Scottsdale Hall of Famer: Jason Mohns, the Coach Who Made Saguaro the Standard

Some Scottsdale legacies are carved into buildings and desert preserves. Jason Mohns built his under the Friday night lights. Over 11 seasons as head coach at Saguaro High School, he turned the Sabercats into one of the most respected programs in America. In fact, his teams won seven state championships and went 123-19. That run included a state-record six straight titles from 2013 through 2018.

An Unlikely Path to the Sideline

Football was in his blood, but it wasn’t his first love. His late father, Greg Mohns, spent nearly 40 years coaching in college and the pros, including a stint alongside Frank Kush at Arizona State. Still, young Jason gravitated toward hockey and never planned on coaching. Instead, he volunteered in youth football and founded the Scottsdale Argonauts youth club while a student at ASU.

In 2007, Saguaro asked him to lead its freshman team. He told them he didn’t think he was qualified. Fortunately, they hired him anyway. He rose to running backs coach, then offensive coordinator, and his 2011 offense finished second in the nation in scoring. A year later, he became head coach, with his father still alive to see it.

Building a Dynasty the Right Way

What followed was remarkable. Saguaro reached nine of ten state title games during one stretch. The lone exception came in 2020, when a COVID outbreak ended its playoff run. Moreover, the program’s dominance was so complete that it helped spur the creation of Arizona’s Open Division. Then, fittingly, Mohns won that Open title in 2021.

Talent alone doesn’t explain it, though. Mohns developed NFL players like Christian Kirk, Byron Murphy and D.J. Foster, plus a long line of All-Americans. Meanwhile, he guided countless families through recruiting, and Saguaro became a first stop for college coaches scouting the state. His honors piled up too, including Arizona Cardinals High School Coach of the Year and two finalist nods for the NFL’s Don Shula National Coach of the Year Award.

Why His Leadership Shines Brighter Now

Mohns left after the 2022 season to coach tight ends for Kenny Dillingham at ASU. There, he has built one of the Sun Devils’ strongest position rooms while deepening his ties to Valley recruiting.

Back in Scottsdale, the program he built has learned how hard that kind of stability is to replace. Coaches have come and gone since he left. Consequently, his decade of steady, demanding, player-first leadership looks even more extraordinary in hindsight. Great programs don’t run on talent alone. They run on someone who shows up every day, sets the standard, and stays.

Jason Mohns was that someone. For that, he is a living legend that belongs in Scottsdale’s Hall of Fame.