Interview by Tracy Louthain

With more than 200 career victories, multiple state championships, and a passion for building character, Coach Bobby Johns shares his vision for Freeport High School football, athletics, and the community he’ll now call home.

Freeport High School’s football program just got a shot of adrenaline. Now under the leadership of new Head Football Coach Bobby Johns, the football program is set to soar. Inheriting the Bulldogs after a 5-5 season in 2025 under former Coach Shaun Arnst, the veteran football coach is joining a program that has a solid foundation from which to grow.

Hired in March as the Freeport Bulldogs’ 14th head football coach and athletic director, Coach Bobby Johns brings an impressive resume that includes over 24 seasons as a head football coach, and more than 200 victories and multiple state championships over the course of his career. With a 217-104 record and 37 playoff victories, his long and successful head coaching career includes stops at Baker County, Columbia High, Blountstown, Vernon, Wewahitchka, and Milton, as well as schools in Georgia. And while his football stats are impressive, Coach Johns has also coached 7 state championships and 32 individual state champions as the head weightlifting coach across multiple.

He joins Freeport High School as head football and athletic director, and will be overseeing the vision and direction for the entire athletic department for the coming year. Highway 331 recently sat down with Coach Johns to get to know the newest member of the Freeport community.

Please share your background. Where did you get your start?
I played High School football, basketball and baseball. I attended Baker County High School–about 30 miles outside of Jacksonville, Fla. Football was not my best sport—baseball was—but football I loved the most. I played junior college baseball and was a walk-on at University of Central Florida. I played for two years and decided on coaching, so I transferred to the University of Florida, where I earned my PE and Coaching degree.

What core values are most important to you?
Work ethic and responsibility. Kids have to understand football is not for all of us. Football ends, and if you don’t teach and don’t value a great work ethic and understand what it means to have responsibilities, then we don’t prepare them for the rest of their life. We want these kids to become great employees, fathers, husbands…you have to work for what you get.

In your experience, what is the most important element for successful team?
Trust. Culture is a word I would choose, but if you don’t have trust, you can’t have culture. What is culture built on? (Trust) If kids trust one another and know coach has their best interest at heart, that’s how you build culture.

What called you to apply for the head coach/athletic director position at Freeport High School?
This program has a good foundation that dated back to Coach Anderson. I felt like I could come in, and the groundwork was already laid. Also, I wanted to stay in in the Panhandle. I like the beach and this area, so it was a good fit for my family.

What is your vision for this position?
I’ve been a AD for the majority of my career. I like being an athletic director; When we have an overall singular vision over the entire athletic department, we are more successful. Also, serving on the Florida High School Athletics Association gives me pretty good insight into what is coming; It gives me overall perspective not just football.

Now that you’re well into summer conditioning/training, what is your assessment?
We have a good group of kids. The biggest thing for the returning kids is that they had to embrace change. They must learn to be comfortable, being uncomfortable. If you keep doing things the same way, you can’t achieve new goals. If you want to be more competitive, you’ve got to get them out of their comfort zone.

We’re chatting with you today as the players help out at the Habitat for Humanity Restore. What are your thoughts on community service?
Today, I brought the sophomores. It’s a great opportunity for them. They need to understand that what we do is bigger than Friday nights. We can’t expect our community to support us, if we don’t support them. I’ve always believed that the reputation we build in our program is more important than how good of football team we are.

On a personal note, tell us about your family.
I’ve been married 30 years next month. We are both educators and she will be teaching AP American History at Freeport High School this fall. We have two children—my son (age 37) lives in Altha near Blountstown and is a brand new dad, and my daughter (age 24) lives in Nashville and just graduated with her cosmetology degree. My family has always put their life and careers to the side to allow me to do what I do. I’m extremely grateful for them.

Do you have any pets?
Yes. We have rescued 12 dogs and 4 cats. Each has its own story. Albert is our newest addition.

We heard you like country music. Who is your favorite artist?
George Strait.

Why should we be excited about Freeport football this year?
Our school and our athletic program are a huge foundation of this community. It’s the people—our principle, coaches, players, students, parents—committed to the concept of Freeport and the community of Freeport. There is no more valuable asset then to know we have a great school with great leadership and great kids.

Sounds like a recipe for success. We’re excited to follow the progress in “Bulldog Country”!

Freeport High School Football Schedule