A CHANGE AT THE TOP.

Byline: Steve Mims The Register-Guard

When Travis Johnson graduated from Southern Oregon University, his first job was selling bus advertising for Obie Media.

"I did that for a month and a half and realized it wasn't for me," Johnson said. "So I went back to school and in 2001 I started coaching at South Eugene under Scott Bless."

Six years later, Johnson is now the head football coach at South Eugene, the school from which he graduated in 1996. Johnson has been the head junior varsity coach for the past three years with the Axemen.

"This is something I really wanted to do and the fact it is at the high school I went to and played for makes it real fun," said Johnson, who is also a freshman counselor at the school.

Johnson replaced Chris Miller, who led South Eugene's football resurgence by taking the Axemen to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, including a run to the Class 6A quarterfinals last year.

"I want to build off something Chris brought here," Johnson said. "I played here and I was here the year before Chris was here, so I saw where the program was and where it needed to go. With Chris coming in and with his name and excitement and staff, it automatically clicked. Mix in the great group of kids we had the last four years and he helped implement this winning attitude and this attitude of expecting to succeed. That's a difference. I'm taking over a program that has been successful. There is more pressure and expectations, but I'm fortunate because we have juniors and seniors who don't know what it was like to go 1-8 or 2-7."

Johnson has built a staff featuring some familiar faces and some new ones.

Junior varsity coach Andy Codding and defensive line coach Doug Cook remain from the past coaching staff, and offensive coordinator Aaron Stiegeler and defensive coordinator Daryl Hubler are new. Former Churchill coach Jack Wigmore is assisting with the junior varsity, and Johnson's dad, Mike, is an ex-Duck who coached at Sheldon in the 1970s before returning to help his son this season.

"The first goal was to get guys around me who wanted to work, who I could delegate things from fundraising to coordinating so I could help oversee everything, and I've done that," Johnson said. "Then get kids to believe in those coaches, and they are doing that. Now it's coming together finally, and I'm feeling more comfortable with where we are after a good summer."

Johnson will see some familiar faces when the Axemen visit North Medford on Oct. 26. The Black Tornado are coached by Jeff Olson, who was the head coach at SOU when Johnson was a tight end for the Raiders, and North Medford assistant coach Tom Powell was Johnson's position coach.

"I remember Coach Olson saying nonstop that you have to worry about the little things, focus on the little things, and I must have said that 30 times today," Johnson said. "We have the same philosophy. He is really focused on discipline. When I went to Southern Oregon we weren't that great, but then we went to the playoffs and had some good teams when I was there, and a lot of that was because we were disciplined and worked our butts off."

Olson recommended Johnson for the head coaching job at South Eugene.

"Travis was one of my all-time favorites," Olson said. "He was one of those kids that when I first saw him running around, I thought he was never going to help us. He didn't look the part. Through sheer determination and want-to, he became a starter and part of a very special group of guys who laid a foundation for some successful teams. Guys rallied around him and he worked his tail off."

8-4 overall. Tied for fourth in conference at 2-3. Defeated David Douglas (28-14) and Sprague (28-20) in playoffs before losing to Canby (20-17) in quarterfinals.

Daniel Schrenk: 6-5, 295-pound senior offensive tackle is a returning starter.

Karsten Tindal: Senior center earned honorable mention all-league honors.

Nate Sullivan: Senior was honorable mention all-league at rover and also starts at running back.

Boseko Lokombo: 6-2, 215-pound junior transferred from Canada and will be an impact player at receiver and linebacker.

A.C. Greenwood: Returning starter anchors the defensive line at the end spot.

Dylan Baumann: Senior will play RB and LB.

Dustin Haines: Junior transfer from Montana in competition to start at QB.

Ethan Trachtenberg: Senior with experience at junior varsity level also in the mix at quarterback and earned all-league honors as punter.

Abe Lapite: Speedy senior is one of a handful of receivers who will see action.

South has eight players who started at least one game last year and added some new faces. Haines and wide receiver Justin Goode both transferred from Montana, and right tackle Thomas Singell tranferred from Marist. ... Sophomore Isaac Lapite, Abe's brother, will play running back along with Sullivan, Baumann, and Rodney Witherspoon. ... Senior outside linebacker Alex Coleman has only played two years of football but has become a key on the defense.

2

Number of playoff victories

for South Eugene in

the 22 seasons

from 1983-2004.

3

Number of playoff victories

for the Axemen

over the past two

seasons.

3.3

Average margin of defeat

in four losses last year,

including three overtime

defeats.

29

Age of coach Travis Johnson, the youngest coach in the

SWC and the only new coach

in the league.

Travis Johnson

Season: First

Overall record: 0-0

Notable: Johnson was an offensive lineman for the Axemen, a 1996 graduate of South Eugene who has been an assistant coach for the past six seasons, including the past five under Chris Miller, who resigned after leading South to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons.

Coach Johnson SAYS:

"We had a great summer. ... New coach, new system, but we always have good kids here, and if we can build on that and have the kids buy into the family concept and do what's best for the team, that's great."

Blending the old and the new. The Axemen have some key returnees including all-league rover Nate Sullivan and all-league center Karsten Tindal, but also a new coach and a handful of transfers who could play key roles.

Continuing the successful spread offense of recent years. The offense will have a new quarterback and coordinator but coach Travis Johnson hopes to continue running a balanced attack that can spread a defense out with four or five receivers on one play and then go double-tight with two running backs on the next play.

Win the close games. Remarkably, South Eugene did not trail at the end of regulation in any conference game last year yet finished with a 2-3 record. South lost once in overtime and twice in double overtime.

South Eugene proved it could play the perennial state powers in the SWC last year, and now the Axemen will try to continue the recent tradition of success under a new coach.

"I'm taking over a program that has been successful. There is more pressure and expectations, but I'm fortunate because we have juniors and seniors who don't know what it was like to go 1-8 or 2-7."

Southwest

Date Opponent Time

Aug. 31 at Sunset W, 35-28

Sept. 7 at North Salem 7 p.m.

Sept. 14 North Eugene 7 p.m.

Sept. 21 at Churchill 7 p.m.

Oct. 5 at Grants Pass 7 p.m.

Oct. 12 South Medford 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 Roseburg 7 p.m.

Oct. 26 at North Medford 7 p.m.

Nov. 2 Sheldon 7 p.m.