With two longtime assistant coaches leaving and another returning to the program, the Linfield football coaching staff is in the midst of a transformation this spring.
 
Wildcats head coach Joseph Smith announced the recent departure of secondary coach Phil Rombach and co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Aaron Boehme. Each are leaving to explore opportunities outside of college football:  Rombach, a 2007 Linfield graduate, is moving to Texas to assume the head football coaching position at a private Catholic high school. Boehme, who graduated from Linfield in 2011, will remain in McMinnville with plans to enter the field of data analytics.
 
Both former players contributed significantly to the massive success the football program has enjoyed over the past 17 years, a span which has witnessed the Wildcats claim 12 Northwest Conference championships, win 20 NCAA playoff games and reach the national semifinals in 2009, 2014 and 2015.
 
Smith said he will miss his daily interactions with Rombach.
 
"It is be hard for me to imagine Linfield without Phillip here. He has been such a pivotal force for us, as a player, as a young coach, and then as an expert veteran coach. I will greatly miss his voice at practice, as he is a great motivator. Phillip is the consummate middle linebacker, in terms of being one who inspires others to greater heights and effort. Phillip is loyal, hard-working, smart and tough as heck. Texas has gained one of our finest and I have no doubt he will infuse confidence and competence into the young men in his charge.
 
"I will greatly miss Phillip personally, as he is family to me and I will miss him greatly as a coach due to the great output he has given this program and school. We wish the Rombach family all the best in this new chapter of their lives. Kristen and the children will be greatly missed and I thank you for all of your sacrifices to and your support of the Catdome. You have all made the Catdome better, and now Texas is truly in for something special."
 
Smith was equally reflective of the contributions made by Boehme.
 
"Aaron has been an integral part of our offense from the minute he stepped on campus as a player. He pushed our offense to great heights and as a coach helped us refine a system that constantly put us near the top the country in terms of offensive output. I am greatly indebted to Aaron for so much administrative and operational assistance as well. He coordinated the travel, video, billing, you name it and Aaron likely did it. I know Aaron is extremely talented and as he moves into the next phase of his life, I have no doubt whatsoever that he will thrive. Aaron is of great intellect and he has a strong work ethic, so there is very little that he cannot learn and execute at a high level.
 
"I want to thank Angelica and the kids as well, as they have also sacrificed much for Aaron to be able to have given so much to our program. Thank you Boehme family, though while you will no longer be present in the stadium working every day, you will always be an integral part of the Catdome."
 
Hired to fill one of the open positions is Neil Fendall, who rejoins the coaching staff as a defensive assistant. He previously spent six years as a secondary coach at Linfield from 2006 until 2012 before moving on to coach at Cal Poly for three years. More recently, he was a member of the Southern Oregon University football coaching staff.
 
"I'm very fired up and appreciative to be back at Linfield," said Fendall. "It's a great opportunity for myself and a nice fit for my family."
 
Smith is delighted to have hired a coach who is deep in game experience and who carries an understanding of the Linfield football culture.
 
"Neil was the first new hire I made when I became the head coach in 2006," Smith said. "He made an immediate difference in our program. I look for him to do so once again as he brings energy, experience, and expertise back to our program at a time we need it greatly with the departure of Phil and Aaron."
 
A 1997 graduate of Portland State University, Fendall lettered four times in football, earning most valuable player honors as a safety. He served as the Vikings' team captain and played on three NCAA playoff squads during his time in the Park Blocks. He was a three-sport athlete at Milwaukie High School.
 
He's also spent a number of years coaching in the high school ranks as an assistant or head coach at Milwaukie, Oregon City, Grants Pass, Sisters and Caldera high schools.
 
Fendall and his wife, Lynne, have three children. Their son, Taylor, is a junior at Linfield and is already a member of the football coaching staff. Daughters Hannah, 17, and Gracie, 14, attend high school.
 
"The more you coach, the more you appreciate a program with a strong foundation and stability," said Fendall. "When you join a program like Linfield that has such a recognizable identity, it's easy to arrive and just go to work to figure out ways you can add to it. Not every program has an established identity. For me, that's very appealing."
 
Added Smith: "Neil, Lynne and his family have stayed close in their time at Cal Poly, SOU and Sisters, and we are excited to have them back working fulltime. Neil will be our pass defense coordinator, our special teams coordinator, and will do operations work as well.
 
"I'm excited to work with Neil, as all of our coaches must be. Neil is of low ego but is high output. He is a doer of deeds and I have already greatly enjoyed working with him once again."
 
Smith said he continues to consider applications for a second full-time assistant coach to support the offense.