Oakland is on the move — Carson Oakland that is.
The St. Ignatius head football coach for the past two seasons has been hired for the same position at Polson, Pirates athletic director Ethan Bucarey told the Missoulian and 406mtsports.com on Wednesday.
Oakland confirmed the news in a tweet: “Today I finished my last full day of teaching at Mission. I can’t thank this place enough for everything. I wish the kids success in their future endeavors. I have accepted a head football coach and teaching job in Polson next year.”
Oakland guided the Bulldogs to a state runner-up finish in the 8-Man classification this past fall. It was their first championship game appearance since 1948. In getting to the title contest, they hosted a playoff game for the first time since 2001, won their first conference championship since 2001 and finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since 1988.
In Oakland’s first season in 2021, the Bulldogs won a playoff game for the first time since 1988. He took to another level the success started by former coach Tyler Murray, who’s coached East Helena the past two seasons. Murray led the Bulldogs to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2019 and 2020, the first of which ended an 18-year drought, just three seasons after they moved from 11-Man to 8-Man.
Oakland replaces former Pirates coach Kaden Glinsmann as he moves from 8-Man to 11-Man. He’s familiar with Class A having played at Glendive in eastern Montana and later at Dickinson State. St. Ignatius was his first head coaching job.
Glinsmann is now the head football coach at Emporia High School in Emporia, Kansas, after spending four seasons leading Polson. He took the Pirates to the State A semifinals each of the previous two seasons.
Frank Gogola is the Senior Sports Reporter at the Missoulian. Follow him on Twitter @FrankGogola or email him at [email protected].