John Flowers - Lincoln High School

[February 02, 2020] 

Coach John Flowers was a standout high school athlete as a student at Nokomis High School. Coach Flowers had a successful collegiate career, playing college football for the Salukis at Southern Illinois University.

He joined the Lincoln High School coaching staff in 1978 as an assistant football coach and became the head coach in 1983. The Railers made history in 1984 and it is one that many fans still remember. Coach Flowers’ team finished with a record of 9-2 and made an appearance in the state playoffs.

Before the days of school consolidation and co-op programs, high school football was a second way of life for many in small towns. Yes, the fever of Friday Night Lights was alive and well in Lincoln in the 1980s and Coach Flowers was a large part of that reality.

Since leaving Lincoln, Coach Flowers has spent 34 years living in Memphis, Tennessee. He coached football at the University of Memphis for 25 years. Coach has seen several of his players go on to have successful collegiate and professional careers. Coach Flowers remains in touch with many of those players to this day and they are perhaps some of his most cherished memories.

John Flowers was able to establish a tradition with Lincoln football, which has been a precursor to the successful youth football program that we enjoy and the one that helps develop our youth players for a lasting and successful playing career.

The professional football season culminates down to end this weekend. With Super Bowl tomorrow in Miami, the world will be focused on two coaches. But for tonight…our world is focused on just one…Coach John Flowers.

[Text provided by Cameron Kurtz]