On Tuesday evening at Corner Canyon High School, over 300 football fans and Canyons School District officials gathered to honor former Charger athletes Zach Wilson, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and Jaxson Dart by retiring their jersey numbers. The event also featured the presentation of the first Legacy of Excellence award to longtime coach Eric Kjar, recognizing his tremendous impact on the school’s football program.
Legacy of Coach Eric Kjar Highlighted During the Ceremony
Coach Eric Kjar, who replaced Don Eck and transformed the Chargers into a dominant force locally and statewide, was celebrated for his remarkable achievements. Over a decade, Kjar compiled an impressive 112-10 record, capturing six state championships, including a recent 35-20 win against Lone Peak in the 6A title game in November. On December 16, he accepted the head coaching position at Weber State, marking the end of an era for Corner Canyon.
Your success is determined by what your team does,
said Kjar, reflecting on his tenure as coach during a period that featured a 48-game winning streak between 2018 and 2021.
Kjar shared personal stories about his teams and his work with former quarterbacks Wilson, Powers-Johnson, and Dart, highlighting the relationships built through football.
Former Players Reflect on Their Time at Corner Canyon
The evening brought together Wilson, Powers-Johnson, and Dart, all of whom have recently played in the NFL and expressed their happiness to return to Utah for this event. Dart, especially popular among the crowd of nearly 100 youths, led the Chargers to the 2024 state championship. Originally from Kaysville and having attended Roy High, Dart transferred to Corner Canyon for his senior year to increase his visibility to college scouts.
He finished the season with a state record 67 touchdown passes and 4,691 yards, subsequently earning a scholarship to the University of Southern California. Dart eventually moved to Ole Miss and was a first-round draft pick by the New York Giants, starting multiple games last season with 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
My experience was different (that other past Corner Canyon QBs),
Dart said.
When I came here, coach said they already had a quarterback (Cody Hagen). I asked Cody if we could play catch and, after a while, he said he wanted to play receiver … and I got to be quarterback.
Jackson Powers-Johnson’s Journey from Freshman to NFL Offensive Lineman
Jackson Powers-Johnson, currently an offensive lineman for the Las Vegas Raiders, recalled starting at Corner Canyon as a freshman in 2017, expecting to play on the sophomore team. At the time, he was 6-1 and only about 205 pounds, but his coaches saw potential in him that he never forgot.
I was 6-1 and maybe 205 pounds,
Powers-Johnson said.
But the coaches saw something in me and I never forgot it. I always put forward my best.
He credited his dedication, such as convincing his mother to bring him to early morning practices at 5 a.m., and his relentless energy on the field for earning his spot. Powers-Johnson’s intensity was especially memorable.
I was a little too aggressive at times,
Powers-Johnson joked to the crowd, to laughter. Coach Kjar also remarked, He had no ‘off’ switch.
The intensity he had was amazing.
Zach Wilson’s Role in Establishing Corner Canyon’s Quarterback Legacy
Zach Wilson, the first among the three quarterbacks, described himself as a trailblazer in Corner Canyon’s sequence of top players. Starting for three years between 2015 and 2017, Wilson earned all-state honors as a senior and was runner-up for the Deseret News’ Mr. Football award. He accepted a scholarship to BYU, where he immediately became a starter.
Few quarterbacks (from Utah) had made it to Division I (college football) back then and I knew coach Kjar’s reputation,
Wilson said.
I was the fourth-string quarterback my sophomore year and coach worked with me and changed my life. What the program has become is amazing.
Drafted in the first round by the New York Jets in 2021, Wilson started numerous NFL games before being traded to Denver in 2023 and Miami last year. He is currently a free agent.
Community and Future Outlook After Coach Kjar’s Departure
The ceremony underscored the success of Corner Canyon’s football program and the powerful community built around it. Rob Geertsen, a longtime Corner Canyon teacher and well-known broadcaster for the school’s Charter TV, expressed the excitement and bittersweet feelings surrounding the event.
It’s cool, but the best part was I don’t think he even knew (about the award),
Geertsen remarked.
This school has produced so many great players, and won so many championships in a short time, and see the people who built it. It’s great to have a reason to bring all of these people together.
Looking ahead, Geertsen recognized challenges without Coach Kjar but highlighted the foundation he laid.
We’ll miss coach Kjar, for sure, but he’s built something here and it’s up to the rest of us to keep it going. In the meantime, we’re also going to be Weber State fans.
