GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Creighton Reed wasn’t going to move back to Nebraska for just any job.

The Juniata native and Adams Central graduate was content as an assistant coach in football-crazed Texas and enjoyed January days on the golf course. But a text from an old friend about an opening at Grand Island Senior High piqued his interest. The chance to take over a blue-collar program with a storied history proved to be the ideal fit for Reed to fulfill his dream of becoming a head coach.

“Everything that Grand Island football is all about embodies what I was looking for in a school," Reed said. "The support system that’s here as far as administration, players, the buy-in, the community, the facilities — it’s all exactly what I was looking for.”

The dream opportunity might not have been realized if not for several people reaching out. Reed heard about the opening from his friend Payton Kinne, a former Islander player. He said Reed should try for the job.

“I started applying and to be 100% honest with you, I stopped applying," Reed said. "I started the application process online and then I stopped. And then I got an email from Mrs. Wells, I got a phone call from Mr. Ladwig and a couple of other people like, you need to finish that application.”

“(I) reached out to him and said, ‘hey Creighton, remember you gotta get back on and you need to finish submitting,’" Activities Director Cindy Wells said. "And he said, ‘OK you think I can do that, that I would be a guy that you would look at?’ And I said, ‘definitely.’”

Reed was an all-conference quarterback at Chadron State, he coached at UNK while getting his master’s degree, then he became an assistant coach in Texas at schools in Lake Worth, Odessa, and San Antonio. He says high expectations in those stops prepared him for this job.

“It’s a town that is built on Grand Island high school football and being a great football team," Reed said. "We want those expectations to be high, beating Kearney, making the playoffs, making a run at state, all those great things.”

Reed takes over for Jeff Tomlin, who retired in November after 21 seasons. The Islanders have made the playoffs 11-straight seasons and have won a playoff game in six-straight seasons. All involved say it’s important to carry on the former coach’s legacy.

“The whole time interviewing him, it was like you almost were talking to Coach Tomlin about the things that he has developed and established,” Wells said.

“It’s nerve-wracking in a way, first head coaching job," Reed said. "But at the same time, I’m walking into such a good situation surrounded by such good people that it takes a lot off the shoulders.”

Reed is finishing out the school year in San Antonio. Tomlin, the assistant coaches and seniors are helping to manage the Islanders program until he arrives in the summer. He will teach at the high school but his position is to be determined.