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All Roads Lead to Home: Jason Hawkins returns to lead the Clarksville Generals football program
- Leah Lowe
- Jan 15, 2025
- 4 min read
CLARKSVILLE, Indiana - A familiar name is set to return to the Clarksville High School football program - Coach Jason Hawkins, former Clarksville High School football standout and son of long-time Head Coach Dennis Hawkins, will take the helm as Head Coach for the Generals in the 2025 season.
Hawkins' return was given the formal go-ahead at the Clarksville Community Schools January 14th board meeting, he will also accept a Physical Education teaching position with the school. The change follows the departure of former coach Zach Hensel who led the team for two seasons and recently stepped down citing a desire to prioritize family. Hawkins will take the helm as the Generals 9th Head Coach in the program's 63 year history.
Hawkins, a 1994 Clarksville High School grad, returns home with over 20 years of head coaching experience and extensive prior experience as an assistant for a number of programs - including under his father Coach Dennis Hawkins, who led the schools program for 25 years, amassing over 100 wins, multiple Mid Southern Conference championships, three sectional titles, a regional title, and one state-runner up title.
Coach Jason Hawkins departs Charlestown High School after leading the football program for nearly two decades, with a record of 129-73, a number of Mid Southern Conference titles and a Sectional Championship under his belt. Hawkins also spent a season at the helm for Silver Creek High School, a season leading the Shawnee High School football program.
"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Hawkins back to his alma mater," said Levi Carmichael, Athletic Director for Clarksville High School. "His deep roots in the community and his exceptional coaching credentials make him the perfect fit to lead our football program. We are confident he will inspire our student-athletes to excel not only in sports but in academics and in life."
Hawkins graduated in 2000 from the University of Louisville, and also previously attended and played collegiate football at the University of Evansville and Franklin College.
Marvin Bostock, a Clarksville High School graduate and football alum, played for Coach Dennis Hawkins and served as an assistant coach while Jason Hawkins was a player at the school. He also previously served as an assistant coach for Jason at Charlestown High School, and is one of several program alumni who are happy to see Coach Hawkins return to Clarksville.
“I don’t know if I was more shocked or excited to hear that Jason was coming home. To be able to land a proven coach of his caliber with such strong connections to the program is a huge win,” Bostock said. “It goes without saying that the Hawkins bloodline runs deep in Clarksville.”
Mac Spainhour is another alum, playing for Clarksville football from 76-79 under Coach Dennis Hawkins and later serving as an assistant coach from 1986 to 2005. Spainhour was on the field for the Generals when Coach Jason Hawkins was born, and as a coach watched him grow up around the program. “I coached Jason and later got to coach alongside Jason,” Spainhour said. “Our roots run deep.” He acknowledges that the program has struggled more in recent years than in the past. “It will be tough,” he added, but Spainhour, who is also a part of the hiring committee that worked to bring Hawkins to Clarksville, believes their new Head Coach is up to the challenge and a great hire for the Generals.
Coach Hawkins is equally enthusiastic about his return to Clarksville. "I am honored and excited to come back to the place where my passion for football first began," he shared.
Hawkins quite literally grew up on the sidelines at the school - in his early youth serving as a water boy, ball boy, and team manager - before eventually taking the field to play for his Dad as a General himself.
"Clarksville has always been home, and I look forward to building a program that represents the pride and spirit of this great community."
With the hire made official, Hawkins is set to begin meeting with both middle and high school student-athletes about the coaching change at Clarksville as early as tomorrow, and will assume his new role as Physical Education teacher at the school next week. Fans, alumni, athletes and families can follow Coach Jason Hawkins on X (Twitter) at @Talk_With_Hawk. The Generals will open their 2025 season in a matchup with Pike Central at Clarksville's Guy Newcom Field on August 22nd.
2025 CLARKSVILLE GENERALS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION |
August 22nd | Pike Central | HOME |
August 29th | Eastern (Pekin) | HOME |
September 5th | Switzerland County | AWAY |
September 12th | Providence | HOME |
September 19th | Eastern Greene | AWAY |
September 26th | Perry Central | AWAY |
October 3rd | Scottsburg | HOME |
October 7th | North Harrison | AWAY |
October 17th | Crawford County | HOME |
Clarksville High School Football welcomes its 9th Head Coach in the program's 63 season history.
HEAD COACH | TENURE | RECORD |
Guy Newcom | 1962 - 1978 | 117-40-1 |
Dennis Hawkins | 1979 - 2006 | 143-143 |
Brian Glesing | 2005 - 2006 | 17 - 7 |
Brad Troutman | 2007 - 2009 | 11-19 |
Steve Cooley | 2010 - 2015 | 16-46 |
Joby Turner | 2016 - 2017 | 0-20 |
Justin Boser | 2018 - 2022 | 14-38 |
Zach Hensel | 2023 - 2024 | 1-19 |
Jason Hawkins | 2025 | TBD |
OVERALL: | 63 SEASONS | 319-332-1 |
© 2025 Leah Lowe for Playbook Holdings LLC (DBA Lowe Digital Media). All rights reserved.
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