Former Colonel Jake Johnson is in his 12th season on the Eastern Kentucky coaching staff and 11th as the team’s defensive line coach.
“Jake is one of the veterans on our staff and truly epitomizes ‘EKU Pride’,” head coach Dean Hood said. “Players enjoy being around him and work hard for him.”
Johnson has helped 15 defensive linemen earn All-OVC honors since 2005.
Senior Bryce Krebs is expected to anchor the defensive line in 2015. Krebs is one of four returning starters on the line. The Colonels have also added former All-Big 10 player Noah Spence to the line this season. EKU has ranked first or second in the OVC in rushing defense in each of the last three seasons.
After graduating from Eastern in 2002 with a bachelor of arts degree in geography with an emphasis in global studies, Johnson spent a year at Wingate University as an assistant coach. His duties there included serving as the Bulldogs’ full-time tight ends coach and assistant offensive line coach, while also aiding in player recruitment and game-day planning. Johnson then returned to Eastern Kentucky in 2004 as a graduate assistant coach.
A three-year starting offensive lineman during his collegiate career, Johnson garnered All-Ohio Valley Conference accolades at center in 2001. That same year, Johnson served as the Colonels’ offensive team captain and was named the squad’s offensive lineman of the year.
Johnson earned four letters from 1997-2001 and was a freshman on the 1997 Colonel team which captured an OVC championship. He found success on and off the field at EKU, earning two spots on the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and five Colonel Scholar awards.
Johnson married the former Kate Lyon, a four-year volleyball letterwinner at Eastern who was named team co-MVP in 2000, in the summer of 2007. The Johnsons are the proud parents of Sam (five) and Zoey (four).
Coaching Experience
Wingate (Tight Ends Coach, 2003)
Eastern Kentucky (Graduate Assistant Coach, 2004), (Defensive Line Coach, 2005-present)
