.
Andrews – Jason Johnson, defensive coordinator and linebacker coach for the Wildcats, has been named head coach of the Andrews High School varsity football team.
Andrews moved quickly to fill the head coaching position on the varsity team after former head coach James Phillips informed the team of his retirement on May 19.
Johnson will take over just in time for summer workouts prior to the season starting in late August. He has been involved with Andrews football since 2009-10 as a coach and also spent 15 years prior to that coaching youth football.
“I’m excited about it. I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “You know, we have a good program here. Coach Phillips built a great program, and I was able to be a part of that and I’d just like to continue the stuff that he’s done. I’ve learned a lot from him. I’d just like to continue to build on that and get back there and win a conference championship.”
Johnson’s goals for next season include getting back to the top of the Smoky Mountain Conference.
“Next goal is to bring the young kids along, get them faster, get them stronger, just get them following what we do, get them committed, being coachable and having high character. I want some fine young men, along with good football players,” he said.
“I want to build young men, young men we can get in the community that will come back to the community once they’re going off, and they will be successful and want those young men to go off, be successful and come back to the community. I just want them to be successful in life, not just at football, at school, their job and everything else, they do. That’s what I want for those kids.”
Johnson will take his experience as a coach into his role as Andrews head coach. He said he wants to always learn and get better while building onto what the program has so far.
“I just want to say thank you to thank Dr. (Principal Sheryl) Rogers for allowing me this opportunity. I want to thank the school board, especially Jeff Tatham, he was a big part of it. And I want to thank coach Phillips,” Johnson said.
“Also want to thank coach Burch, who’s going to continue to coach with me, and coach McLelland; we’ve coached together since I’ve been at Andrews High School. I want to thank those two guys who are going along with me on this journey, and coach Rex Cable, he’s going to come on and continue to help also. We’re going to try to hire a couple more coaches to go along with us … I think we’re going to continue to have a nice program at Andrews.”
Speaking of Johnson, Cherokee County Board of Education member Jeff Tatham said, “Jason Johnson is a great football coach, and an even better man. He loves all his players, and they all love him. He is the ideal coach to continue to build upon the program built by coach Phillips.”
Johnson has also worked with the Andrews track and field team as a coach for multiple seasons.