These are strange times for Freeport High School football.

The Yellowjackets are coming off one of their best seasons in years, finishing 10-2, reaching the WPIAL Class AA semifinals with one of the most prolific offenses in the league.

Seven times, Freeport scored 35 or more points last season. Its spread offense produced a quarterback (Ryan Weigold) who threw for 2,237 yards, 29 touchdowns and only four interceptions, a running back (Ian Miller) who rushed for 1,100 yards and 12 TDs, a tight end (Josh Beale) who caught 33 passes for over 400 yards, and twin receivers Brandon and Dylan Hochbein, who combined for 79 catches, 1,357 yards and 17 touchdowns.

All of that success — yet Freeport is a football program in transition.

All of those above players have graduated. The Hochbein brothers are on their way to Akron University to compete in track and field. The heart of the defense, Logan Thimons, is headed to West Virginia University to continue his promising football career.

The Yellowjackets are moving into a brand new stadium with artificial turf, leaving behind the tradition of Swartz Field, an old-school high school football stadium located in the heart of town which served as home to Freeport football for decades.

And the program is dealing with the deaths of two legendary Freeport coaches — Don Earley and Gary Kepple — within weeks of each other.

Earley enjoyed 19 consecutive winning seasons and numerous WPIAL playoff appearances with Freeport. Kepple was on his staff for each of those 19 seasons.

When Earley retired as head coach, Kepple succeeded him — and Freeport’s success continued.

Kepple coached the Yellowjackets from 1985-92, including a trip to the WPIAL title game at Three Rivers Stadium in 1989. Freeport hasn’t been back to the championship game since, a loss to Aliquippa in the semifinals last fall denying it a trip to Heinz Field.

Now those legendary coaches are gone.

The history remains and current head coach John Gaillot serves as the perfect bridge to link the Yellowjackets’ successful past to a promising future.

Gaillot played for coaches Earley and Kepple. He coached with them as well. He played his high school home games at Swartz Field.

This fall, Gaillot will be pacing the sidelines in a plush new stadium. He will be helping Freeport athletics usher in a whole new era.

At the same time, he will be using the same coaching style and technique he learned from Earley and Kepple so many years ago.

Freeport football will have a whole new look in 2016 and beyond.

But it will maintain the same old feel.

Coach Gaillot will see to that.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle.