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Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Choosing Football Over Law
Western Arkansas, AR
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Shiloh Christian’s Josh Floyd is one of the youngest head coaches in the state and also has the unique honor of coaching the team he once led as a quarterback. Entering his fourth season, Floyd is sounding more like a veteran than a rookie.
HSSTM: Expectations have been high for the last two decades at Shiloh Christian, how do you handle that pressure as a coach?
Floyd: We know there’s pressure here. It’s not anymore pressure than we put on ourselves. As coaches, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We try to work hard for these kids and put them in the best situation.
HSSTM: What do you see as keys to another successful season this fall?
Floyd: We’re going to have to grow up in a hurry. We have a lot of inexperience this year and we will use those three games before conference to prepare for the conference season. We’ve got to do all the little things right, play some great defense, try to not turn the ball over and if we do al those things, we have a chance to be a successful.
HSSTM: What schools in the conference do you expect will be the toughest opponents and why?
Floyd: I think West Fork is going to be good. They had a great run last year and have their quarterback coming back. That group was good in junior high as well. Green Forest is very good with good size. Elkins is another team that returns their quarterback and running back and should be tough.
HSSTM: Since you guys run a complex offense, what is the usual process for deciding on a particular play?
Floyd: We certainly have certain checks our quarterback can make every time they go up to the line. We try to train them for that, but only way to completely get it is through lots of reps. As far as each play, the one thing we do is no huddle, so there’s not a lot of time, but we give him some opportunities to make some checks.
HSSTM: Having a successful background as a quarterback, do you get frustrated more than usual when your quarterback doesn’t execute?
Floyd: I played quarterback in a spread offense. I mean, lots of people are doing it now, but there’s not many coaching it that actually got to play it in because it is kind of new. But the quarterbacks know I’m going to be pretty tough on them because that is one of the hardest positions. There’s a lot required of them quarterback if they are going to run this offense.
HSSTM: Is it special for you coaching at your alma mater and what are your plans for the future of the program?
Floyd: It’s definitely a lot of fun. It’s a privilege to be here. As a coach here, it’s a great responsibility and it’s something I take very serious. It’s definitely something I enjoy. Feel like there’s something special about Shiloh, not just football, but everything the school provides. I’m excited to be a head coach. I have a pretty big vision for the program and we want to become a big-time program like a Shreveport Evangel Christian … We want to become that type of power.
HSSTM: As a 27-year-old, is it tough to straddle the fine line between being a kid’s friend and his coach at the same time?
Floyd: Not really. It’s not that big of an issue. I try to make it an advantage right now, because I feel like I can still somewhat understand kids. But even though I’m still young, school has changed a bunch. But if anything, it kind of makes it an advantage. I can understand a little about what’s going in their lives and we also try to have fun.
HSSTM: Who has been the biggest influence on your coaching career and why?
Floyd: Definitely playing for coach [Gus] Malzahn. He had a huge impact on me football-wise. The way he does things, philosophy wise. He was why I got into coaching. There’s my dad [Ronnie Floyd], too. He has helped me lead the program in a lot of ways, but Gus, as far as just football, has helped me out tremendously.
HSSTM: What advice would you give to other aspiring young coaches?
Floyd: You just got to do it. Wherever you’re at, just get as much experience as you can, Whether it’s a kid in college helping out, you try to be ahead of the game and you don’t want to try to go somewhere without any experience. So just trying to learn the entire game. You’re obviously going to specialize in one area, like offense or quarterback, but you don’t want to be just a one-position guy. You want a guy who understands the whole game and the whole package.
HSSTM: If you weren’t coaching football, what would you be doing?
Floyd: When I was in high school, I used to want to be a lawyer. I ended up marrying a lawyer’s daughter, so I guess I would have had a good ‘in’ if I had went to law school. I’ve always been intrigued by that profession and I’ve been fortunate to learn a little about it from my father in law.
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