Former Illinois, Edwardsville linebacker to take over Collinsville football program
An all-state linebacker at Edwardsville High School two decades ago, Joe Bevis was known throughout the Southwestern Conference for his aggressive style.
Conference opponents can begin wondering now if he’ll will be as aggressive as a head coach.
Bevis, the son of former Edwardsville High School Athletic Director Brad Bevis, was officially named as the Kahoks new coach at the Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 board meeting on Monday.
An assistant football coach at Collinsville during the 2019 season, Bevis has been a head coach at both Chicago Kennedy and Sparta High Schools. He could not be reached for comment late Monday. He takes over the coaching duties from Michael Popovich, who resigned the position after two seasons.
The Kahoks have not had a winning season since 1998 and have never won a playoff game. Collinsville has made just three postseason appearances in its history: 1996 under John Jackson, 1998 under Tim Kane and 2010 under Mike Liljegren, when they finished 5-5.
Collinsville Athletic Director Clay Smith said Bevis, who recently completed first season as the Kahoks wrestling coach, has already made an impact in the Kahoks athletic program.
“Joe has made an immediate positive impact with our Kahok Football Team as an assistant coach, and with our wrestling team as our head coach,’’ Smith said. “Coach Bevis comes from a winning culture. We are excited to have him lead our Kahok Football Program with hard work both on the field and in the classroom.’’
Bevis, a 2000 graduate of Edwardsville, was one of the top three-sport athletes in the state as a prep athlete, excelling in football, wrestling and track and field. One of the most highly-recruited football players in the St. Louis as a senior, Bevis went on to play four years at the University of Illinois where he was a starter on the 2002 squad which finished 10-2 and lost to LSU in the Sugar Bowl.
This story was originally published February 25, 2020 at 12:21 AM.
