A Walker Valley fan leads in the Mustangs varsity football team into the stadium in this file photo.Ken Johnson, an assistant coach at Walker Valley for the past seven seasons, has been hired as the head football coach at Cumberland County in Crossville.
"It's a new journey -- the next chapter, I like to call it," Johnson said Wednesday afternoon. "I'm finishing up the school year (at Walker Valley), but I've been making the trip over there two or three times a week to check on the kids."
Johnson has helped on offense under current Walker Valley coach Glen Ryan, working with running backs, quarterbacks and receivers. Under former Mustangs coach Ted Lockerby, he worked on the defensive side, primarily with linebackers and defensive backs.
"He does a good job of pumping kids up. He has a lot of energy and excitement about him," Ryan said. "He knows football, comes from a football family. His dad was a coach for a long time."
Johnson's father, Frank, served as head coach at Oliver Springs for 17 seasons and coached sons Bob and Ken.
"I'm taking my dad and brother with me," Johnson said. "I'm a typical coach's son. I grew up on the sidelines. I played hard and I love the game."
After playing wide receiver and linebacker at Oliver Springs, Johnson attended the University of Tennessee and worked as a manager for coach Phillip Fulmer, who was among those who submitted recommendations on his behalf.
The Johnsons have their work cut out for them. Cumberland's Jets were 0-10 in 2014 and 3-28 over the past three seasons.
"There's talent there. I know they were 0-10 last year, but they were in some games. I like to think that they just ran out of time," Johnson said.
With the new alignments for the 2015 season, Cumberland County will be in a region with Central, East Hamilton, Hixson, Livingston Academy, Sequoyah and Stone Memorial.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.