What happened to the West Thread ?

[urban buck]

Congratulations Coach! How old is he and was he offensive coordinator at LU? What does he teach?

[BigBlueNation]

Good deal! Now lets get started, the boys got a lot of work to do.

[The Oaf]

Oaf , you still lurking ?

Lurking like a first of the monther at Golden Corral

[The Oaf]

Glad to see Johnson get the job. Good luck to him and his team!

[Westfan]

Sounds like an excellent choice. Congrats to him.

[osu 77]

Good luck now the works starts getting the boys out and a coaching staff.

[Crab's Brother]

I believe Ben is the current head coach's son. If my memory serves me correctly, Ben was the quarterback at Liberty Union when they put us out of the playoffs in 1999. I think he was a senior at that time so that would make him 32 or so.

[4thgoal]

Good choice by the administration and board. According to the Liberty Union school webpage, he is a math teacher.

[Kay]

This was an excellent hire! He's pretty young so that could mean long term stability for West. I worry that you guys from west are going to make it hard for him. Captain IGA constantly talks about "outsiders" as a problem....well this guy is not from West, but he could be very successful and have a long tenure. I hope he gets the type of support Trip received when he began at west. This could be the start of something great! Good luck!

[urban buck]

I believe Ben is the current head coach's son. If my memory serves me correctly, Ben was the quarterback at Liberty Union when they put us out of the playoffs in 1999. I think he was a senior at that time so that would make him 32 or so.

Thanks Crab

[riverwreckqueen]

This was an excellent hire! He's pretty young so that could mean long term stability for West. I worry that you guys from west are going to make it hard for him. Captain IGA constantly talks about "outsiders" as a problem....well this guy is not from West, but he could be very successful and have a long tenure. I hope he gets the type of support Trip received when he began at west. This could be the start of something great! Good luck!

Nothing "hard" will be made of him on my part. I support the BOE decision 100%. Appears this young man has a lot going for him. The only "out siders" spoken of are posters not in support of West. I agree with you that this could be something great! Good luck coach Johnson.

[chiefs]

Moving from Lancaster area to Portsmouth must mean he's all in. Congrats coach Johnson!

[Game day]

This was an excellent hire! He's pretty young so that could mean long term stability for West. I worry that you guys from west are going to make it hard for him. Captain IGA constantly talks about "outsiders" as a problem....well this guy is not from West, but he could be very successful and have a long tenure. I hope he gets the type of support Trip received when he began at west. This could be the start of something great! Good luck!

Nothing "hard" will be made of him on my part. I support the BOE decision 100%. Appears this young man has a lot going for him. The only "out siders" spoken of are posters not in support of West. I agree with you that this could be something great! Good luck coach Johnson.

Are you serious your post makes me laugh!!!

[local superstar]

Makes me laugh too. Congratulations Coach Johnson! Great team coming through, best of luck!!

[Westfan]

Johnson has been the head assistant on a team that has had recent success not only in the playoffs, but against the two teams we need to beat (wheelersburg and valley).

[sider]

This hire is definitely risk-reward. But, I think he will make a good Head Coach. Has learned from a good coach and is probably ready to be a Head Coach. The Baltimore area is pretty similar to West Portsmouth, so he should have an idea of how to be a figure in the community of a small town. There will be challenges and their will be detractors.

I hope West can get the coaching staff organized. If we can do this, I think it will work wonders for the discipline of the program.

My biggest concern of Coach Johnson is that he will go back to L-u when Dan retires in a couple of years. Of course, he has to win here first, which I think he will.

I also believe he will bring some fresh ideas to the table as far as schematics, which will definitely be embraced.

[chiefs]

This hire is definitely risk-reward. But, I think he will make a good Head Coach. Has learned from a good coach and is probably ready to be a Head Coach. The Baltimore area is pretty similar to West Portsmouth, so he should have an idea of how to be a figure in the community of a small town. There will be challenges and their will be detractors.

I hope West can get the coaching staff organized. If we can do this, I think it will work wonders for the discipline of the program.

My biggest concern of Coach Johnson is that he will go back to L-u when Dan retires in a couple of years. Of course, he has to win here first, which I think he will.

I also believe he will bring some fresh ideas to the table as far as schematics, which will definitely be embraced.

Coach Johnson's other son (Thad) lives in Baltimore and he has a family with young children, so I think that son is going to stay in Baltimore. Getting a job in Scioto County requires you'll get a house I imagine, so Ben will probably want to make it work and worth what he's putting in.

[osu 77]

How is he going to run the weight program where he is at now. Can he just pull up stakes in the middle of the school year? I am not sure how that works for each school system. If he can't do that then he will need to hire someone ASAP to run the weight program. By the way good luck this year!!

[Westfan]

How is he going to run the weight program where he is at now. Can he just pull up stakes in the middle of the school year? I am not sure how that works for each school system. If he can't do that then he will need to hire someone ASAP to run the weight program. By the way good luck this year!!

Curious how this works also.

As for relocation. Apparently he convinced the BOE that he wants to make his own way and not go back to LU after his father retires. That came from someone in the interview process.

[bengalfan76]

What did you expect him to say?