West Linn hires Jon Eagle, two-time WIAA 4A state champion, as next football coach: 'I like new challenges, this just seemed like one'

After a vote of confidence from former Oregon standout Anthony Newman, Eagle leaves Bruce Barnum's staff at Portland State to take over OSAA 6A power.

A year ago, Jon Eagle left Camas High School, the WIAA state powerhouse he turned into a state power, to chase what he called a career-long dream of coaching college football. 

Now, he's back on the high school stage, taking on a new challenge in a different state.

West Linn announced Eagle as its next head coach Wednesday — a job he took after one season as the quarterbacks coach at Portland State under Bruce Barnum. 

Welcome Head Coach @jon_eagle to LIONS FOOTBALL! pic.twitter.com/0V68B5QmZj

— West Linn High School Football (@westlinn_fb) March 10, 2022

Eagle, 62, won WIAA Class 4A state championships in 2016 and 2019 at Camas, where he amassed a 127-22 record in 13 seasons. The Vikings went 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Big Sky in the fall. 

Ultimately, he said he wanted to be the one calling the shots again. 

"I enjoyed everything about (Portland State)," Eagle told SBLive on Thursday. "I like the people. I got an up-close view of what Bruce Barnum and his staff are up against in terms of trying to compete in the Big Sky. It would be fun to see what they could do with greater administrative support. 

"I told Bruce Barnum, I miss leading a program and empowering coaches and players and running my own stuff."

(RELATED: A tree farm and a boat ramp: The personal touch behind Portland State coach Bruce Barnum’s job offer to Camas' Jon Eagle)

This time, he's taking over a state power, not building one. 

Chris Miller helped build the Lions into a perennial 6A state contender over eight seasons. He led the program to its first state title in 2016 and built a 77-18 record before stepping down in February to reportedly pursue professional opportunities.

Miller first left West Linn in 2019 to coach in the XFL, then took the head job at Franklin when the upstart pro football league closed its doors in 2020 during the onset of the pandemic, only to return to West Linn in July 2020. 

He led the Lions to an 11-2 season that ended in the 6A state semifinals.

After Miller stepped down, Eagle spoke with West Linn defensive coordinator Anthony Newman, who was a standout at Oregon in the 1980s with Miller when Eagle was a grad assistant with the Ducks.

Newman explained to Eagle the ins and outs of the program and what could be accomplished there. The more people involved with the program Eagle talked to, the more convinced he became. 

"Without him," Eagle said, "I'm not making the move."

Newman will stay on as Eagle's defensive coordinator. 

Due to Camas' proximity, Eagle often filled the Papermakers' nonleague schedule with Oregon big-school powers. 

He knows first-hand what West Linn is up against in its league every year. That's a large part of what made the job so attractive, he said.

"Nothing wrong with the Greater St. Helens League, but the Three Rivers League? What a great challenge," Eagle said. "It’s an opportunity to coach against some really good coaches in that league. I like new challenges and this just seemed like one."

---Andy Buhler; @AndyBuhler.