago. From a former coach I talked to is that he was scarce at Practice, but I believe this time will be different, but not for 2 more years. Good luck, but don't expect a mircle.

 

Where are all the coaches from last year? Northeast seems to let go of good ones. Welch is now at Rossview, Southerland is at Christian County, Myers is at Hillsboro, Hudson is at Rossview too.

 

Seems as if coaches leave that school and find success, so why get rid of so many good coaches?

[newbie16]

Prob playing pacman.

 

 

This guy had all the right answers in the paper. He may have a shot in a couple of years if hes allowed some fredom of hiring good coaches. We shall see. Its not about him. Its about how much leverage he is given. I wish him luck. This is truly stepping out on a limb.

[nwsuperfan]

This guy had all the right answers in the paper. He may have a shot in a couple of years if hes allowed some fredom of hiring good coaches. We shall see. Its not about him. Its about how much leverage he is given. I wish him luck. This is truly stepping out on a limb.

 

Lets just be honest same adminastration same players same region 0 and 10 rezoining next year playing 4a with 3a numbers for at least two years 0 and 20 good luck to coach johnson.

[babe]

Lets just be honest same adminustration same players same region 0 and 10 rezoining next year playing 4a with 3a numbers for at least two years 0 and 20 good luck to coach johnson.

[ /quote] I just cant agree with that statement I think Northeast has alot of talent and with coach Johnson in charge now the winning will start.

[1new_wildcat_fan]

do you all forget that Kenwood played 4 years at 5A with just 1100 people in the bldg. They took enrollment numbers and did not factor in that Rossview was opening up. NE will be fine when they go back down as they will be losing lots of kids and from what i hear athletes to the new West Creek HS opening up in the fall of 2009.

 

 

Are you still over at Kenwood? I saw they had the track position open what is the deal??????

[macdaddy]

will have to tell you on email. you got my email from within the school system?

[fromthetop2]

Winning will become possible for Northeast once they get out of 6-5A.

 

Not to point out the obvious, but they will be heavily challenged to win even one region game this fall. No tradition of winning, young untested rookie head coach, new staff, too small of a talent pool and overwhelming odds just to compete against even against weaker teams that have had the benefit of at least an offseason of cohesion. It just is what it is.

 

If I were them, I would prepare for 2009 season starting today. Use this season for experience purposes only and a chance for everyone to get acclimated to the new regime. In '09, they will at least have the opportunity to play against similar sized schools.

 

Good luck to the Eagles and chance to play with a clean slate.

[nwsuperfan]

Winning will become possible for Northeast once they get out of 6-5A.

 

Not to point out the obvious, but they will be heavily challenged to win even one region game this fall. No tradition of winning, young untested rookie head coach, new staff, too small of a talent pool and overwhelming odds just to compete against even against weaker teams that have had the benefit of at least an offseason of cohesion. It just is what it is.

 

If I were them, I would prepare for 2009 season starting today. Use this season for experience purposes only and a chance for everyone to get acclimated to the new regime. In '09, they will at least have the opportunity to play against similar sized schools.

 

Good luck to the Eagles and chance to play with a clean slate.

 

The problem with 09 when they rezone, alot of athletes will go to west creek then for 2 to 3 years northeast will have 3a numbers but be playing 4a I cant see things changing for awhile at northeast but good luck to them

[navygold11]

Northeast will have all its seniors playing when they re zone.