Brandon Tirrill was La Pine's co-offensive coordinator with Bo DeForest for the last seven seasons. (Courtesy photo)

As a 2010 graduate La Pine, Brandon Tirrill knows all about the lean years of Hawks football.

From 2001 to 2015, La Pine had one winning season, twice going winless and four times winning just one game.

But the team's fortunes took a turn when Bo DeForest took over as coach in 2016. And Tirrill, an assistant on the staff for the last nine seasons, is ready to carry that momentum forward.

Tirrill has been hired to replace DeForest, who stepped down after going 40-24 in seven seasons. During that span, Tirrill was the co-offensive coordinator with DeForest.

“I've gotten the opportunity to learn a lot of coaching from Coach DeForest,” Tirrill said. “Bo was great at connecting with the kids.”

The Hawks went 9-1 in 2017, their most wins in 26 years. They reached the 3A semifinals in 2021 and the quarterfinals last year, losing to eventual champions Siuslaw and Cascade Christian, respectively.

“I want to see us get over the hump,” said Tirrill, a standout receiver and defensive back during his high school career. “We've built a great program at La Pine. I want to get us to that next level in the state playoffs and make a run at getting to the final game.”

The recent success has breathed life into the Hawks, who went 9-2 overall, 6-0 in the Mountain Valley Conference last season.

“It's been pretty invigorating,” Tirrill said. “For a long time, La Pine was kind of in a funk as a football program. There wasn't a lot of intensity and enthusiasm.

“That's one of the things that me and Coach DeForest really gelled well was trying to get that old excitement and enthusiasm and energy injected into the program and community, to be proud to be a La Pine football player.”

Tirrill, who played receiver at Shasta College for one season, joined La Pine's staff in 2014. He has coached quarterbacks, receivers and defensive backs and served as special teams coordinator as well as co-offensive coordinator.

Under Tirrill, the Hawks will run the spread offense out of the shotgun formation more than in recent seasons.

“We're going to try to get the ball out in space and let our athletes make plays,” he said. “We're still going to utilize the utility back within our spread offense where he can keep being multiple things at once, whether it be tight end or fullback. We'll be pretty multiple in how we attack people.”

Tirrill is eager to use what he has learned from watching other 3A contenders.

“Being a student of the game, I've been observing what the guys at 3A are using,” he said. “I want to try to take it and implement it as well.”

The Hawks were hit hard by graduation. They must replace nine starters on defense, and even though much of their offensive line is back, they will have new starters at the skill positions.

“We're going to have a lot of new faces, but we've got a lot of great energy built up,” Tirrill said. “We're going to be green in some places, as far as young talent, but we're going to play tough, fast and physical.”

Tirrill is counting on the players following the example set by their predecessors.

“In the last four, five, six, seven years, we've been able to feed off those guys that have come through the program and been leaders, and shown the y ounger guys what it takes, what kind of work it's going to take to get to that mountaintop,” said Tirrill, who works in construction as a general contractor.

Tirrill said La Pine will have its hands full in the highly competitive Mountain Valley, which includes Siuslaw.

“I think there are going to be teams that surprise people,” he said.