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Jo Byrns announces Goodpasture assistant Justin Robison as new football coach




Former Sycamore head coach and Goodpasture assistant Justin Robison is the newest head football coach at Jo Byrns. SUBMITTED

Tom Adkins’ successor has been named. 

Goodpasture defensive line coach Justin Robison was announced as the new head football coach at Jo Byrns on Friday. 

“I’m incredibly excited, especially to be in a place where I’ve always really wanted to be,” Robison said. “I’m fortunate that Coach Adkins decided to step away when he did and the job became available. I’m grateful that Jo Byrns decided to go with me.”

Robison is an 11-year coaching veteran who spent the past three seasons as an assistant at Goodpasture. Their best season with him on staff came in 2020, when the Cougars went 9-3 and reached the Division II-AA semifinals. 

He made three postseason appearances as head coach at Sycamore prior to joining Goodpasture’s staff. Robison led the War Eagles program from 2016-2020. 

Robison took a step away from head coaching three years ago due to the birth of his second child, he said. The timing of the Jo Byrns opening was nearly perfect for when he wanted to get back into the role. 

“It wasn’t that I was out looking for jobs. It was just one of those things where I was blessed that Jo Byrns opened up,” Robison said. “It’s a school that I’ve always said I wanted to try to coach at.

“I’ve always been intrigued by it and hold a ton of respect for that program. Coach Adkins, what he’s built there is second to none. It’s just been a program I’ve always been very interested with.”

Robison takes over for Adkins, the 29-year Jo Byrns football coach that stepped down from his position in early January. 

Adkins, who will stay on as a teacher and the school’s athletic director, won 190 games across his career. His teams reached the Class 1A state championship game in 2008 and 2010. 

“Jo Byrns and Sycamore are similar in a lot of ways,” Adkins said. “Both schools are not going to have 10 assistant coaches. The head coach is responsible for a whole lot more duties than you would have at a larger school, so that was one of our points we were looking for.”

Added Robison: “I’m gonna have to have a hand on the offensive and defensive side of the ball (and) special teams, and I did that at Sycamore. I think that’s something that’s incredibly beneficial.”

Another point Adkins saw value in out of Robison was proximity. Despite coaching at the Madison private school, Robison still resides in the neighboring Pleasant View area and his wife’s family are natives of Springfield. 

“We were looking for someone that was going to be here longer than a year or two. .. Not that Justin has to be here 29 years, but we would like him here longer than two or three years,” Adkins said. “He just stood out.”