Vallivue football coach retires after 17 years. Why he is leaving and headed to Oregon

Vallivue High football coach Layne Coffin recently turned in his letter of resignation, ending his 17-year run as the Falcons’ leader.

Coffin, 61, plans to finish the school year before moving to Eugene, Oregon, to follow his children and grandchildren. Two of his three children already live there. The third plans to move there soon.

“It was just the right time. It’s time to go,” Coffin said. “There was no big reason. I’ve been here a long time. They’ve been good to me. It’s just time for some change in my life.

“My middle daughter is moving over there in about two weeks, and I have three granddaughters and another grandbaby on the way.”

Coffin retires with a career record of 124-95 (.566) as a high school head coach, and he won a pair of state championships at Century High in Pocatello in 2000 and 2001.

He went 90-77 (.539) at Vallivue, leading the Falcons to the playoffs eight times in 17 years, including the past five years. His best season at Vallivue came in 2018, when the Falcons reached the state semifinals for the first time since 2000.

“When you think of Vallivue High School football, you think of Layne Coffin and the success he’s had there,” Vallivue Athletic Director Tony Brulotte said. “Not only in building a winning program, but building quality kids that come out of the program and quality people.”

Coffin started his teaching and coaching career late. Doctors diagnosed him with testicular cancer at 23 years old. After surgeons removed a 1.5-pound growth from his stomach cavity, he enrolled at Idaho State and graduated with his teaching degree in 1989, 10 years after graduating from Pocatello High.

He took over his first program at Marsh Valley in 1998, becoming the first coach to bring the double-wing offense to Idaho. He took the then-exotic offense with him to Century when it opened in 1999 and won back-to-back titles in the program’s second and third years.

Coffin said some of his favorite memories include coaching his son, Jordon Coffin, the 2001 4A All-Idaho Player of the Year, as well as the relationships he’s formed with other coaches.

“I just loved coaching football,” Coffin said. “I’ve been pretty fortunate, obviously. Every coach wants to win every game, but that’s not realistic. I’m grateful to Vallivue for giving me the chance.”

Coffin’s resignation marked the 10th coaching change out of 20 schools in the 5A and 4A Southern Idaho Conference this winter. Eagle and Vallivue are the only two open positions.