After a decorated stint as a junior college head coach, Jon Osterhout returned to his alma mater in December 2025. Osterhout will serve as the team’s general manager, overseeing roster construction, recruiting and contract negotiations.
Osterhout was the head coach at American River JC for 12 seasons, winning at least a share of the NorCal Conference title 10 times. He finished his career with an 88-39 overall record and took the team to seven postseason appearances, including six trips to the state playoffs.
In 2025, ARC won its sixth-straight conference title and downed CCSF in the first round of the playoffs before falling to eventual champion College of San Mateo. The Beavers went on to top Monterey Peninsula in the Gridiron Classic Bowl.
The previous year, American River was 7-4 and finished the season ranked 10th in the state. Osterhout was named the NorCal Conference Coach of the Year and had 14 players earn first team all-league honors including running back Elias Brown and defensive end Jonathan Correa who were named JC All-Americans.
The Beavers advanced to the Northern California Championship in 2022 and 2023. He was named confrerence coach of the year in both seasons and ended 2022 ranked fifth and 2023 ranked third in the state. The 2022 season saw an amazing 22 student-athletes sign scholarships to play at four-year schedule and 14 advanced their careers the following year. Cian Slone was the state defensive player of the year in 2022 and Josh Tremain claimed the award in 2023.
ARC made another trip to the state playoffs in 2021. Offensive lineman Sedrick Luke was named the NorCal Conference Offensive MVP and was a unanimous first team All-American. Once again, the team had great success matriculating student-athletes as 28 players advanced to four-year institutions.
In 2019, American River concluded the season ranked sixth in the state. Linebacker George Spithorst and return specialist Eric Davis were named first team All-Americans while Osterhout took home another coach of the year award. The team advanced 30 players to four-year schools, including 12 at the NCAA Div. I (FBS and FCS) level.
The team made another appearance in the Northern California Championship and earned another conference title in 2017. The Beavers were ranked third in the final state rankings and were led by California Defensive Player of the Year Rahsaan York and All-American center Diego Cervantes. The following year, the team played in the Gridiron Bowl.
The 2016 season was an historic campaign for ARC. The Beavers advanced to the state championship for the first time in 50 years and finished the year with a 10-3 overall record. The team was ranked second in the state and sixth nationally in the final polls. Defensive end Anthony Luke and wide receiver Damen Wheeler were named All-Americans and were part of the 18 players who advanced to four-year schools.
Osterhout had immediate success after being elevated to head coach. In his first season (2014), he helped the team to a state No. 1 ranking following consecutive wins over CCSF and San Mateo which were both top-ranked at the time. The Beavers finished the year 10-2 which led to a No. 4 state and No. 10 national ranking. Jordan Carrell was named the conference player of the year as well as an All-American. Twenty-one of the 25 sophomores on the team moved on to four-year schools to continue their careers.
The next year, 21 players advanced on (including five to Power Five conferences) on a team which shared the conference title. That group included linebacker Jordan Kunaszyk (Cal) and defensive linemen Nick Terry (UCLA) were both All-Americans.
Osterhout began his tenure at American River in 2011 and took over offensive play calling in 2013. That season, the team ranked fifth in the state in scoring, seventh in rushing and eighth in total offense.
From 2007-10, Osterhout was an assistant coach at Sacramento State for the second time in his career. As the recruiting coordinator, he produced the second-ranked FCS class in 2009 and the eighth-ranked in 2010. His defensive line ended the year ranked in the top 20 of the FCS in rush defense in 2008 and 2010. He also coached Zack Nash and Todd Davis who both went on to play in the NFL.
Osterhout served as a graduate assistant at Nebraska from 2006-07 where he worked with the defensive line and special teams. The team won the Big 12 North Division and played in the Cotton Bowl following his first season. While there, he coached first-round selection Adam Carriker, second-round choice Ndamukong Suh and fourth-rounder Jay Moore.
Osterhout’s first stint at Sacramento State came from 2000-05 where he was the offensive line and tight ends (2000-01) and defensive line (2002-06). He coached Marko Cavka to all-Big Sky honors and eventually a sixth-round selection in the NFL Draft. The offense set or tied 52 national, conference or team records in 2000 and the defense led the conference in sacks in 2004.
Osterhout was a four-year starter for the Hornets from 1996-99. He was an FCS All-American as a senior and earned first team all-Big Sky honors his final two seasons. During that time, he anchored an offensive line which led the way for record-setting running back Charles Roberts. Osterhout was named the team MVP and Most Inspirational Player during his career as well as serving as a team captain. He went on to sign with the New York Giants and Washington Redskins before seeing his playing career cut short by injuries. He was inducted into the Sacramento State Football Hall of Fame in 2008.
Osterhout graduated from Oakmont HS in 1995 where he was a two-sport athlete in baseball and football. He was a first team Capital Valley Conference selection and second team all-metro by the Sacramento Bee. He was inducted into the school athletic Hall of Fame in 2023.
Osterhout holds an undergraduate degree from Sacramento State and a masters in kinesiology from Fresno Pacific.
Jon and his wife, Alison (a former Hornet volleyball student-athlete), are the parents to Hudson and Chelsea.
Coaching Experience
2014-25: American River College (Head Coach)
2011-13: American River College (Asst. Head Coach/Off. Coordinator/Off. Line)
2008-10: Sacramento State (Def. Line/Recruiting Coordinator)
2006-07: Nebraska (Grad Asst., Def. Line)
2000-05: Sacramento State (Tight Ends/Def. Line)
