Mount Zion Names New Football Coach

Patrick Etherton, former Millikin University head football coach, gets the nod as the new Mount Zion High School head football coach.

The school board approved his hiring last week at its Tuesday meeting.

Etherton resigned his position at the end of the 2015 season at Millikin after serving as coach for 12 years. Etherton joined the Millikin coaching staff in 2004 and coached both defense and offense for the Big Blue. He was named head coach in 2011 and finished with a 16-34 record.

He also was the head men's golf coach from 2004 to 2011 where his team won the CCIW Championship and a bid to the Division III National Championship in 2011.

Etherton graduated from Millikin in 2000 where he played football and was a student assistant coach from 1998-2000.

Mount Zion's Mike Popovich resigned back in February to take the head coaching job at Morthland College in West Frankfort. The Braves went 15-14 in his three seasons. After rebuilding the team in 2013 and finishing with a 3-6 record, Mount Zion went 12-8 over the last two seasons with two playoff appearances.