MADISON TOWNSHIP — A Madison football program in desperate need of stability hopes it has found its long-term solution.
Rams’ product and longtime assistant Kobi Johnson was introduced as the new football coach Tuesday morning. Johnson replaces Brent Besancon, who left after two seasons to become the head coach at Orrville.
Besancon’s brief tenure came on the heels of Scott Valentine’s one-year stay at Madison. Valentine stepped down to return to Ashland.
That makes Johnson the fourth football coach in five years for the school.
Hence athletic director Doug Rickert sought a coach who would bring continuity to the program. Johnson is that coach.
“The old ‘Bleed Green’ adage, that Ram pride, that’s been running through my veins since I was an elementary-school kid at Eastview,” said Johnson, whose parents and grandparents graduated from Madison. “It’s time the kids have somebody who is all-in on this place and on them.”
It was the message Rickert and the search committee hoped to hear.
“His interview really blew us away. He used words like commitment and loyalty and trust,” Rickert said. “Above all, the word that really hit me was brotherhood. We’ve had a lot of adversity here, but how are we going to come together?
“Kobi told us this is his dream job. No offense to the guys we had but, this talk about wanting to be here and then leaving, we can’t have that anymore. This is exactly what we need.”
Johnson played football and basketball at Madison before graduating in 2013. He was on Madison’s 2012 playoff football team that won a regional quarterfinal game before falling to eventual Division II state champ Toledo Central Catholic in the regional semifinals.
Madison High School principal Sean Conway was the coach of that team.
“Madison needed somebody who believes in and cares for our students and players,” Conway said. “Kobi Johnson is the perfect hire.
“I believe in him. I love him and I’m extremely proud of him.”
Conway’s five-year tenure as Madison’s coach ended with a playoff appearance in 2014. The program has won just 13 games in the 10 seasons since then.
Madison was 2-8 last fall, but turned a corner under Besancon. The Rams lost on a last-second field goal at West Holmes, pushed Ohio Cardinal Conference champ Ashland to triple-overtime before falling, and gave up the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds at Lexington.
All three of those teams reached the third round of the playoffs.
Johnson was Besancon’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons. He joined Jamie Masi’s staff while he was still in college at Ohio State and worked under Dave Stupka and Valentine.
“The experiences that I’ve had and the coaches I’ve worked for, I feel like I’ve been preparing for this,” said Johnson, who teaches health at the middle school and strength training at the high school.
“Ten years from now I have every intention of being at Madison. There’s no place else I want to be.”
Johnson was also a part of a Madison basketball program that reached the regional tournament for the first time in decades in 2011.
“I got to be a part of some very good teams and hopefully we can get back to some glory like that,” Johnson said. “The path back starts with creating that belief and making the kids feel important. This is a good opportunity for the community to rally around these kids.”
He can’t wait to get started.
“When I met with the kids for the first time it was an emotional moment,” Johnson said. “I’m extremely excited to go to work and rebuild this program.”