SORSN: Coach, you are entering your 2nd season as head coach of the Waves and though you didn’t meet your initial goal before last season, you now have officially moved out of your parents’ house! Congratulations on the nuptials during the offseason. How was the honeymoon? Have you been getting sound marriage advice from the football staff members? (i.e. Coach O’Toole)
Coach Joe: The honeymoon was great. A lot of naps on the beach and relaxation. The coaching staff including Coach O’Toole has come through with great advice so far. The more stuff I mess up, the less I am asked to do!! (i.e. Laundry, dishes, etc.)
SORSN: The staff at SORSN was going to send a wedding gift to you and the wife; however, we couldn’t find an address listing for a Joe Campbell in Kingston. Oddly enough, we did find one in Lenoir City. Please tell us that this must be a mistake by the Yellow Pages.
Coach Joe: Sadly it is true! If you look at Lenoir City from a satellite on Google Earth you will see a huge Green and White spot amongst all of that Black and Orange. However that spot is growing by the day. Everyone within 4 blocks has a Midway Football koozie, are addicted to SORSN, and claim to be coming to this Friday’s season opener.
SORSN: Introduce us to your 2012 coaching staff.
Coach Joe: Coach Ryen Minton is our DC and D – Line Coach. Coach Minton came in last season with an all work and no play attitude and quickly caught the O’Toole infection. He still works very hard organizing the defense and the defensive practice as well as our off season workouts, but now he giggles even after he says something serious.
Coach Justin O’Toole is our special team’s coordinator, RB and DB coach. Coach O’Toole is the original host of this violent infection. As well as his coaching duties, O’Toole has taken on the responsibilities of grounds coordinator. Almost every day he can be found on top of the Bad Boy, mowing in between Text Messages.
Coach Lewis Edwards is our WR coach and scout team coordinator. We pay him a bonus for all the wrench turning he does around the field. Our Grounds Coordinator (O’Toole) has coach Edwards as #1 on his speed dial. We really appreciate the hard work he puts in here after he has already worked a full day.
Coach Gabe Patterson is our QB coach and assistant OC. He is currently on the Disabled List, but is expected back soon. We can’t afford to keep paying his workman’s comp.
SORSN: You took the guys on a team building exercise…a trip down the Hiwassee River. Tell us about that experience of spending time with these boys outside of the class room and locker room.
Coach Joe: It was just a great time together. It was a lot of Lyle being Lyle, trying to hit on older women on the bus ride up the river, and then getting jealous when Gage, Hester, and Tanner Seymour picked up two 18 year old female tubers the last hour of the trip.
SORSN: A Jamal Jones-led Lookout Valley team travels to SOR for the first game of the season. Other than a stick of dynamite, how do you keep JJ from walking into the end zone? (it’s likely no one under the age of 34 will get those hidden references)
Coach Joe: We are draining a pint of Coach Patterson’s blood giving a little bit to everyone on the team. It is 100% guaranteed to work 95% of the time every time. This we give us the speed, agility, and power to keep JJ from getting loose.
SORSN: Coach, with only 3 seniors on the team and one of them is playing football for the first time, how much leadership pressure is put on your 2 seasoned players?
Coach Joe: It’s not too bad. They have alot of under classmen that have stepped up to push them, our seniors. I am very proud of how hard we have been able to push this team and how hard they have worked, because they are a team. Hester said it best in the Spring, “We are not team mates, we’re brothers” and that is exactly what they have become.
SORSN: Even though we know that you were trained by one of the best at dodging media questions, we’re going to ask anyways…..name a few players that you think will impress the fence walkers this year.
Coach Joe: The Hawgs continue to get better and play more and more as a unit. Any time we refer to them it is as one person. Then again the backs and receivers have been working hard doing things right. I don’t, but hopefully it will be a player wearing green and white.
SORSN: Ah, the response I expected. Thank you for your time coach. We are looking forward to Friday night lights. Good luck and go big green!