MONTAGUE, MI – March 5, 2025 – The Montague Wildcats have found their guy. Phil Koops has been named the next head coach of the varsity football program, stepping in to lead the Wildcats after Justin Dennett’s four-season run.
Koops brings a strong football background, a solid coaching résumé, and a passion for developing student-athletes. A Hamilton High School alum, he was an All-Conference player before graduating in 2005. He continued his playing career at Olivet College, where he held down the center position and helped the squad win a league championship in 2007.
His coaching career started at Lincoln Junior High School in Plymouth, Indiana, where he worked as an 8th-grade football coach and teacher before making the jump to Plymouth High School. From 2012-2016, he coached fullbacks and quarterbacks under John Barron, helping Plymouth secure three Northern Lakes Conference (NLC) championships.
In 2017, Koops returned to his alma mater as Hamilton’s Offensive Line Coach and quickly climbed the ranks, becoming Offensive Coordinator in 2018. A year later, he took over as head coach, turning the program into a contender. Just last season, Hamilton played for a conference championship and punched a ticket to the playoffs, earning Koops Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Division 4 – Region 1 – Coach of the Year honors.
Football isn’t the only sport where he’s made an impact though. Koops has 16 years of middle school wrestling coaching experience, has assisted at the high school level for three years, and has eight years of middle and high school track coaching under his belt. He’s also spent time in the classroom, teaching Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, World History, and Strength and Conditioning, while also leading Hamilton High School’s summer strength and conditioning program.
Koops is set to meet with Wildcat players later this week as he gears up for his first season in Montague. With a mix of returning talent and fresh faces, the Wildcats are ready to hit the ground running under their new head coach.
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Coach Dale
March 6, 2025 at 7:23 am
Has he ever beat a team with a winning record? .397 win percentage. Hamilton hasn’t been a real contender since 2016.