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2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Head Coaches Named

2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Head Coaches Named
Mission Viejo High’s Bob Johnson and South Panola High’s Lance Pogue Selected

(WHARTON, NJ) August 26, 2010 – The U.S. Army All-American Bowl has selected Bob Johnson of Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, Calif., as the head coach for the West squad and Lance Pogue of South Panola High School, Batesville, Miss., as the head coach for the East squad. The coaches will lead their all-star teams during the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. (EST) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

“Leadership is one of the core qualities of Army Strong Soldiers,” said Col. Derik Crotts, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “These coaches reflect the qualities of Army Strong Soldiers and we are proud to announce their selection, and look forward to watching them lead the talented young athletes of the 2011 game.”

Bob Johnson is in his 12th year as the head coach of the famed Mission Viejo High School football team. He has led the Diablos to seven league championships and three California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) titles. Before arriving at Mission Viejo, Johnson was the head coach at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif. During his time at El Toro, his teams won six league championships and three CIF titles; he also participated in two Orange County All Star Games and one Shrine Game. Additionally, Johnson received the NFL High School Coach of the Year Award in 2009. Johnson has coached five U.S. Army All-Americans during his career including: Drew Radovich (2003), Mark Sanchez (2005), Konrad Reuland (2006), David Green (2007), and Allan Bridgford (2009).

“Being the head coach of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl was one of the things on my bucket list,” said Johnson. “I believe this is the number one bowl game played in high school football.”

Lance Pogue is in his fourth year as the head football coach of South Panola High School in Batesville, Miss. In his time as head coach, Pogue has led the Tigers to the 2007 5-A State Championship and received national recognition in Sports Illustrated. Prior to arriving at South Panola, Pogue was the head football coach and Athletic Director at Eupora High School in Eupora, Miss., his alma mater. Under Pogue’s leadership, Eupora High School advanced to the 2002 2-A State Championship game. Pogue has coached three U.S. Army All-Americans during his career including: Derek Pegues (2005), Chris Strong (2007), and Darius Barksdale (2008).

“There are so many great coaches out there,” said Pogue. “I guess I was in a situation where I was fortunate to be around a bunch of good players and a great coaching staff.”

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl features the top 90 high school players from across the country. The Bowl’s selection tour will kick-off in September and run throughout the fall.

For more than 10 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been the nation’s premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars. Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, and Terrelle Pryor all made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans.  Last year, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew more than 34,000 fans to the Alamodome, and was the most watched sporting event on television over the weekend, other than the NFL Playoffs. A record 37 U.S. Army All-American Bowl alumni were selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, including a record-tying eight in the first round.

The U.S. Army Accessions Command (USAAC), a subordinate command of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, meets the human resource needs of the Army by transforming volunteers into officers, warrant officers, and enlisted Soldiers.  In providing the force, the 18,400 men and women of Accessions Command prepare these future Soldiers and leaders for their initial military training. Commanded by Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, USAAC is located at Fort Knox, Ky.
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is owned and produced by All American Games, a New Jersey-based sport marketing and event management company. Other national sponsors of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl include Football University, Russell Athletic, San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Rivals.com, Deloitte, Schutt Sports, NCSA, Gatorade, Spalding, beRecruited, and Choice Hotels. Band sponsors include MENC, The National Association for Music Education, Drum Corps International, DeMoulin Uniforms and Jupiter Band Instruments Inc.

For more information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com & www.goarmy.com/events/aab.