By Dan Itel  - The Argus

When Steve Jones took over this offseason as the Glencoe High School head football coach, there was little question that the program would undergo some changes.

But Jones had also been on the Crimson Tide staff for four years, and the coach he replaced, Tim Duvall remains with the team. So it would make sense that some things would stay the same, as well.

At the team’s annual preseason scrimmage Saturday, there were some changes. There was also a lot familiar about the community event.

Glencoe parents, boosters and fans gathered for the traditional barbecue dinner as they watched the team scrimmage under a late afternoon sun. But rather than holding it at the traditional site of Hare Field, paper tableclothed tables lined the dusty field behind the high school. Inspring the move was the fact that the Hare Field track is being resurfaced.

Jones said it couldn’t have worked out better.

And it wasn’t only the football players who got in on the action. Jones instituted a punt, pass and kick contest, open to all comers.

“We wanted something that the community could get involved in,” Jones said. “This is Glencoe. This is who we are. So why not have it here?”

The evidence of community involvement was everywhere, from parents manning the grill to cheerleaders selling apparel and assistant coaches helping out with the punt, pass and kick contest. Sandwiched between the junior varsity and varsity scrimmages, the skills-style competition that measured contestants’ accuracy of throwing and kicking abilities, the punt, pass and kick competition drew a handful of mostly curious onlookers.

Blake Walker excelled in the pass portion of the competition. But forgive the Evergreen Middle School eighth grader, he’s not a kicker.

“I’m a quarterback and a safety,” he said.

Walker said he was happy to have a chance to get on the field and show what he can do.

“I liked it. It’s cool,” he said. “It’s not like winning is all that great. It’s just something fun.”

Troy Duenas, a youth coach in the Glencoe program, measured the punts, passes and kicks and said he thought the new, interactive aspect of the traditional scrimmage event was a great idea.

“I think this will get more popular as more people hear about it,” he said. “It worked out great.”

Jones said he was blown away by the amount of people who came forward offering their help in organizing and pulling off the event. Previously, a local restaurant provided the food.

“The people involved in this program are unbelievable,” Jones said. “All I had to do was ask. And when I asked, people worked so hard to help out.”

Helen Smith’s son, Jordan, is about to start his freshman season with the team. After watching her son on the field, she was dishing out sweet desserts as the varsity team hit the field for the main event.

“Absolutely, it’s a great community event,” she said. “I’ve been able to meet a lot of parents I’ve seen on the sidelines but didn’t know before.”

And then there was the football.

Glencoe is somewhat of an enigma this year, coming off a season in which they finished fourth in the Pacific Conference and lost in the first round of the OSAA Class 6A state playoffs.

Gone are 10 starters on each side of the ball. Senior quarterback Logan VanRoekel is the only starter coming back on the offensive side of the football. Lineman Michael Alvarez started last year on the defensive line. And like any preseason scrimmage, there were some good and bad.

The first team offense easily scored on its first possession against the scout defense. And Ryan Spaulding looked good running the ball.

The first team defense, playing against the scout offense, predictably, looked strong.

“We really don’t know how good we are yet,” Jones said. “I’ve been happy with how we’ve looked so far. I think the guys are just ready to go out and hit someone other than themselves. We’ll find out where we’re at when we play Beaverton on Friday.”

Dan Itel can be reached at 503-214-1143.

Glencoe has hired Steve Jones as our newest Varsity head coach.

Jerry Ulmer, The Oregonian, May 17, 2011 4:35 p.m.

Glencoe has hired assistant Steve Jones as football coach.

Jones, who played high school football in Bellingham, Wash., and was a receiver at Portland State, has assisted at Glencoe for eight seasons, the last five as the junior varsity head coach. Before that, he coached in the youth program for five years.

“He's a first-class guy,” athletic director Scott Ellis said. “He has high moral and ethical values, and that's what he's going to teach the kids, on and off the field.

“He does have football experience, but we're more concerned about the character of our coaches, and that's why Steve is thought of so highly. The kids love him and they play hard for him.”

Jones, 48, becomes the fourth coach in the history of the program, which started in 1980. He succeeds Tim Duvall, who resigned in January after coaching the Crimson Tide to a 50-29 record in seven seasons.

“I'm really excited. I really love this community,” Jones said. “We've got great coaches that have been with the program a long time, and the biggest thing is we get great kids, year in and year out. We get great backing from the community.”

Duvall, who guided Glencoe to the Class 5A title game in 2007 and the semifinals in 2008, will remain on the staff as an assistant. Duvall coached Glencoe to a 6-4 record last season in its move up to Class 6A.

“Tim is a very humble person,” Jones said. “He's just like a lot of us who love coaching kids. That's where his heart is at. And he's going to leave the other stuff up to me, which I'm excited about. It's a great new challenge for me.”

Jones, who also coaches junior varsity baseball at Glencoe, is a business owner and lives about one mile from the school. His familiarity with the program was a plus, Ellis said.

“We don't have a teaching job; that's why we waited so long,” Ellis said. “With the budget cuts, we just had to make a decision. Luckily Steve was someone that was willing to step up and do it. Honestly, I think he's going to do an outstanding job.”

-- Jerry Ulmer