Morristown High football turns to Maplewood for new coach, after 11-season run by Hull

Incoming Morristown High football coach John Power. Photo courtesy of VillageGreenNJ.com.
Incoming Morristown High football coach John Power. Photo courtesy of VillageGreenNJ.com.
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Video: Crowning moment for former head coach Chris Hull, winning state title in 2010

By Kevin Coughlin

Morristown High School’s football varsity will have a new face on the sidelines this fall:  John Power will coach the Colonials, ending an 11-year run by Chris Hull.

Incoming Morristown High football coach John Power. Photo courtesy of VillageGreenNJ.com.
Incoming Morristown High football coach John Power. Photo courtesy of VillageGreenNJ.com.

Power is leaving Columbia High School in Maplewood to take the head coaching job in Morristown, according to a report in The Village Green of Maplewood.

The publication cited an email last week from the president of the Columbia High boosters club to parents of Cougars players.

People close to Morristown High football said Hull stepped down, and remains at MHS as a phys ed teacher.

Morristown Green has reached out to the former coach and MHS officials; stay tuned for more.

mhs champs
HOPING TO RECAPTURE THE GLORY:  A new coach will try to rekindle the Colonials’ winning ways. Morristown’s last state title was in 2010. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Power took over as the Cougars head coach in 2014. After a 1-9 season, he guided Columbia to a playoff berth and a 5-5 record last season.

A Berkeley Heights native, Power quarterbacked Union High School to state titles, played football at the University of Georgia, coached at Hillside High and was a recruiter for Penn State.

Hull’s high point came in 2010, when he led the Colonials to a state championship.

The program has struggled in recent years, finishing 3-7 in 2015.  Hull stressed strong defense, as well as strong academic performance and community service off the field.

“He made a difference in lots of kids’ lives. I know it for a fact,” said Tim Heaton, former president of the Morristown High School Football Boosters and a football correspondent for MorristownGreen.com.

Before coming to Morristown, Hull coached the Cranford varsity. Last season, he had to break in new staff, as assistant coaches left for head coaching jobs elsewhere or were not rehired.

Any Morristown head coach also must vie with area prep schools that skim top local players from the youth ranks.

Both high schools are regional: Columbia serves students from Maplewood and South Orange; Morristown High draws from Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains.

After he settles in at Morristown, Power will return to Maplewood — leading the Colonials against his former team on Sept. 30, 2016.

coach hull
END OF AN ERA: Coach Chris Hull, pictured here with 2010 team that became state champs, is out after 11 years as coach. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

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