Coaching dust begins to settle

Rockland is one of the last 8-man programs still seeking a head coach for 2018 as of late June (Photo Courtesy: Sharleece Lambson)

Fall camps don't open for Idaho high school football for another six weeks, but there are still a few programs in the 8-man ranks seeking their head coaches.

IdahoSports.com has done a tremendous job tracking coaching changes over the course of the offseason. According to the site's list, Cascade (District 3), Deary (District 2), Grace (District 5), Potlatch (District 2) and Rockland (District 5) are the final small-school programs still finalizing coaching plans for this fall.

Edited to add on 7/9 - Grace (Mark Dodge) and Cascade (Robert Haworth) have since filled their openings.

The marquee name from that list, based on recent performance, is Deary. The White Star champ narrowly missed a berth in the 1A Division 2 state title game and has won 42 football games over the past five seasons. Darrah Eggers, who coached the team last season, stepped aside this past spring and it is understandable - he also serves as the high school's principal and athletic director.

1A Division 1 Grace is coming off of a six-win season and is looking to replace Brandon Sanchez, who remains in Grace and a teacher at the school. Rockland, a 1A Division 2 school, started 3-0 last season before injuries became a factor and reached the playoffs as recently as 2016. With Butte County bumping up to Division 1, Rockland could be in position for a return to the postseason.

Cascade is a member of the difficult Long Pin Conference and the last time the district did not have a team in the 1A Division 2 state championship game was 2011. Coincidentally, that's also the last time the Ramblers won more than two games in a season. The conference will get deeper this season, too, with the addition of Horseshoe Bend.

Potlatch is also a member of an extremely tough conference, the 1A Division 1 White Pine League. The Loggers were forced to forfeit their final two games of 2017 after a rash of injuries left the team without enough bodies to field a team.

Here's a list of new coaches in the 1A classification, according to IdahoSports.com:

Council - Randy Nichols

Hagerman - Joe Keeney

Mackay - Travis Drussell

Notus - Joe Woodland

Raft River - Chad Evans

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