As a fourth-generation member of North Bend football, perhaps nobody has a greater appreciation of what it means to be a Bulldog than Ryan Goll.
So when he was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach this month to replace Gary Prince – who resigned after a highly successful 15-year run that included a 4A title in 2016 – it held deep meaning for Goll.
“It's very close to my heart,” said Goll, the first North Bend graduate to coach the team in nearly 60 years. “Outside of my immediate family, North Bend High School football is the most important thing in my life.”
Goll's great grandfather, Elmer Goll, played football at North Bend before graduating in 1928. His grandfather, Jack Goll, a 1948 graduate, played quarterback and is in the school's athletic hall of fame..His father, Mike Goll, was a three-year starter at quarterback before graduating in 1974.
“I was a Bulldog before I was born,” Goll said. “You could say I'm connected to North Bend all the way back to 1928. The pride that my grandpa Jack walked around with – as far as being a Bulldog -- if I could make anyone proud, it would probably be him. He was the true Bulldog out of all of us. He was the one that inspired me.”
Ryan, a 2001 graduate, joined the North Bend staff in 2008. He became defensive coordinator when Prince took over in 2011, and aside from a three-year stint as the defensive coordinator at South Umpqua (2018-20), he remained in that position.
“I'm really thankful for the opportunity Gary gave me as the defensive coordinator,” Goll said of Prince, who went 111-49 in 15 seasons as coach. “That's what really jump-started getting me to the next level in coaching experience. I learned so much from Gary about what it would take to become a head coach.”
From the North Bend program's inception in 1907, the Bulldogs did not make the state semifinals until 2012, when they were 4A runners-up. It started a streak of five consecutive semifinal appearances that included three championship games (2012, 2014, 2016).
“It was an unbelievable run,” Goll said. “We're definitely trying to get back to that. I will always cherish that time, being able to be a part of that.”
Under the OSAA's statewide realignment for 2026, North Bend will move from a district filled with southern Oregon schools to the new 4A Special District 3, along with Cottage Grove, Junction City, Marist Catholic, Marshfield, South Umpqua and Sweet Home.
It will be a tall order for the Bulldogs, who went 3-6 in 2024 and 4-6 in 2025. Goll is encouraged by the returning talent, though, especially from a freshman class that helped the frosh/soph team go 6-3 last season.
Of course, one of the most important games on the team's schedule will be the Civil War rivalry game against nearby Marshfield. The Pirates have won the last two games in the series.
“That rivalry is as alive as it's ever been,” Goll said. “It's an important thing for this community. I told the kids, 'I wish we played them every week.'”
Goll plans to continue running the defense but he has yet to decide on an offensive coordinator. He expects the Bulldogs to keep the same offensive philosophy.
“We want to stay in the spread,” he said. “We have a lot of kids coming back that are receiver, skill-type kids.”
At some point in the future, North Bend could have fifth-generation Bulldogs in Goll's five-year-old son, Gehrig, and the twin sons of Goll's cousin, assistant coach Corey Goll. In the meantime, Ryan will be impressing upon his players the importance of being a Bulldog.
“I said to the kids, 'You've got a Bulldog at the helm now. You're not only playing for all the community members, but every single Bulldog to put the pads on,'” Ryan said.
Goll was North Bend's softball coach for seven seasons, ending with a 4A quarterfinal appearance in 2018.
Thompson to Sunset
Sunset has turned to former Franklin coach Jesse Thompson to replace Damien Merrick as coach.
Thompson posted records of 4-2 in 2020 and 3-6 in 2021 at Franklin. He also has coached at the college and pro levels and in Japan in Europe.
Thompson, 48, told OreHSsports that Sunset was the only Oregon high school job that he pursued this year.
“Certainly Sunset was on the radar when it opened up, and setting up roots here and coming back and running my own program – I think that draw is always there,” he said. “And as you get older and you gain more experiences and you pop around more places, sometimes that is just a scratch you got to itch.”
He added that he will forgo any potential college and pro opportunities to focus on the Apollos.
“I'm 100 percent all in to the Sunset program,” he said.
Sunset opted not to renew the contract of Merrick, who went 64-57 in 12 seasons. Under Merrick, the Apollos made the state playoffs in 10 of 11 postseasons, the only exception in 2025, when they finished 4-5.
Coquille tabs Cochran
About a half-hour south of North Bend, Coquille also has turned to an alumnus to succeed a state championship-winning coach.
The Red Devils have hired Jake Cochran, a 2007 graduate, to replace David Thomason, who went 110-58 in 17 seasons with the team, including a 2A title in 2021.
Cochran has been the team's defensive coordinator for 13 seasons. He told The World newspaper of Coos Bay that he is both excited and nervous about the move.
“But I’m looking forward to taking the next step and putting my stamp on the football program as the new head coach,” Cochran said. “It’s a pretty full-circle moment, growing up going to games, getting to play at CHS in high school and now being the head coach.”
Thomason, who plans to take a break from coaching, had high praise for Cochran.
“There is no doubt in my mind that he is going to be a great coach,” Thomason told The World. “He loves football, he loves working with kids and he has a ton of experience — a lot more experience than I had when I began.
“He has seen what works and what doesn’t and he has seen how to adjust and deal with the challenges of running a successful football team.”
Coach update
Goll, Cochran and Thompson join Ryan McCants (Clackamas), Josh Wilcox (Harrisburg), Isaiah Sexton (Molalla), Tyler Maes (David Douglas) and Randy Silbernagel (Corvallis) as coaching hires for 2026. Among the vacancies in the state are Jesuit, Southridge, Tigard, Roosevelt and Ontario.
jerryu@osaa.org
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