NOTES : Howell Resigns After 17 Years as Western Football Coach

Jim Howell, who came to Orange County from Colorado in 1960 to coach football, took the first step to returning there Tuesday by resigning as Western’s coach.

Howell, 54, was The Times Orange County coach of the year for 1995 when he guided the Pioneers to a 12-1 season and his fourth Orange League title. Western lost to El Toro, 41-23, in the Southern Section Division V semifinals.

It was the second time the Pioneers had reached the semifinals in the last three seasons. Howell retires with a 99-83-5 record in his 17 years at Western.

“Sometimes you have to go on to the next level in your life,” said Howell, who will remain the school’s athletic director at least another year. “I figured it was about time to give up the coaching.”

He has been a coach for 32 of the last 33 years, first as an assistant then as head coach at Magnolia and Western.

Howell came to California after graduating from the University of Colorado. He has taught 36 years in the Anaheim Union School District. Eventually, he plans to return to western Colorado, where he owns land near Montrose.

“We own a lot of rangeland back there and we need to take care of it,” Howell said. “We need to get back there and help our son run the cows.”

Howell leaves a program that was undefeated on all three levels--varsity, junior varsity and freshman--during the regular season. The varsity was ranked seventh in Orange County.

“I think that helped me a little with this decision,” Howell said. “You don’t want to leave a ship that is sinking.”

The Pioneers were going down for the third time when Howell took the job in 1979. Western reached the Major Division title game in 1971 and 1972, but was coming off consecutive 2-8 seasons.

A year later, Howell had the Pioneers in the playoffs. Western has made the playoffs 14 of the last 16 seasons.

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Dick Freeman has been recommended to be Corona del Mar football coach, school officials announced. His selection will be considered by the Newport-Mesa Unified School Board of Education on Jan. 9.

Freeman took over as the Sea Kings’ interim coach after Ken Schuster was arrested on molestation charges. Corona del Mar finished 9-4 and reached the Southern Section Division V semifinals.

Freeman was an assistant coach at Corona del Mar and Saddleback for 19 years.