By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
Jon Adkins stopped playing football when he got to college in order to prepare for his future.
“I was going to walk-on at Eastern Illinois University,” said Adkins, a Charleston native, “but I chose a different path.
“I knew I wanted to coach and make an impact on kids’ lives, so I thought why not get my start coaching right away?”
The former quarterback returned to his high school alma mater, while still a teen-ager, as part of the coaching staff during his freshman year at EIU.
He helped for four years.
“That’s why at 23, I was hired (at Peoria Heights) as the youngest head coach in the state,” Adkins said.
“I would not be where I am at today without Charleston giving me that start.”
Where he will be soon is at Mahomet-Seymour as the Bulldogs’ fourth head coach since 1971 (following Frank Dutton, Tom Shallenberger and Keith Pogue).
His hiring will be on the agenda for the M-S Board of Education at the March 11 meeting.
Ironically, as Adkins was going though the interview process at M-S, the football head coaching position at Charleston also opened up.
“I was born and raised in Charleston and know most all of the staff,” Adkins said, “but it has never been in my realm of possibility for going back. There’s not that sentiment.
“I appreciate what they’ve done for me, but that has never been a goal of mine. I didn’t see that in my future. I knew where I wanted to be.”
Adkins said he envisioned himself at M-S since he was still in high school.
In the fall of 2004, after his Trojans were eliminated from the postseason, Adkins traveled to M-S the following week to see the Bulldogs in a Class 4A playoff game against Mount Zion.
“When I saw the kids coming down that ramp, the band playing, the atmosphere and the community support, I knew this was a special place,” Adkins said, “but this job isn’t one the comes open often.
“I didn’t think it would be open this soon.”
Adkins has had two stints as a head coach at Illinois high schools, but a year ago, moved his family to Cape Coral, Fla., where he served as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
“What a way to further my coaching career,” he said. “That was another step on the ladder to get me to this job.”
He didn’t have any hesitation in leaving Florida for what he hopes will be a long-term position.
“Our son (Jack) will be in kindergarten in the fall and this is where we want him to be in school,” Adkins said.
The new head coach was becoming familiar with the Bulldogs’ program long before he interviewed.
“I started watching film three weeks before I interviewed,” he said. “If I go after something, I go after it 100 percent.”
His personality will be reflected in the program.
“Excitement. Fun. Passion. Energy,” Adkins said. “One thing about me, the kids will feed off my energy and my excitement.
“We’ll run an up-tempo, fast-paced style and defensively, we’ll swarm to the ball, and celebrate. We’ll be fun to watch.”
Adkins hasn’t yet met any of the players, though he has been in communication with some.
“Several kids reached out (Friday by text) and welcomed me and expressed excitement for the upcoming season,” Adkins said.
He has not yet made decisions about his staff, but is hopeful there won’t be a great amount of turnover.
“A good majority will be returning,” he said.
Last year’s M-S offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Michael Burner, is a staff member Adkins has met.
Burner was part of the interview committee. Adkins will rely on Burner’s assistance while he is still an absentee coach 1,200 miles away.
“He’ll be my right-hand man,” Adkins said. “I’ll lean on him through the transition.
“He has done a lot of the legwork and I will rely on him to see the kids on a daily basis.”
Adkins said he hasn’t assigned areas for assistant coaches to work.
“As far as roles, it’s still too early to get that together,” he said. “I can’t guarantee anyone a title yet.”
Adkins said Spring Break in Cape Coral coincides with the one in M-S. He plans on making a road trip to the north.
Besides house hunting, it will be a chance for him to meet some players who are still in town.
“I’ll drive up, shake some hands, talk some football and get kids excited for the upcoming year,” Adkins said.
He plans to have a summer of football-related activities, but not at the expense of other sports.
“I’m an advocate of multi-sport athletes,” Adkins said, “and I’ll work with other coaches.
“Kids shouldn’t have to choose (one sport).”
Adkins plans to schedule a football team camp and enter the Bulldogs in some 7-on-7 events.
“I love to see the kids get after it and compete,” he said.
He might even have an idea about potential homes by next month as well.
“My wife (Kelly) and I have been on Zillow every day looking to see what things pop up,” he said.
Kelly Adkins is also a school teacher. Her focus is in high school English.
Jon Adkins has been hired at M-S as a junior high physical education instructor.
The couple also has a daughter, Emma, who turned 1 in December. Jack is 4.
During Jon Adkins’ time as coach at Peoria Heights (2010-15) and at Jerseyville (2016-17), he spent classroom time as both a strength and conditioning coordinator and as a driver’s education instructor.
Adkins’ career coaching record is 17-56, but both of his first two jobs were in rebuilding situations.
At Peoria Heights, the school had six consecutive losing seasons before he arrived and a record of 1-17 the two years immediately before he took over.
Adkins guided the school into the playoffs in 2015, his sixth year at the helm.
At Jerseyville, the school was 1-8 in the year before he was hired and, he said, “we doubled our wins each year (going 2-7 in 2016 and 4-5 in 2017).”
He wasn’t dissuaded about returning to Illinois despite the recent wind chills that created feel-like temperatures of minus-40 degrees.
“I’ve spent 31 years in Illinois and part of me kind of misses the cold and misses taking the kids sledding,” Adkins said. “We’re excited to get back.”
He will take over an M-S program which was 3-6 last fall, but earned playoff berths the two previous years.
The previous three Bulldog football head coaches all served at least a decade. Dutton’s tenure was the longest, at 21 years.
