Tuesday, June 30, 2009
He bleeds Connally blue, and he has a passion for football, so stepping down as the Cadets’ head coach wasn’t an easy decision for Kevin Johnson.
But he’s certain it is the right decision for now.
Johnson is resigning his post as Connally’s head coach due to “family issues,” and will hand the reins over to Steve Hoffman, the team’s offensive coordinator for the past three seasons.
“We’ve got a lot going on in our family,” Johnson said. “I’m not at the point where I’m ready to quit (coaching) yet, but I just needed something where I could spend more time with my family.”
Johnson, 39, will retain his athletic director position until Connally ISD names a permanent athletic director/head coach, probably in December or January. He is also taking a position as an assistant principal at the high school.
In five seasons as Connally’s head coach, Johnson registered a 29-25 overall record, making the playoffs in each of his first two seasons in 2004 and ’05. Last year, the Cadets struggled to a 2-8 mark, losing three games by four points or less.
Johnson, a 1989 Connally alumnus who has been at the school as an assistant or head coach for 14 years, said he figures to return to the football sideline some time in the future, but he’s positive this change is the right one for him and his family.
“I love it. I love football, I love coaching,” Johnson said. “We have some great kids here, and they work really hard. It was a tough decision. But the Good Lord had a plan, and I just need to take advantage of this opportunity for a couple of years and figure out what I’m going to do after that.”
As for Johnson’s replacement, this will be Hoffman’s first head coaching gig, but he’s confident that his familiarity with the Connally players and the program will result in a seamless transition.
“I’ve been here three years, and I know we’ve got great kids,” Hoffman said. “I think I’m going to enjoy this opportunity to run the candy store, so to speak. We’re looking forward to a great year. ... We think we can make some noise.”
Hoffman said the Cadets will switch to a variation of the slot-T offense for the fall, aiming to capitalize on the program’s running back talent. Connally is also in the midst of shopping for a defensive coordinator.
Hoffman, a Houston native, cut his coaching teeth in Utah while working with Bryce Monsen, the head coach at Temple High School. He was later an assistant at Bandera when that school won state in 2002.
bcherry@wacotrib.com
757-5714
Comments
By lise
Jul 5, 2009 8:49 PM | Link to this
ss
By Ben
Jun 30, 2009 1:03 PM | Link to this
Good Luck coach. Classy guy, sorry things havent been working out on the field lately but your doing what you need to do. Always alot of pressure out and no one is ever happy. You will do fine in your new position as you are a stand up guy. I am sure the Cadets will be fine this upcoming year. Take care of family and good luck.
Commenting is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F, except on Tuesday when it's open until 9 p.m.
Post a comment
*HTML not allowed in comments. Your e-mail address is required.