Assistant Coach To Replace Vogt At Osceola High
KISSIMMEE — Greg Johnson, an assistant football coach since 1984, has replaced Mike Vogt as Osceola High School's head coach.
Vogt, 38, who has been under fire since last November, resigned June 20. He cited ''external pressure,'' even though a state Department of Education probe cleared him of any impropriety in allowing 20 student-athletes to skip classes to attend weekly breakfast meetings.
Assistant Principal Tom Booth said Monday that Johnson, 34, was the only candidate Principal Jack Strickland considered.
''Greg was qualified,'' Booth said. ''If he hadn't been, we would have gone outside. We're lucky to have somebody on staff who's qualified, knows the program and the kids.
''Less than five weeks away from practice starting, there was no way a new guy could have come in and gotten organized. It would take anyone that long to get to know the kids.''
Johnson, whose coaching supplement increases from $1,300 to $2,500, said he had questions that needed to be answered before deciding whether to accept the position.
''This is something I prayed on,'' he said. ''I needed help to reach an answer.''
Concerned about administrative and community support, Johnson talked with Vogt, Strickland, former coach Ken Baker and booster club members, and cleared up potential problem areas before accepting the post, he said. He would not list specific problems.
''I had doubts,'' Johnson said. ''But I got favorable responses -- a lot better than I expected -- to my list of questions. I'm sure the transition will be a lot easier on the kids than having someone totally new come into the program.''
Johnson, who plans to resign responsibilites as weightlifting and girls track coach to devote himself full time to football, meets with the Kowboys at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the varsity building.
''I don't expect any problems with the transition,'' he said. ''Most of the kids know me and what to expect. With practice five weeks away, I won't make any drastic changes.''
Johnson, whom Vogt named assistant head coach last fall, will continue to dictate defensive policy while turning over offensive-coordinator reins to Rich Edder, who last fall coached running backs and quarterbacks.
Edder, John Dunn, Bill Sharp and George Bright all are expected to return as varsity assistants. Johnson must fill two vacancies -- linebacker and offensive line posts -- ahead of the Aug. 15 reporting date for twice-daily drills. Skip Saunier, the Kowboys' linebacker coach for the past two seasons, is not returning for personal reasons.
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