Former Redmond High defensive coordinator Gene Dales has been named to replace former head football coach Nathan Stanley, the Redmond School District announced Friday in a news release. Dales was an assistant coach on the teams that reached the Class 5A state quarterfinals in 2015 and 2016.

Dales also served as the school’s dean of students, retiring in 2016. He stayed at the school as a half-time physical education teacher during the 2016-17 school year.

Dales has coached high school football for nearly 40 years, coaching at schools in Arizona and Washington, along with Oregon, the district said.

Dales coached Eastlake High School in Sammamish, Washington, before resigning in 2012 because of personal and family issues, according to the Seattle Times. He took Eastlake to the state Class 4A quarterfinals in 2011.

The paper also reported that Dales made the playoffs in 23 of the previous 27 years at the time and qualified for three state championship games.

Dales is a former starting linebacker at Oregon State and graduate of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, according to The News Tribune.

“I’m excited to return and take the helm of Panther football,” Dales said in a statement. “This is a program capable of matching the success of previous years, however, we will be a young team and we will need to build upon our collective growth as the season continues. I’m thrilled to continue working with RHS kids and help make them better people on and off the field.”

Stanley, who coached the Panthers for five seasons, left Redmond for a job at Cleveland High School in Portland, said Rainier Butler, the Redmond School District’s public information officer.

Redmond Principal Paul Nolan called Dales the “perfect candidate” to keep the football team competitive and take it to the next level.

“Gene has been with our Panther program for some time now, knows our students well and has their trust and respect,” he said.

Dales is overseeing this week’s High Desert Football League Team Camp at Redmond High. He will also play host to a youth camp for elementary and junior high players Aug. 7-10. Registration is available at redmondhighschoolfootballcamps.myonlinecamp.com.

The Panthers are scheduled to open the 2017 season Sept. 1 at Jefferson in Portland.