Around 10 years ago, Jason Freckleton started coaching football at Bountiful High.

He started at the very bottom of the figurative coaching totem pole, as many do, working with the sophomore team.

Freckleton gradually worked his way up to the JV team and eventually to varsity offensive coordinator.

And then Friday, head coach.

The school introduced Freckleton as its next football head coach Friday afternoon during a team meeting in the gymnasium. He replaces Tyler Hughes, who recently resigned after two seasons at the helm.

Freckleton is a Bountiful graduate, he played quarterback for the football team, he’s coached at the school for 10 years and teaches physical education and weightlifting there.

“Honestly it’s an honor, it’s a dream come true. I have worked towards this and done what I could do be ready. Bountiful High, obviously I’ve spent a lot of time there, this is where I want to be. The legacy and culture that exists at Bountiful already, there’s so much tradition,” he said Friday.

Freckleton was a big part of Bountiful’s second-half turnaround on offense in 2019.

Midway through the season, Hughes handed the playcalling duties to Freckleton.

A rushing attack was unleashed that hardly anyone stopped.

Bountiful’s offense averaged 20.6 points per game, including a 24.2 per-game average over the final five games, as it went 5-7 and won a road playoff game at Maple Mountain.

Running back Jared McCann rushed for 1,371 yards and 18 touchdowns as the team totaled 2,223 yards on the ground.

Freckleton said much of the praise should go to Hughes for sensing a need to change things up, but the big credit goes to the players for not panicking and sticking to the grind.

“That’s what was so fun because we had spent time in film session saying we’re one block away, if we block this guy, this guy’s going to break. Then all of a sudden, it started happening,” Freckleton said.

Once the team gained some belief, good things happened. After a 29-3 win against Viewmont, Bountiful nearly knocked off Farmington but ended up falling 34-30.

A 27-0 win against Mountain Crest followed before a 28-18 playoff win at Maple Mountain.