Kevin Johnson named head football coach at Englewood High School
Two decades ago, Kevin Johnson helped Englewood High School to its most recent state championship on the diamond.
Now, he's aiming to restore the Rams' fortunes on the gridiron.
Englewood named Johnson Friday as its new head football coach, a week ahead of spring practice. He replaces Zach Harbison, who took the Tocoi Creek job last month.
Englewood High School welcomes Kevin Johnson as the new Head Football Coach for the mighty Rams! pic.twitter.com/pZpz2IOskT
— Englewood Athletics (@EnglewoodRams_) April 21, 2023
Kevin Johnson made mark in Englewood football, baseball, basketball
A three-sport star at Englewood in the late 1990s, he started in the outfield on the Rams' 1999 baseball champions and also played quarterback at the school, earning a scholarship at the University of Missouri.
He also played point guard on the Rams' basketball team, helping Englewood to the Region 1-4A title and a final four trip in 1999. There, they lost to eventual champion Monsignor Pace.
In college, Johnson played baseball at the University of North Florida after transferring from Missouri.
The Englewood program is already familiar to him, and this spring, he has been working as a Rams assistant under baseball coach Lee Geiger.
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Challenge awaits at Englewood football
With the Rams, Johnson faces the task of turning around a program that, since 1985, has been more likely to go winless (five times) than finish above .500 (four times). They did, however, show some improvements under Harbison, who went 11-17 in three years.
Englewood last achieved a winning record in 2006, and has only reached .500 twice since.
In 2023, Englewood will compete in Florida High School Athletic Association District 1-3A, alongside First Coast, Fletcher and Parker. Fletcher topped the district last season.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Englewood High School hires Kevin Johnson as head football coach
