Hall of famer Steve Gervais returns to football sideline after 16-year absence - at Skyline High School

The six-time WIAA champion was lured out of retirement to coach the Spartans, whom he led to three state titles, after Cameron Elisara resigned last week to pursue a college job

Guess who's coming back to dinner?

Hint: He's a coaching legend in the state of Washington.

His name? Steve Gervais.

Gervais, 69, a six-time WIAA championship football coach, was hired Wednesday to return to the last high school program he was a part of 16 years ago - Skyline High School.

He is the only football coach ever in Washington to lead three different programs (Eatonville, Gig Harbor, Skyline) to the state championship game.

"I am going to give it a go," he said, chuckling at the thought out loud.

All of this came together in the aftermath of former coach Cameron Elisara announcing last week he was leaving the Spartans' post to become the director of player development at the University of Washington - his alma mater.

Prominent influences around the Skyline program reached out to Gervais twice right after Elisara's departure to gauge interest, but he quickly rebuffed the inquiry.

But ... he then got to thinking about the opening.

"I live in the community, which is a huge factor," Gervais said. "And the situation is unique where we are six to seven weeks out (before training camp). I felt like I could help this program, these coaches and these players."

Gervais guided Skyline to the last of his six state titles in 2007, capping a 14-0 season with a come-from-behind victory over O'Dea in the Class 3A title game. That team averaged 37.4 points per game.

After that run, which included a nod as the state coach of the year, he resigned.to take a coaching position with the UW.

Gervais hasn't completely been removed from high school football in the state. He operates the Steve Gervais Academy, which offers private instruction and puts on rotating camps.

The former quarterback at Puyallup High School and Oregon State University had a remarkable run at Eatonville, winning three Class 1A titles in 1985, 1990 and 1992.

It was at Eatonville where he became the first coach to implement spread concepts into his offense, and he later took that approach to Gig Harbor (state runner-up in 1993), Rogers of Puyallup and then to Skyline, which had just opened as a new school the year prior in 1997.

Gervais won 94 games in his 10 seasons at Skyline, including WIAA titles in 2000, 2005 and 2007. It was with the Spartans when he was inducted into the Washington State High School Football Coach's Hall of Fame (2006).

In his previous 31 seasons, Gervais won 244 games. He will add to that total come this fall. For how long, he isn't saying.

"Whether ... it's one year, two years or five years, there are no time parameters," Gervais said.