Jesuit Football Hires an Alum to Replace Oregon Legend Ken Potter

The 2002 graduate and ex-state champion returns to lead a storied Crusaders program, aiming to build on decades of dominance following Potter’s historic 39-year run.

Jesuit announced Wednesday that it hired 2002 graduate Phil Rombach, an assistant at Linfield University, as its new football coach. | Linfield University

The Jesuit (Oregon) football program is turning to a former player to take over for a legend.

The school announced Wednesday afternoon that it had hired Phil Rombach, a 2002 graduate, to replace Ken Potter, who retired following 39 seasons as the winningest coach in state history in November.

Rombach Has Spent the Last Three Seasons at St. Michael's Academy in Texas

Rombach, who spent the past three seasons at St. Michael’s Academy in Austin, Texas, was a member of Potter’s 2000 state championship team before going on to play at Linfield, contributing to the Wildcats’ 2004 NCAA Division III champions and earning all-Northwest Conference honors at linebacker in 2006.

Phil Rombach | Courtesy Jesuit High School

Rombach Is Focused on Using Football as a Tool for Teaching Life Skills

“My mission in coaching football is to teach life skills to young men and to build them into well-rounded, faith-filled servant leaders who are ready to enter the next phase of life and have a positive impact on their communities,” Rombach said in a letter emailed to the Jesuit community announcing his hiring.

“I look forward to leading our football program and continuing to develop young people in Ignatian values and the Jesuit tradition. I will work tirelessly to continue the tradition of excellence that is Jesuit football and to represent our program well for years to come.”  

Rombach went 16-16 in his three seasons with the Warriors (2023-25), who play in Division I of the Texas Alliance of Accredited Private Schools (TAAPS).

Last season, they went 5-6 and advanced to the first round of the TAAPS District 2 playoffs.

One of his assistant coaches at St. Michael’s was John Kemper, the former head coach at Tigard.

Rombach left St. Michael’s in February to rejoin the Linfield staff, where he’d coached for 16 years in a variety of roles, primarily working with the linebackers and serving as the pass defense coordinator as well as the college’s strength and conditioning coach. In 2013, American Football Monthly magazine named him its Division III Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.

Rombach Becomes Only the Sixth Head Coach in Jesuit Program History

Rombach becomes just the sixth coach in the program’s 68-year history. The school opened in 1956, with the program starting two years later, when Jerry Dadey went 2-6-1 in 1958.

That is one of only 12 losing records the program has posted, including the COVID-shortened spring 2021 campaign. The last time the Crusaders finished below .500 in a full season was 1992.

Athletic director Colin Griffin wrote in the letter that the school received 50 applications from across the country from coaches looking to build upon the program’s six state titles and 34 Metro League championships.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Phil as our new head football coach,” Griffin said. “His leadership, vision, and commitment to our school’s mission will honor the proud tradition of Jesuit football while continuing to grow our program to new heights.”