According to a report from KRSL-KZRS Russell Radio, Mike Vernon was named activities director at Russell Junior-Senior High School, replacing Jay Sanders.
Vernon comes to Russell from Hutchinson High School, where he served as a physical education teacher and head football coach for eight seasons.
Prior to his time at Hutchinson, Vernon was the head football coach at Nickerson and Inman.
Vernon was 46-33 in eight seasons as the Salthawks’ head coach including an 8-3 record in 2024 and a 7-3 campaign in 2025. Vernon was fired effective Dec. 11, 2025.
Luke Berblinger, a Hutchinson native and Buhler High School graduate, was hired as the new Hutchinson High School football coach on Feb. 9.
The Salthawks’ 2024 and 2025 seasons ended with playoff losses to Hays High School. In 2024, Hays beat Hutchinson 28-0 in the Kansas Class 5A semifinals. In 2025, Hays defeated Hutchinson 27-6 in the second round.
Vernon replaced Ryan Cornelsen as head coach in 2018. Cornelson coached the Salthawks from 2014-2018 and posted a 29-15 record.
Randy Dreiling coached the Salthawks from 1998-2013. He won 160 games and seven state titles in Classes 5A and 6A (including six straight from 2004-2009). He has coached St. Thomas Aquinas to three state titles since he took over that program.
Vernon was an assistant coach for Dreiling from 2008-2011. Hutchinson won state titles in 2008, 2009 and 2011.
Vernon was the head coach at Inman High School in 2012 and 2013 and posted back-to-back 6-3 seasons.
Vernon served as head football coach at Nickerson High School from 2015-2017. He posted a 17-13 record and took the Panthers to three state playoff appearances.
Vernon served as an assistant coach for three Kansas Shrine Bowl football games (2020, 2021 and 2025).
