February 9, 2024 • 41 mins
In this episode of "Demand Excellence," we interview State Championship-winning Coach Justin Rogers from Thomas County Central. He shares his inspiring journey, his successful transformation of multiple football programs, and how he led his team to an outstanding victory. Coach Rogers affirms that success in football and in life lies in mastering the basics and remaining consistent. He shares how he revived Thomas County Central's football program, attributing much of the success to shifting the team's mentality from aspiring to win to anticipating victory.
Highlighting the importance of early affirmation, Coach Rogers posits that seeing efforts convert into progress propels players to buy-in to the coaching technique. Examining the role of the right fit and timing in coaching, he stresses that a supportive administration and strong work ethic are crucial in a coach's legacy. For Coach Rogers, success is steering a rocky ship into calm waters, encapsulating his belief that transformations are journeys towards excellence.
The conversation continues with Coach Rogers sharing his view of football as a microcosm of life, highlighting the importance of support, timing, and synchronicity within a team. He takes us through the team's championship run, weaving a captivating narrative of their growth and victories against the odds. The coach lauds the team's selfless focus on collective achievement over individual stats, marking it as a vital factor in their triumph.
Further, Coach Rogers shares his thoughts on managing parent relationships, focusing on player-driven culture, and the skills imparted by football that extend beyond the game. In conclusion, he emphasizes the need for consistency in personal growth, not only for achieving success but also for enriching the journey towards it.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
All right, everybody, we are back for another episode of Demand Excellence.
I mean, today I have Coach Justin Rogers on the podcast, and he just won the
state championship at Thomas County Central.
He's been there for two years, turned the program around.
Before that, he had a really successful run at Colquitt County where he went 26-7.
(00:22):
And then before that, he had a really successful run at Jones County where he
went 45-15. So here he is, a proven winner.
And, Coach, talk a little bit about your journey from Jones County and then
what it was like at Colquitt, and then here you are at Thomas County Central.
(00:42):
Yeah, I've been really blessed to be able to go to places that just really football
was important and a premium was placed on football.
I mean, even before I got my first head job, We were at Griffin with Coach DeVore,
and football was important. And then go to Jones.
You know, Mr. Chuck Gibson just did so much to elevate there.
(01:05):
And then Concord County at Maltry just speaks for itself.
A place that's so driven on football, and it makes so many great decisions to
have such a great program with great facilities and be able to put together great coaches.
And then, you know, I was just so excited for this opportunity community to
come to Central where they wanted to get it back to the way it used to be.
(01:28):
Because, you know, Thomas Cairns Central is one of those programs that the state
of Georgia, you know, it's just really better when they're good.
I mean, because everybody thinks of that program as a dominant program in the
state that it kind of just fell on some hard times with the new administration
just really wanted it to be great.
And so coming here, being again, yet again, at a place where that administration
(01:49):
is aligned and wants to be great.
So all three of those spots, being fortunate enough to coach at those areas,
I know sometimes coaches can get frustrated to where they feel like maybe they
don't have the support or have the backing to really chase and be as good as you can be.
I've never felt that way at any of the spots I've been at.
(02:12):
Coach, you kind of remind me of Andy Reid a little bit.
He was at Philadelphia, had really, really successful runs there,
but never won the Super Bowl.
And he didn't really, you know, even though he's the same coach,
but he finally won the Super Bowl when he gets to Kansas City.
You're similar. You know, like you've been coaching for a long time,
(02:33):
just had a tremendous run of success.
But your first state championship came in 2023, which is this past football season.
You know, talk about like I think a lot of coaches, you get into coaching,
you're a head coach. And man, that's your goal, right? I want to win a state championship.
You're doing everything in your power to get it. You've been close in the past, didn't get there.
(02:56):
Talk a little bit about or give some encouraging words about just staying the course.
Yeah, no doubt. I hope I can have a run like Andy Reid. That'd be something special right there.
Yeah, I'm thinking you're going to after watching this. That would be awesome.
But consistency, I mean, I'm a big reader. So I wake up every morning and I read.
(03:17):
So I've read a plethora of books. I love reading books.
And all your great ones, all your dominant ones, and not only coaches but players,
Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady stuff.
And it's the doing the boring, doing the basics, and trying to stay at a high
level at those and not get bored with them over a long period of time.
(03:38):
I mean, I think that we want success to be sexy and to be great,
to be this magic peel when it's really just doing the basics at a high level
consistently, especially for young people.
But then getting back to success we've had here and it kind of taking off is fit. Fit.
(04:01):
I think so much in life is about fit.
There's a lot of great coaches, and there's a lot of great players,
but you have to marry the fit.
The coach, let's use the Andy Reid situation.
He's just, to me, he's a better fit with the Chiefs. His personality,
his laid-back, his creativeness is all better there than where Philadelphia
(04:22):
is more thought of as a hard-nosed, physical.
Personality growth. So sometimes I just really think fit matters so much in this world.
And sometimes you're better served just slightly different in a different area or a different place.
Yeah, let's get into the details of fit. So you leave Colquitt and you go to Thomas County Central.
(04:45):
They were five and six. Yeah, five and six the year before you got there.
You take over pretty much in January.
What are the things that you started doing to turn that program around?
Because I'm very interested in it because you took a 5-6 team to 12-1.
And, I mean, I watched every state championship game this year,
(05:07):
and I thought you had the best team in the state in any classification.
So what are the things you started doing and focusing on day one when you got
there to change the program?
Well, the biggest thing is, though, they had good players.
I mean, we all know that in coaching.
And you've got to have some good players, and we had good players.
I would be remiss if I didn't say we were very blessed to put together a really good staff.
(05:32):
And I was able to kind of get some guys down here, some offensive guys that
followed me from Moultrie, and be able to put together a defensive staff that's
just out of this world through some additions there that made a huge impact too.
But as far as, you know, with our team, I think the biggest thing is just getting
a transitioning from hoping they could win to expecting to win and really changing
(05:57):
the mental mindset of our locker room because they have kind of fallen on,
you know, four or five, you know, pretty rough years of 500, you know, football.
And then the last year that came off, you know, really, really bad loss in the playoffs.
And so you could tell the confidence was broken. And in sports,
(06:19):
it's such a mental game. Oh, my God.
It is 80% mental, in my opinion, just that belief system.
And so that was a big deal, is being able to try to get a swagger and a confidence.
But before you could even get that, because that kind of comes with later on
when you get to competing,
(06:39):
we had to create a standard here and create a work ethic with our core values
that we believe in and really establish a foundation of behavior because I think
that had got fractured as well.
Sometimes you get a new blood in here, you can kind of hit the reset.
(07:00):
I think we was able to hit the reset and start from the bottom up and the kids were hungry to do that.
We go and play Perry in the spring game that first year and you just never know
how those are going to go.
You don't know how spring games are going to go, how they're going to turn out.
Kevin Smith is an unbelievable coach at Perry, and had built a great program,
and it's all I can find for a spring game.
(07:22):
And, you know, good Lord blessed us, and we played really, really well that night. Really well.
And had a great spring game, really moved the ball well and played great.
And that really catapults us in the summer to where these kids believed.
And they were starting to realize from affirmation.
For their work and then when we come out and play Cairo
(07:44):
in game one of year one well that's a big rival
here that's a that's a battle for the bucket and uh
and that means something in this community and they
had had a hard time with them and we come out and had
you know the biggest win in series history then it
was kind of old because at that point now they went
from not hoping but truly believing and always I
(08:05):
always equate it back to a diet you know
if I go on a diet if you put me on on a diet to lose weight and I'm doing
everything you're telling me to do to lose weight and I
know this is sometimes as coaches we hate to
hear this but it's just the truth that you know if you
do this if you do that if you do it and they do it and then
you're on this diet and you don't lose no weight well you're
(08:26):
gonna get off that day gonna die I mean I ain't gonna really believe in this
diet no more but if I'm losing some weight then I'm gonna stay with it like
I got affirmation this works and so many times as coaches I know it you hate
it but the scoreboard matters and And you've got to get some wins because when
they see that, that, yeah, what they're doing,
the work ethic, the way that we do things, the way that we structure stuff and
(08:48):
go is producing the results that you wanted,
then it's a lot easier to push.
And it's a lot easier to buy in with that affirmation. Without that, it does get difficult.
And that's where it's hard is when you're doing all the right things and still
it's slipping through your fingers.
And it happens. I mean, hard work doesn't guarantee success.
(09:10):
But for these young people, it's very important that you get a taste of it,
and that's what matters.
So we were able to do that early, and I think that made a huge impact,
huge impact to getting this thing rolling as early success.
Yeah, so Coach, talk a little bit about, you said fit, right? Right. You just fit.
(09:33):
So obviously you feel like you fit the culture, the community at Thomas County
Central, maybe better than anywhere else you've been.
Maybe I'm wrong in saying that, but you just said it with conviction,
like fit is so important.
Talk about your personality and you and how that meshes so well at Thomas County Central.
(09:55):
Yeah. And then and then I would I would be amiss if I didn't include timing
as well. I mean, I think it's a combination of fit and time.
And you kind of got to have both of those things for a situation to really take
off and be a great situation.
And so here, you know, come in, and we'll back up, you know,
(10:17):
because everybody knows, you know, going to Moultrie,
Another rural place that loves football. I'm a country boy from South Alabama,
so that seems like a great fit for me.
So that's why we chose to go there.
Timing in that situation wasn't great.
And so everybody knew I was coming in after Coach Probst and all the controversy
(10:41):
and kind of turmoil that was left there in that community.
Whether you liked him or you didn't, it didn't have anything to do with me.
And so that was still kind of fractured.
And so we come in there and we coach. We get through the first year and have
a good year and get in there really late and have a successful year that year.
And then, again, because, again, talk about timing. Timing matters.
(11:04):
We go into a worldwide pandemic, 2020.
So kind of hard because I'm a relationship person.
I believe in being part of the community, getting out in the community,
being a vested member of the community. I still think that the role of head
football coach is important in towns.
And so in 2020, not having the opportunity to kind of do that,
(11:28):
to build those relationships,
and to be able to cultivate that really hindered the growth,
the belief, the buy-in, all of the above, you know, there.
And so come back to Central, you know, the job comes open. It came open when I was at Jones County.
(11:48):
Okay, it was the last time it was open when they hired Coach Henderson.
And we had had some success at Jones, and I'd always remembered Central when
I was at Harris, playing them in the region. And I remember telling my wife, even at Jones.
I said, I always thought that'd be a great job and that'd be a great situation.
That Thomasville is such a great town. They love football. It's a great place
(12:09):
to live and raise a family.
And just, man, I think that'd be a great opportunity. And we kicked the tires on maybe applying then.
But just, we didn't think the timing was right. We really enjoyed our time at Jones.
And so we did. So now you fast forward, you know, five, six years later,
and it's open again right down from here, 25 minutes down from where we're living.
(12:31):
And so at that time, we thought that maybe the timing was right now that maybe,
you know, good Lord, open that up for us.
And that is where we was meant to be. So we went to hear him out.
And as soon as I met the administration and superintendent, I realized real
quick, like this was a place that I would really could see myself calling home.
And was just so excited and very fortunate that, you know, they selected me
(12:55):
to be the head football coach and still feel that way.
Man, I feel like the luckiest man, you know, getting to have that second opportunity
to come here because it's a place I thought would be a great fit for me.
And it is. It checks all the boxes.
It's a blue-collar, middle-class-type student, inclined tail,
which is just a great working man.
(13:16):
It's got great administration that supports us and gives us everything.
We're breaking ground next week on a brand new indoor facility,
weight room, cafeteria, locker room, field house, you name it.
Everything we had at Moultrie's, you know, we'll have here.
And so we break ground on that, about a 17-month build for that.
Great town. Just a great town. Very family-oriented town.
(13:39):
I've got an 8-year-old and I got a 5-year-old. I started late in life kind of
raising a family with my wife now.
And so, you know, our plan is we're going to set up some roots right here and
let them go deep and kind of get into this thing and so feel very invested in this community.
And so the fit and the timing, because it was a timing here where they were hungry.
(14:01):
They wanted to see this thing get back. And so the support from day one,
both through just support through time and effort, but also support financially
in the program was just there when you got here.
And our crowds, man, apparently our crowd has gotten notorious this year.
(14:22):
Now, you know, with the horns and all. And so the support and love from them
because of them being so hungry was just unbelievable right from the jump.
And so the fit and the timing of everything just kind of married up really nice with us.
And then vice versa, I think, in the other community. I think Coach Calhoun,
Sean is just doing a phenomenal job in Moultrie.
(14:42):
I think he is a wonderful fit, and I think the timing was great for him to have
a buffer, and now that's truly his program.
And Sean's going to do great there because he is a great coach and a great man. am.
And so I always tell people, you know, in football, there's a winner and a loser.
But in life, there's not always winners and losers. You know,
(15:03):
sometimes everybody wins. And I felt like in this situation for both programs, everybody won.
Yeah, that's awesome. So, Coach, let's talk about your championship run this year.
You know, obviously there in 2022, you guys went 12 and 1.
So talk a little bit about you know
from that last game to the start
of this football season i mean did you feel hey
(15:26):
like we got something really special just kind of talk about the progression
in the offseason leading up to such a special year yeah it was uh now the the
last game last year we we knew we had a good ball team that first year we're
playing at a very high level.
And so we play Roswell in the quarterfinals.
(15:46):
And what a lot of people, you know, don't know, we're up 31-13 at halftime, bud.
And we feel pretty good moving on to the semis. And then in the third,
it was just a weird flute play that happened.
And they were able to hold on to the ball. It was like one of those juggling
catches deal where both guys had it.
(16:07):
And they wound up getting it tightrope, stayed inside, stayed in bounds and ran down and scored.
Kicked off to us. We fumbled the kickoff. They got it inside the 10, round up scoring.
And then we wound up going three and out, and they got the ball,
drove down, scored. And we just could not get a play to stop momentum.
And hats off to Roswell. And, boy, he does a great job over there.
(16:28):
He's done an unbelievable job building that program.
And so they come out with a win. I have to tell that story because what that did, though,
while we sulked in our feelings and cried and felt awful about it,
when we got ready to start in January for the offseason these boys that we had
(16:48):
coming back they knew they belonged.
Not taking anything away from Roswell, we knew we did not play our best ball.
We knew we belong at that level. We can compete at that level.
So now where the year before we wasn't quite there in January,
this bunch come January offseason, they knew they should be there. They belong there.
(17:13):
They let one slip out, and they were hungry not to allow that happen.
So they were very player-driven, a very tight group. and we thought we could be good. We really did.
We just didn't know how good. You lost some big pieces. We had a new quarterback
coming in and so you kind of wondered, lost two big-time receivers and so you wasn't sure.
(17:36):
But what you did have was connectivity and the group was tight together and
they expected to be good and so it just kind of snowballed from a great spring to a great summer.
We had a great start in the first half of the season playing very well at a high level.
When we played really good against Bainbridge this year, which was a great football
team, I think it kind of sent us to another level.
(17:59):
And then when we had the game we had against Houston and Lee,
you know, it really, once you had those two games that got past our region,
and you get out of our region, brother, you did something.
That's something to say just right there.
And so once they did that, I think that's when the confidence got to an all-time
high and we hit the playoffs peaking at the right time.
But while we were peaking to play
(18:22):
we had been a tight tight just family-oriented
group the whole time like this was one of
the most unselfish teams i've ever been a
part of and i've been a part of some really good teams that weren't selfish
that's not a knock on any other team i've ever had because we've we've been
blessed with some really good boys over the years this team though truly did
(18:42):
not care about a stat book who got credit they only wanted to win as a group
and and that was was special.
And I think it was inspiring for us as coaches, because that's a trait.
That you just readily don't see as much of in our society and the disease of
me now that's in our society.
(19:04):
So that was cool. That was awesome to see that in these young people and how
they had bought in to the team-first mentality.
And we all say that, and it's a great slogan, but it was great to see a group
of guys really buy into it and sell out to it.
Talk about the unselfish team. So talk about who you were offensively this year.
(19:26):
And then how, with what you were doing offensively, your team was unselfish.
Yeah, we're still the same offense we've been for quite a few years now.
We're going to be 10, 11, and 12, really based out of 11 and 12,
fast-paced, one-word calls, and RPOs.
(19:48):
And so that's who we are. but you
know just being the way in our quarterback
even though he's a sophomore was just really even
keel he's a little bit of an introvert anyway which is a
unique characteristic to have in a quarterback
when when he has that natural personality of not getting too high anyway which
is great that's what you want and and so he was even killed or running back
(20:11):
was a returning starter but and then receivers we just spread the ball around
and but you never had you we've all had those teams where a guy hadn't touched
the ball early and by the time he's getting to halftime,
maybe he's getting antsy because he hadn't touched it at all and not really
saying nothing, but you can tell by body language sometimes people getting frustrated with that.
(20:34):
We never had that. There was games where our number one receiver might not catch
a ball and then he would just be just as happy as if he games that he called
seven because there were games he did that and vice versa while running back.
Just never really being in there where he was chasing stats or guard lines or numbers or.
(20:55):
And God, man, I feel like I'm not giving anything worth the crap because I'm
giving a bunch of cliches. But, man, we just really did have such a unique group
of guys that we didn't even have to sell it that hard to them.
They were bought into that idea, just taking what the defense gives you and
working hard for each other.
But offensively, that's what we are. We've been that since the Griffin days.
(21:20):
Now we're a lot more tight end and 12 personnel now since Moultrie.
I kind of got into that at Moultrie and carried it over here.
I really like that. I like the run game that you can get out of 11 and 12.
So we kind of get into that a lot more than 10 now and playing fast.
I really believe in playing fast and having a lot of one-word calls.
(21:41):
No, I think what you said is extremely valuable to understand.
Your leading wide receiver in one game might not catch a ball in the next game,
and he's completely satisfied with that because when you have a really good
team, but you have that guy who is selfish,
he can tear the team apart.
(22:02):
And we've all seen teams like that. We've all been on teams like that,
coached teams like that.
And so it just really kind of speaks to, I always say, what is team chemistry?
Like, what is that? Like, is that even a thing? But it is a thing,
and it's selflessness. And it's fragile.
Right. It's very fragile. And yeah, I mean, it's so like, if you,
(22:22):
if you have that, I mean, you're talking about, I mean, you went 15 and 0, you didn't lose a game.
And, you know, and, and, and you're going to, you have pivotal moments of each
game where, I mean, a bad attitude can, can change the outcome of the game.
So, you know, it's, it's, it's really cool to just talk about that because those are important.
(22:44):
I know me as a coach, Coach, if I watch film and I see their best player upset on the sideline on film.
I know if I eliminate that player in the game, put all my resources to eliminate
that player, he will implode on the sideline and he will destroy the team.
(23:06):
And that just speaks to why you guys were so good this year.
So let me ask you this, Coach.
So 15-0 State Championship. I want to add this real quick, though. Yeah, go ahead.
So the same kid, our number one receiver last year that played,
he is a junior, a sophomore.
He's a sophomore. He's going to come back and be a junior.
(23:28):
We pulled him in the office the first of January and said, hey,
man, we're going to move you to linebacker to play the nickel next year on defense
because we think it would be better for the team to do that.
And, yes, sir, coach, sounds good, wherever you want to play me.
That's your number one receiver from last year.
Yeah, that's awesome. I know, right? Man, I'm telling you, I get chills.
(23:49):
It's just – but we have a big deal here.
I've been saying this. I give credit to Will Orban. Will Orban kind of introduced
me to this saying back in 2010, and I've carried it with me every team I've
went to. Every team can recite it back to me.
But it's so true. A coach-driven team can be good.
And we're going to be coach-driven because we get paid to do this.
(24:11):
And we'll do things to drive us to make sure we're good. but a player-driven team can be great.
And in order to win it all, you better have players driving the culture,
being unselfish, and really wanting to not let each other down.
And that's the key. Now, that's the holy grail. There's no magic way to get there.
(24:33):
There's no one way to get there, but we all got to try to get there to where
the players are buying in and taking ownership.
And until you get there, it's hard to really be great.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, Coach, I started this podcast a long time ago.
And the reason why I started it, because you're a reader, I would read books.
And all the books are is people who had went and interviewed successful people
(24:56):
or successful organizations.
And they put all the data together. They compile everything.
And I think what's fun about this and talking to you is like,
what is team chemistry, right?
I mean, you're talking a little culture. All these are cliche words
but these are these are things that win
and what are they how do i get it like i mean so i could ask you this like i
(25:22):
mean do you think that you did anything specific or what was your strategy to
get it to be so player driven and not coach driven.
That's a good question. Given, first off, looking for teachable moments.
Because there's so many times when there's a lesson there that you can teach
(25:47):
off something that happens and you got to be ready to ad lib and just teach in that moment.
Like, I like the character ed stuff and I like the stuff that's just kind of ready to roll out.
Week one, we're going to talk about this. Week two, we're going to talk about this.
Week three, I mean, that's good. But you better make the most of the teachable
moments in real time when the behaviors happen, both good, acknowledging,
(26:12):
hey, look what he just did in that grade. That's what we want on our team.
That's going to make us better and really promoting that.
But then also negative and, hey, we can't have this. See how this gets hurt.
Like, I think that teaching in real time is so important.
And I like a system. I love systems. I think I'm a system-based guy when I install.
(26:34):
But I think when it comes to – it's like raising my own son,
right? I can't go in there with a system to raise my son.
I can't go in there today and say, hey, we're on this chapter of me teaching you character.
But, you know, if he don't clean up his – this morning he didn't take the dog out.
I had to go, hey, man, I take the dog out. You want the dog?
That's personal. You've already got your eight-year-old taking the dog out.
You should – I can't get my 11-year-old to do that.
(26:56):
Yeah, I'm like, man, you wanted this dog now. This ain't my dog. It's yours.
And so I'm teaching responsibility in this moment this morning that I didn't
do it. It wasn't planned out.
And I think building a culture and teaching character has to be taught in real time.
And again, I'm not taking anything away from the character resources and things like that.
And I do a daily motivational with our guys.
(27:20):
But I think looking for the teachable moments and no different than raising children.
It's an art, man. It ain't a science. Okay. There's not going to be an X plus Y equals Z.
You're going to be feeling your way through. I like to coach one time, it's a daily fist fight.
I mean, you're looking for opportunities to grow. And then the next thing is,
(27:40):
is trying like crazy to teach with the carrot and motivate with the carrot.
There's going to be a time where you have to motivate with the rod and you have
to discipline and you have to be firm. And we have to do that in our own household.
But motivation with the carrot and motivation through positive reinforcement.
Has definitely got a better chance for long-lasting because that's when it's their decision to do it.
(28:06):
That's when they're becoming player-driven. and they're doing it because
they want to do it because of the incentive and the things
it gives them instead of doing it because you said so and so you've got to get
it there but you got to look for those opportunities so i mean i i think we
do a good job of looking for i had a teachable moment this morning in first
period with a kid on some things and and when you get that moment,
(28:30):
teach the whole group you know don't be scared to call it out and confront it
when it's bad but also So please acknowledge and motivate it and let everyone know when it's good.
Right. Here's something I was thinking about, and I want you to talk about this,
and I guarantee that you have somewhat of a strategy or you do it well.
(28:51):
But I think one of the ways that you have got to cultivate a spirit or culture
of selflessness is, yes,
with your players, but you also have to invest in building relationships with
the parents because that's where the selfishness can get all out of whack as
(29:14):
well. Talk a little bit about that.
There's no doubt. Well, you know, we're all parents, you know.
Most of us have kids. I mean, I've got mine.
I go to the YMCA basketball game, and they sub Cooper out of the basketball game.
I'm sitting in the crowd, too, like, man, what's this little Cooper out for?
You know, so we all got that as parents.
(29:35):
So, obviously, our parents are going to have that same thing if that's their
baby. So, no, obviously being able to communicate, express genuine concern for all of them.
But at the same token, also acknowledging the role, which is,
you know, on Friday nights to win football games, you know.
(29:56):
And so I think being transparent and authentic to parents is very vital.
That's always, I'm an open book. I'm very transparent.
You know, sometimes that's been good for me. I mean, sometimes I hadn't been,
but it's who I am. I try to always be that way.
I think over-communicating with your parents is great.
(30:17):
Now, I have to brag on my wife on that.
My wife, Melissa, who we are definitely a partner deal. We've been together.
John's corporate here. We got married my first year as a head coach.
But she has done really good at always doing those communication pieces and
sharing info and things like that with our parents.
(30:39):
Because as coaches, sometimes we get bogged down and forget about that.
And Lord knows teenage boys don't communicate nothing.
But I think being authentic when you have those parent meetings.
Being transparent in a concerning way.
I mean, even if you've got to say something harsh and you've got to say something
(31:01):
direct, you can still do it in a very constructive way and be articulate about
it to make it where it ain't so bad.
You know what I mean? We don't have to be confrontational.
No, absolutely. Well, Coach, here's my last question for you and might not even
be one that you've thought about or you might not struggle with this, but I know this.
(31:22):
I mean, you win the state championship, you're 15-0, and you're enjoying it.
But here you are. I know that you're working your tail off right now to try to win it again in 2024.
And I always found such a struggle between the joy in the success, success,
(31:44):
the joy in the process, but then battling that with, man, you're constantly striving,
you know, like you just won one. Now you want two. You're going to win two.
You're going to want three.
What are some ways that you balance yourself out?
Yeah, I'm probably not the best one to answer on this one. Nobody is.
(32:09):
I'm getting better. I am. I'm getting better.
Unfortunately, I tell people all this, I battle this demon, and I do think I
am getting better at it. I'm nowhere cured.
But unfortunately, I know I'm motivated, and I bet you a lot of coaches will admit this deep down.
I'm motivated by the fear of failure way more than the pride of joy from success. Yes.
(32:36):
I am always so scared of failing and the feelings that come from that way more
than the prize that comes at the end.
And that's an unhealthy way to have motivation and not good.
And so I'm always battling that, and I think I've got a lot better at that. I love the process.
I'm that weird coach. I tell people this all the time. It's the truth.
(32:59):
I would coach football and never play a game.
I'd be happy with that. Yeah. I can go to practice, go to the weight room,
work on getting faster and stronger, work on installing plays,
and never have a Friday night to go play.
I could do that and enjoy it. I like that. I like the growth of a man.
I love to see him improve and things like that.
(33:20):
It is truly enjoyable to me. I don't have no hobbies.
I don't golf. I don't fish. I don't hunt. I love spending time with my family.
Boat me a dead gum travel trailer, man.
I'm thinking to get into the camping world, baby. to get you some of that because
I want to spend time with them.
And so I want to spend quality time when I'm away. I'm trying to do a better job with that.
(33:41):
But this is, I'm blessed, man. I get to work a job that I truly love.
Like I love being around young people and they're teenagers and we were all
teenagers and they do teenager stuff.
But man, it's just so much fun to see the growth in them and to see them evolve
from these young teenagers that's 14 years old to these young men that are 18
(34:05):
when they leave you. And then football is just such a great sport.
And so I love being a part of that because football has so many transferable skills.
I mean, the skills you learn playing football and the brotherhood you have.
Is transferable to anything you're going to do. I mean, the area of toughness,
having mental toughness of doing what's right, not what's easy is a skill that
(34:27):
it doesn't matter what you choose in the rest of your life.
That skill will carry you. Heck, if you're going to be a husband,
a father, you better have toughness, you know, to be able to get through some difficult times.
The idea of discipline, you know, being able to do what you say you're going
to do is a transferable skill.
And then the camaraderie of a football locker room, brother.
Brother, if America could ever figure out and see what that felt like,
(34:51):
we could solve a lot of problems.
Because in that football locker room, it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor.
It doesn't matter if you're black or white, Hispanic.
It doesn't matter if you're a big guy, small guy, fast guy, slow guy, powerful guy, weak guy.
In that locker room, man, we all just want the same thing. And we all just trying
(35:12):
to get there together and survive camp and survive the the summer heat,
and just be in this, and how can you help me?
And Bill Curry's book is phenomenal if you've never read it,
The Guys You Meet in the Huddle.
And I just think football embodies all that is good in our world.
And so that's why I just love what I do.
(35:34):
You say getting motivated for the next one. We have a mantra that we've had
with us since 2012 that Griffin win today.
Day and it ain't a slogan on a t-shirt for me it's a belief system and it's
trying to have just the best day i can have today and and being truly invested
in the things that i'm doing today and i'm involved in and.
(35:57):
If you'll do that day in, day out, and it sounds simple, but it's really hard
to do, even though it sounds like such a simple concept.
But if you will do that, things typically work out.
Coach, the hardest thing in life is to be consistent. You talked about a diet earlier.
The reason why most people can't lose weight is not because they don't know
(36:17):
how, it's because they won't be consistent. Same thing with kids in the weight
room, all this kind of stuff.
All right, last question for you. what's one thing one
way it could be anything that you are trying to
get better could be your football team could be you as a coach
whatever in 2024 what do you want to
be better at oh man that's a that's
a great question there too what do we need to get better at i mean i just spontaneous
(36:43):
question you know like what's like because it's kind of like when you ask spontaneous
it's like what have you been thinking about like yeah right now the thing i
can it's It's consistency.
I mean, but I don't want to get that answer because we just talked about it.
So it seems like a cop out. And so feel free to ask me another question.
But I mean, really, that is it. I mean, that is the holy grail.
(37:03):
That is what you're fighting for.
That's the thing that you're trying to get is being at that consistent level
that, you know, the old superintendent I worked for that always used to say
it, I've stolen it. It ain't how good you are in your good days.
It's how good you are in your bad days.
And so and that's consistency. I mean, that's a consistency question saying
that, you know, can you still bring great energy, excitement,
(37:27):
motivation, and then also not only that, be educated. Like, you got to know your stuff now.
I mean, you can't go out there and be a rah-rah guy. You better know your X
and O's. You better know your technique, foot placement, hand placement, eye placement.
And so can you stay at the, ahead of the curve?
Because that's me running into some film study and stuff. Because I'll,
you know, I tell my kids, I mean, I get up at five and I'm always,
(37:48):
I read read a chapter in a book, and then I'll usually watch a video on some
kind of technique that I'm in the process of studying. Like right now,
I'm looking at wide receiver development.
And I've watched videos my whole life, but I always feel like I got to grow. I got to improve.
I got to invest in me. If I tell my kids they got to do that,
then I'm a hypocrite if I ain't trying to grow and improve at 45.
(38:11):
So being consistent of having a growth mindset is It's something that I know
I want to continue to get better at and improve.
And I think if I can embody that in our young people to improve there,
to be consistent and have that growth mindset of every day striving to be better,
you know, then offense, defense, special teams, getting bigger, faster, stronger.
(38:32):
I mean, all those things that normal people would say that they want to improve
on, well, those things are a byproduct of the growth mindset and consistently striving to get better.
I know that's not like a pop-out answer. No, that's a good answer.
But I think it's the truth.
Hey, listen, this thing, for me, it's all about finding little things from people
(38:57):
to help me get better, help other people get better, and just a source of encouragement.
And, you know, I think I say, you know, like there's five things.
Like there's consistency, there's commitment, there's intensity,
there's execution, and there's perseverance. And those sound simple, right?
But to wake up and give your best every single day, like you're talking about
(39:17):
win the day, like that is hard.
Like it's easy to talk about. It's hard to do.
It is. We have a saying that we always talk about. We don't need to know more.
We need to do more. Isn't that pretty much everybody in the world right now?
Yep. We don't need to know more. Lord, we know what we need to do in order to
live a fulfilling life and be successful at the same time.
(39:41):
It's will we do it day in, day out, or do we give in to our feelings when we
get the poor means? And look, now, I'm guilty now.
Don't look up here like I got this thing figured out because I got these same
battles and demons I have to fight day in, day out when my feelings try to get the best of me.
That's right. Right. But, you know, and that's that's cool that,
you know, you're raising up a group there at the boys that you coach and you're
(40:04):
teaching them how to win the day and suck up, suck up their feelings and and get after it.
Well, coach, you know, it's it's it's been a pleasure. I don't want to waste
any more of your time. I'm so thankful that you came on.
Wish you nothing but the best of luck here in 2024.
If you don't mind, I'd like to pray for us as we end. Yes, sir.
(40:25):
Absolutely love it. In fact, I'm glad you're back doing this again.
I'm a big podcast guy when I drive into work.
So I take my son Cooper to work every day, so he has to listen to it.
So he's already listened to Kevin Smith's, and we listened to Bond's this morning driving in.
So I've enjoyed listening to your podcast too, brother. So I appreciate what you're doing.
Yes, sir. Thanks, man. All right, let's pray. Lord, we're coming for you today.
(40:47):
I just want to praise and thank you for loving us, Lord.
Praise and thank you for dying on the cross for our sins. Lord,
I just praise and thank you for coaches like Coach Rogers and just everything
that he stands for, Lord, and what he's teaching those boys and what he means
to the community there at Thomas County Central.
Praise and thank you for just a great season that he had.
I know I enjoyed watching the state championship game. It's the first time I
(41:11):
got to watch his team this year.
And I just really appreciate how he carries himself and what a great example
he is for other coaches across the state and even country. Lord,
just continue to bless his efforts, bless his and bless all the people at Thomas County Central.
Lord, we love you and praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. Coach,
appreciate it. Thank you, brother. Yes, sir.
All right, everybody, we are back for another episode of Demand Excellence.
I mean, today I have Coach Justin Rogers on the podcast, and he just won the
state championship at Thomas County Central.
He's been there for two years, turned the program around.
Before that, he had a really successful run at Colquitt County where he went 26-7.
(00:22):
And then before that, he had a really successful run at Jones County where he
went 45-15. So here he is, a proven winner.
And, Coach, talk a little bit about your journey from Jones County and then
what it was like at Colquitt, and then here you are at Thomas County Central.
(00:42):
Yeah, I've been really blessed to be able to go to places that just really football
was important and a premium was placed on football.
I mean, even before I got my first head job, We were at Griffin with Coach DeVore,
and football was important. And then go to Jones.
You know, Mr. Chuck Gibson just did so much to elevate there.
(01:05):
And then Concord County at Maltry just speaks for itself.
A place that's so driven on football, and it makes so many great decisions to
have such a great program with great facilities and be able to put together great coaches.
And then, you know, I was just so excited for this opportunity community to
come to Central where they wanted to get it back to the way it used to be.
(01:28):
Because, you know, Thomas Cairns Central is one of those programs that the state
of Georgia, you know, it's just really better when they're good.
I mean, because everybody thinks of that program as a dominant program in the
state that it kind of just fell on some hard times with the new administration
just really wanted it to be great.
And so coming here, being again, yet again, at a place where that administration
(01:49):
is aligned and wants to be great.
So all three of those spots, being fortunate enough to coach at those areas,
I know sometimes coaches can get frustrated to where they feel like maybe they
don't have the support or have the backing to really chase and be as good as you can be.
I've never felt that way at any of the spots I've been at.
(02:12):
Coach, you kind of remind me of Andy Reid a little bit.
He was at Philadelphia, had really, really successful runs there,
but never won the Super Bowl.
And he didn't really, you know, even though he's the same coach,
but he finally won the Super Bowl when he gets to Kansas City.
You're similar. You know, like you've been coaching for a long time,
(02:33):
just had a tremendous run of success.
But your first state championship came in 2023, which is this past football season.
You know, talk about like I think a lot of coaches, you get into coaching,
you're a head coach. And man, that's your goal, right? I want to win a state championship.
You're doing everything in your power to get it. You've been close in the past, didn't get there.
(02:56):
Talk a little bit about or give some encouraging words about just staying the course.
Yeah, no doubt. I hope I can have a run like Andy Reid. That'd be something special right there.
Yeah, I'm thinking you're going to after watching this. That would be awesome.
But consistency, I mean, I'm a big reader. So I wake up every morning and I read.
(03:17):
So I've read a plethora of books. I love reading books.
And all your great ones, all your dominant ones, and not only coaches but players,
Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady stuff.
And it's the doing the boring, doing the basics, and trying to stay at a high
level at those and not get bored with them over a long period of time.
(03:38):
I mean, I think that we want success to be sexy and to be great,
to be this magic peel when it's really just doing the basics at a high level
consistently, especially for young people.
But then getting back to success we've had here and it kind of taking off is fit. Fit.
(04:01):
I think so much in life is about fit.
There's a lot of great coaches, and there's a lot of great players,
but you have to marry the fit.
The coach, let's use the Andy Reid situation.
He's just, to me, he's a better fit with the Chiefs. His personality,
his laid-back, his creativeness is all better there than where Philadelphia
(04:22):
is more thought of as a hard-nosed, physical.
Personality growth. So sometimes I just really think fit matters so much in this world.
And sometimes you're better served just slightly different in a different area or a different place.
Yeah, let's get into the details of fit. So you leave Colquitt and you go to Thomas County Central.
(04:45):
They were five and six. Yeah, five and six the year before you got there.
You take over pretty much in January.
What are the things that you started doing to turn that program around?
Because I'm very interested in it because you took a 5-6 team to 12-1.
And, I mean, I watched every state championship game this year,
(05:07):
and I thought you had the best team in the state in any classification.
So what are the things you started doing and focusing on day one when you got
there to change the program?
Well, the biggest thing is, though, they had good players.
I mean, we all know that in coaching.
And you've got to have some good players, and we had good players.
I would be remiss if I didn't say we were very blessed to put together a really good staff.
(05:32):
And I was able to kind of get some guys down here, some offensive guys that
followed me from Moultrie, and be able to put together a defensive staff that's
just out of this world through some additions there that made a huge impact too.
But as far as, you know, with our team, I think the biggest thing is just getting
a transitioning from hoping they could win to expecting to win and really changing
(05:57):
the mental mindset of our locker room because they have kind of fallen on,
you know, four or five, you know, pretty rough years of 500, you know, football.
And then the last year that came off, you know, really, really bad loss in the playoffs.
And so you could tell the confidence was broken. And in sports,
(06:19):
it's such a mental game. Oh, my God.
It is 80% mental, in my opinion, just that belief system.
And so that was a big deal, is being able to try to get a swagger and a confidence.
But before you could even get that, because that kind of comes with later on
when you get to competing,
(06:39):
we had to create a standard here and create a work ethic with our core values
that we believe in and really establish a foundation of behavior because I think
that had got fractured as well.
Sometimes you get a new blood in here, you can kind of hit the reset.
(07:00):
I think we was able to hit the reset and start from the bottom up and the kids were hungry to do that.
We go and play Perry in the spring game that first year and you just never know
how those are going to go.
You don't know how spring games are going to go, how they're going to turn out.
Kevin Smith is an unbelievable coach at Perry, and had built a great program,
and it's all I can find for a spring game.
(07:22):
And, you know, good Lord blessed us, and we played really, really well that night. Really well.
And had a great spring game, really moved the ball well and played great.
And that really catapults us in the summer to where these kids believed.
And they were starting to realize from affirmation.
For their work and then when we come out and play Cairo
(07:44):
in game one of year one well that's a big rival
here that's a that's a battle for the bucket and uh
and that means something in this community and they
had had a hard time with them and we come out and had
you know the biggest win in series history then it
was kind of old because at that point now they went
from not hoping but truly believing and always I
(08:05):
always equate it back to a diet you know
if I go on a diet if you put me on on a diet to lose weight and I'm doing
everything you're telling me to do to lose weight and I
know this is sometimes as coaches we hate to
hear this but it's just the truth that you know if you
do this if you do that if you do it and they do it and then
you're on this diet and you don't lose no weight well you're
(08:26):
gonna get off that day gonna die I mean I ain't gonna really believe in this
diet no more but if I'm losing some weight then I'm gonna stay with it like
I got affirmation this works and so many times as coaches I know it you hate
it but the scoreboard matters and And you've got to get some wins because when
they see that, that, yeah, what they're doing,
the work ethic, the way that we do things, the way that we structure stuff and
(08:48):
go is producing the results that you wanted,
then it's a lot easier to push.
And it's a lot easier to buy in with that affirmation. Without that, it does get difficult.
And that's where it's hard is when you're doing all the right things and still
it's slipping through your fingers.
And it happens. I mean, hard work doesn't guarantee success.
(09:10):
But for these young people, it's very important that you get a taste of it,
and that's what matters.
So we were able to do that early, and I think that made a huge impact,
huge impact to getting this thing rolling as early success.
Yeah, so Coach, talk a little bit about, you said fit, right? Right. You just fit.
(09:33):
So obviously you feel like you fit the culture, the community at Thomas County
Central, maybe better than anywhere else you've been.
Maybe I'm wrong in saying that, but you just said it with conviction,
like fit is so important.
Talk about your personality and you and how that meshes so well at Thomas County Central.
(09:55):
Yeah. And then and then I would I would be amiss if I didn't include timing
as well. I mean, I think it's a combination of fit and time.
And you kind of got to have both of those things for a situation to really take
off and be a great situation.
And so here, you know, come in, and we'll back up, you know,
(10:17):
because everybody knows, you know, going to Moultrie,
Another rural place that loves football. I'm a country boy from South Alabama,
so that seems like a great fit for me.
So that's why we chose to go there.
Timing in that situation wasn't great.
And so everybody knew I was coming in after Coach Probst and all the controversy
(10:41):
and kind of turmoil that was left there in that community.
Whether you liked him or you didn't, it didn't have anything to do with me.
And so that was still kind of fractured.
And so we come in there and we coach. We get through the first year and have
a good year and get in there really late and have a successful year that year.
And then, again, because, again, talk about timing. Timing matters.
(11:04):
We go into a worldwide pandemic, 2020.
So kind of hard because I'm a relationship person.
I believe in being part of the community, getting out in the community,
being a vested member of the community. I still think that the role of head
football coach is important in towns.
And so in 2020, not having the opportunity to kind of do that,
(11:28):
to build those relationships,
and to be able to cultivate that really hindered the growth,
the belief, the buy-in, all of the above, you know, there.
And so come back to Central, you know, the job comes open. It came open when I was at Jones County.
(11:48):
Okay, it was the last time it was open when they hired Coach Henderson.
And we had had some success at Jones, and I'd always remembered Central when
I was at Harris, playing them in the region. And I remember telling my wife, even at Jones.
I said, I always thought that'd be a great job and that'd be a great situation.
That Thomasville is such a great town. They love football. It's a great place
(12:09):
to live and raise a family.
And just, man, I think that'd be a great opportunity. And we kicked the tires on maybe applying then.
But just, we didn't think the timing was right. We really enjoyed our time at Jones.
And so we did. So now you fast forward, you know, five, six years later,
and it's open again right down from here, 25 minutes down from where we're living.
(12:31):
And so at that time, we thought that maybe the timing was right now that maybe,
you know, good Lord, open that up for us.
And that is where we was meant to be. So we went to hear him out.
And as soon as I met the administration and superintendent, I realized real
quick, like this was a place that I would really could see myself calling home.
And was just so excited and very fortunate that, you know, they selected me
(12:55):
to be the head football coach and still feel that way.
Man, I feel like the luckiest man, you know, getting to have that second opportunity
to come here because it's a place I thought would be a great fit for me.
And it is. It checks all the boxes.
It's a blue-collar, middle-class-type student, inclined tail,
which is just a great working man.
(13:16):
It's got great administration that supports us and gives us everything.
We're breaking ground next week on a brand new indoor facility,
weight room, cafeteria, locker room, field house, you name it.
Everything we had at Moultrie's, you know, we'll have here.
And so we break ground on that, about a 17-month build for that.
Great town. Just a great town. Very family-oriented town.
(13:39):
I've got an 8-year-old and I got a 5-year-old. I started late in life kind of
raising a family with my wife now.
And so, you know, our plan is we're going to set up some roots right here and
let them go deep and kind of get into this thing and so feel very invested in this community.
And so the fit and the timing, because it was a timing here where they were hungry.
(14:01):
They wanted to see this thing get back. And so the support from day one,
both through just support through time and effort, but also support financially
in the program was just there when you got here.
And our crowds, man, apparently our crowd has gotten notorious this year.
(14:22):
Now, you know, with the horns and all. And so the support and love from them
because of them being so hungry was just unbelievable right from the jump.
And so the fit and the timing of everything just kind of married up really nice with us.
And then vice versa, I think, in the other community. I think Coach Calhoun,
Sean is just doing a phenomenal job in Moultrie.
(14:42):
I think he is a wonderful fit, and I think the timing was great for him to have
a buffer, and now that's truly his program.
And Sean's going to do great there because he is a great coach and a great man. am.
And so I always tell people, you know, in football, there's a winner and a loser.
But in life, there's not always winners and losers. You know,
(15:03):
sometimes everybody wins. And I felt like in this situation for both programs, everybody won.
Yeah, that's awesome. So, Coach, let's talk about your championship run this year.
You know, obviously there in 2022, you guys went 12 and 1.
So talk a little bit about you know
from that last game to the start
of this football season i mean did you feel hey
(15:26):
like we got something really special just kind of talk about the progression
in the offseason leading up to such a special year yeah it was uh now the the
last game last year we we knew we had a good ball team that first year we're
playing at a very high level.
And so we play Roswell in the quarterfinals.
(15:46):
And what a lot of people, you know, don't know, we're up 31-13 at halftime, bud.
And we feel pretty good moving on to the semis. And then in the third,
it was just a weird flute play that happened.
And they were able to hold on to the ball. It was like one of those juggling
catches deal where both guys had it.
(16:07):
And they wound up getting it tightrope, stayed inside, stayed in bounds and ran down and scored.
Kicked off to us. We fumbled the kickoff. They got it inside the 10, round up scoring.
And then we wound up going three and out, and they got the ball,
drove down, scored. And we just could not get a play to stop momentum.
And hats off to Roswell. And, boy, he does a great job over there.
(16:28):
He's done an unbelievable job building that program.
And so they come out with a win. I have to tell that story because what that did, though,
while we sulked in our feelings and cried and felt awful about it,
when we got ready to start in January for the offseason these boys that we had
(16:48):
coming back they knew they belonged.
Not taking anything away from Roswell, we knew we did not play our best ball.
We knew we belong at that level. We can compete at that level.
So now where the year before we wasn't quite there in January,
this bunch come January offseason, they knew they should be there. They belong there.
(17:13):
They let one slip out, and they were hungry not to allow that happen.
So they were very player-driven, a very tight group. and we thought we could be good. We really did.
We just didn't know how good. You lost some big pieces. We had a new quarterback
coming in and so you kind of wondered, lost two big-time receivers and so you wasn't sure.
(17:36):
But what you did have was connectivity and the group was tight together and
they expected to be good and so it just kind of snowballed from a great spring to a great summer.
We had a great start in the first half of the season playing very well at a high level.
When we played really good against Bainbridge this year, which was a great football
team, I think it kind of sent us to another level.
(17:59):
And then when we had the game we had against Houston and Lee,
you know, it really, once you had those two games that got past our region,
and you get out of our region, brother, you did something.
That's something to say just right there.
And so once they did that, I think that's when the confidence got to an all-time
high and we hit the playoffs peaking at the right time.
But while we were peaking to play
(18:22):
we had been a tight tight just family-oriented
group the whole time like this was one of
the most unselfish teams i've ever been a
part of and i've been a part of some really good teams that weren't selfish
that's not a knock on any other team i've ever had because we've we've been
blessed with some really good boys over the years this team though truly did
(18:42):
not care about a stat book who got credit they only wanted to win as a group
and and that was was special.
And I think it was inspiring for us as coaches, because that's a trait.
That you just readily don't see as much of in our society and the disease of
me now that's in our society.
(19:04):
So that was cool. That was awesome to see that in these young people and how
they had bought in to the team-first mentality.
And we all say that, and it's a great slogan, but it was great to see a group
of guys really buy into it and sell out to it.
Talk about the unselfish team. So talk about who you were offensively this year.
(19:26):
And then how, with what you were doing offensively, your team was unselfish.
Yeah, we're still the same offense we've been for quite a few years now.
We're going to be 10, 11, and 12, really based out of 11 and 12,
fast-paced, one-word calls, and RPOs.
(19:48):
And so that's who we are. but you
know just being the way in our quarterback
even though he's a sophomore was just really even
keel he's a little bit of an introvert anyway which is a
unique characteristic to have in a quarterback
when when he has that natural personality of not getting too high anyway which
is great that's what you want and and so he was even killed or running back
(20:11):
was a returning starter but and then receivers we just spread the ball around
and but you never had you we've all had those teams where a guy hadn't touched
the ball early and by the time he's getting to halftime,
maybe he's getting antsy because he hadn't touched it at all and not really
saying nothing, but you can tell by body language sometimes people getting frustrated with that.
(20:34):
We never had that. There was games where our number one receiver might not catch
a ball and then he would just be just as happy as if he games that he called
seven because there were games he did that and vice versa while running back.
Just never really being in there where he was chasing stats or guard lines or numbers or.
(20:55):
And God, man, I feel like I'm not giving anything worth the crap because I'm
giving a bunch of cliches. But, man, we just really did have such a unique group
of guys that we didn't even have to sell it that hard to them.
They were bought into that idea, just taking what the defense gives you and
working hard for each other.
But offensively, that's what we are. We've been that since the Griffin days.
(21:20):
Now we're a lot more tight end and 12 personnel now since Moultrie.
I kind of got into that at Moultrie and carried it over here.
I really like that. I like the run game that you can get out of 11 and 12.
So we kind of get into that a lot more than 10 now and playing fast.
I really believe in playing fast and having a lot of one-word calls.
(21:41):
No, I think what you said is extremely valuable to understand.
Your leading wide receiver in one game might not catch a ball in the next game,
and he's completely satisfied with that because when you have a really good
team, but you have that guy who is selfish,
he can tear the team apart.
(22:02):
And we've all seen teams like that. We've all been on teams like that,
coached teams like that.
And so it just really kind of speaks to, I always say, what is team chemistry?
Like, what is that? Like, is that even a thing? But it is a thing,
and it's selflessness. And it's fragile.
Right. It's very fragile. And yeah, I mean, it's so like, if you,
(22:22):
if you have that, I mean, you're talking about, I mean, you went 15 and 0, you didn't lose a game.
And, you know, and, and, and you're going to, you have pivotal moments of each
game where, I mean, a bad attitude can, can change the outcome of the game.
So, you know, it's, it's, it's really cool to just talk about that because those are important.
(22:44):
I know me as a coach, Coach, if I watch film and I see their best player upset on the sideline on film.
I know if I eliminate that player in the game, put all my resources to eliminate
that player, he will implode on the sideline and he will destroy the team.
(23:06):
And that just speaks to why you guys were so good this year.
So let me ask you this, Coach.
So 15-0 State Championship. I want to add this real quick, though. Yeah, go ahead.
So the same kid, our number one receiver last year that played,
he is a junior, a sophomore.
He's a sophomore. He's going to come back and be a junior.
(23:28):
We pulled him in the office the first of January and said, hey,
man, we're going to move you to linebacker to play the nickel next year on defense
because we think it would be better for the team to do that.
And, yes, sir, coach, sounds good, wherever you want to play me.
That's your number one receiver from last year.
Yeah, that's awesome. I know, right? Man, I'm telling you, I get chills.
(23:49):
It's just – but we have a big deal here.
I've been saying this. I give credit to Will Orban. Will Orban kind of introduced
me to this saying back in 2010, and I've carried it with me every team I've
went to. Every team can recite it back to me.
But it's so true. A coach-driven team can be good.
And we're going to be coach-driven because we get paid to do this.
(24:11):
And we'll do things to drive us to make sure we're good. but a player-driven team can be great.
And in order to win it all, you better have players driving the culture,
being unselfish, and really wanting to not let each other down.
And that's the key. Now, that's the holy grail. There's no magic way to get there.
(24:33):
There's no one way to get there, but we all got to try to get there to where
the players are buying in and taking ownership.
And until you get there, it's hard to really be great.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, you know, Coach, I started this podcast a long time ago.
And the reason why I started it, because you're a reader, I would read books.
And all the books are is people who had went and interviewed successful people
(24:56):
or successful organizations.
And they put all the data together. They compile everything.
And I think what's fun about this and talking to you is like,
what is team chemistry, right?
I mean, you're talking a little culture. All these are cliche words
but these are these are things that win
and what are they how do i get it like i mean so i could ask you this like i
(25:22):
mean do you think that you did anything specific or what was your strategy to
get it to be so player driven and not coach driven.
That's a good question. Given, first off, looking for teachable moments.
Because there's so many times when there's a lesson there that you can teach
(25:47):
off something that happens and you got to be ready to ad lib and just teach in that moment.
Like, I like the character ed stuff and I like the stuff that's just kind of ready to roll out.
Week one, we're going to talk about this. Week two, we're going to talk about this.
Week three, I mean, that's good. But you better make the most of the teachable
moments in real time when the behaviors happen, both good, acknowledging,
(26:12):
hey, look what he just did in that grade. That's what we want on our team.
That's going to make us better and really promoting that.
But then also negative and, hey, we can't have this. See how this gets hurt.
Like, I think that teaching in real time is so important.
And I like a system. I love systems. I think I'm a system-based guy when I install.
(26:34):
But I think when it comes to – it's like raising my own son,
right? I can't go in there with a system to raise my son.
I can't go in there today and say, hey, we're on this chapter of me teaching you character.
But, you know, if he don't clean up his – this morning he didn't take the dog out.
I had to go, hey, man, I take the dog out. You want the dog?
That's personal. You've already got your eight-year-old taking the dog out.
You should – I can't get my 11-year-old to do that.
(26:56):
Yeah, I'm like, man, you wanted this dog now. This ain't my dog. It's yours.
And so I'm teaching responsibility in this moment this morning that I didn't
do it. It wasn't planned out.
And I think building a culture and teaching character has to be taught in real time.
And again, I'm not taking anything away from the character resources and things like that.
And I do a daily motivational with our guys.
(27:20):
But I think looking for the teachable moments and no different than raising children.
It's an art, man. It ain't a science. Okay. There's not going to be an X plus Y equals Z.
You're going to be feeling your way through. I like to coach one time, it's a daily fist fight.
I mean, you're looking for opportunities to grow. And then the next thing is,
(27:40):
is trying like crazy to teach with the carrot and motivate with the carrot.
There's going to be a time where you have to motivate with the rod and you have
to discipline and you have to be firm. And we have to do that in our own household.
But motivation with the carrot and motivation through positive reinforcement.
Has definitely got a better chance for long-lasting because that's when it's their decision to do it.
(28:06):
That's when they're becoming player-driven. and they're doing it because
they want to do it because of the incentive and the things
it gives them instead of doing it because you said so and so you've got to get
it there but you got to look for those opportunities so i mean i i think we
do a good job of looking for i had a teachable moment this morning in first
period with a kid on some things and and when you get that moment,
(28:30):
teach the whole group you know don't be scared to call it out and confront it
when it's bad but also So please acknowledge and motivate it and let everyone know when it's good.
Right. Here's something I was thinking about, and I want you to talk about this,
and I guarantee that you have somewhat of a strategy or you do it well.
(28:51):
But I think one of the ways that you have got to cultivate a spirit or culture
of selflessness is, yes,
with your players, but you also have to invest in building relationships with
the parents because that's where the selfishness can get all out of whack as
(29:14):
well. Talk a little bit about that.
There's no doubt. Well, you know, we're all parents, you know.
Most of us have kids. I mean, I've got mine.
I go to the YMCA basketball game, and they sub Cooper out of the basketball game.
I'm sitting in the crowd, too, like, man, what's this little Cooper out for?
You know, so we all got that as parents.
(29:35):
So, obviously, our parents are going to have that same thing if that's their
baby. So, no, obviously being able to communicate, express genuine concern for all of them.
But at the same token, also acknowledging the role, which is,
you know, on Friday nights to win football games, you know.
(29:56):
And so I think being transparent and authentic to parents is very vital.
That's always, I'm an open book. I'm very transparent.
You know, sometimes that's been good for me. I mean, sometimes I hadn't been,
but it's who I am. I try to always be that way.
I think over-communicating with your parents is great.
(30:17):
Now, I have to brag on my wife on that.
My wife, Melissa, who we are definitely a partner deal. We've been together.
John's corporate here. We got married my first year as a head coach.
But she has done really good at always doing those communication pieces and
sharing info and things like that with our parents.
(30:39):
Because as coaches, sometimes we get bogged down and forget about that.
And Lord knows teenage boys don't communicate nothing.
But I think being authentic when you have those parent meetings.
Being transparent in a concerning way.
I mean, even if you've got to say something harsh and you've got to say something
(31:01):
direct, you can still do it in a very constructive way and be articulate about
it to make it where it ain't so bad.
You know what I mean? We don't have to be confrontational.
No, absolutely. Well, Coach, here's my last question for you and might not even
be one that you've thought about or you might not struggle with this, but I know this.
(31:22):
I mean, you win the state championship, you're 15-0, and you're enjoying it.
But here you are. I know that you're working your tail off right now to try to win it again in 2024.
And I always found such a struggle between the joy in the success, success,
(31:44):
the joy in the process, but then battling that with, man, you're constantly striving,
you know, like you just won one. Now you want two. You're going to win two.
You're going to want three.
What are some ways that you balance yourself out?
Yeah, I'm probably not the best one to answer on this one. Nobody is.
(32:09):
I'm getting better. I am. I'm getting better.
Unfortunately, I tell people all this, I battle this demon, and I do think I
am getting better at it. I'm nowhere cured.
But unfortunately, I know I'm motivated, and I bet you a lot of coaches will admit this deep down.
I'm motivated by the fear of failure way more than the pride of joy from success. Yes.
(32:36):
I am always so scared of failing and the feelings that come from that way more
than the prize that comes at the end.
And that's an unhealthy way to have motivation and not good.
And so I'm always battling that, and I think I've got a lot better at that. I love the process.
I'm that weird coach. I tell people this all the time. It's the truth.
(32:59):
I would coach football and never play a game.
I'd be happy with that. Yeah. I can go to practice, go to the weight room,
work on getting faster and stronger, work on installing plays,
and never have a Friday night to go play.
I could do that and enjoy it. I like that. I like the growth of a man.
I love to see him improve and things like that.
(33:20):
It is truly enjoyable to me. I don't have no hobbies.
I don't golf. I don't fish. I don't hunt. I love spending time with my family.
Boat me a dead gum travel trailer, man.
I'm thinking to get into the camping world, baby. to get you some of that because
I want to spend time with them.
And so I want to spend quality time when I'm away. I'm trying to do a better job with that.
(33:41):
But this is, I'm blessed, man. I get to work a job that I truly love.
Like I love being around young people and they're teenagers and we were all
teenagers and they do teenager stuff.
But man, it's just so much fun to see the growth in them and to see them evolve
from these young teenagers that's 14 years old to these young men that are 18
(34:05):
when they leave you. And then football is just such a great sport.
And so I love being a part of that because football has so many transferable skills.
I mean, the skills you learn playing football and the brotherhood you have.
Is transferable to anything you're going to do. I mean, the area of toughness,
having mental toughness of doing what's right, not what's easy is a skill that
(34:27):
it doesn't matter what you choose in the rest of your life.
That skill will carry you. Heck, if you're going to be a husband,
a father, you better have toughness, you know, to be able to get through some difficult times.
The idea of discipline, you know, being able to do what you say you're going
to do is a transferable skill.
And then the camaraderie of a football locker room, brother.
Brother, if America could ever figure out and see what that felt like,
(34:51):
we could solve a lot of problems.
Because in that football locker room, it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor.
It doesn't matter if you're black or white, Hispanic.
It doesn't matter if you're a big guy, small guy, fast guy, slow guy, powerful guy, weak guy.
In that locker room, man, we all just want the same thing. And we all just trying
(35:12):
to get there together and survive camp and survive the the summer heat,
and just be in this, and how can you help me?
And Bill Curry's book is phenomenal if you've never read it,
The Guys You Meet in the Huddle.
And I just think football embodies all that is good in our world.
And so that's why I just love what I do.
(35:34):
You say getting motivated for the next one. We have a mantra that we've had
with us since 2012 that Griffin win today.
Day and it ain't a slogan on a t-shirt for me it's a belief system and it's
trying to have just the best day i can have today and and being truly invested
in the things that i'm doing today and i'm involved in and.
(35:57):
If you'll do that day in, day out, and it sounds simple, but it's really hard
to do, even though it sounds like such a simple concept.
But if you will do that, things typically work out.
Coach, the hardest thing in life is to be consistent. You talked about a diet earlier.
The reason why most people can't lose weight is not because they don't know
(36:17):
how, it's because they won't be consistent. Same thing with kids in the weight
room, all this kind of stuff.
All right, last question for you. what's one thing one
way it could be anything that you are trying to
get better could be your football team could be you as a coach
whatever in 2024 what do you want to
be better at oh man that's a that's
a great question there too what do we need to get better at i mean i just spontaneous
(36:43):
question you know like what's like because it's kind of like when you ask spontaneous
it's like what have you been thinking about like yeah right now the thing i
can it's It's consistency.
I mean, but I don't want to get that answer because we just talked about it.
So it seems like a cop out. And so feel free to ask me another question.
But I mean, really, that is it. I mean, that is the holy grail.
(37:03):
That is what you're fighting for.
That's the thing that you're trying to get is being at that consistent level
that, you know, the old superintendent I worked for that always used to say
it, I've stolen it. It ain't how good you are in your good days.
It's how good you are in your bad days.
And so and that's consistency. I mean, that's a consistency question saying
that, you know, can you still bring great energy, excitement,
(37:27):
motivation, and then also not only that, be educated. Like, you got to know your stuff now.
I mean, you can't go out there and be a rah-rah guy. You better know your X
and O's. You better know your technique, foot placement, hand placement, eye placement.
And so can you stay at the, ahead of the curve?
Because that's me running into some film study and stuff. Because I'll,
you know, I tell my kids, I mean, I get up at five and I'm always,
(37:48):
I read read a chapter in a book, and then I'll usually watch a video on some
kind of technique that I'm in the process of studying. Like right now,
I'm looking at wide receiver development.
And I've watched videos my whole life, but I always feel like I got to grow. I got to improve.
I got to invest in me. If I tell my kids they got to do that,
then I'm a hypocrite if I ain't trying to grow and improve at 45.
(38:11):
So being consistent of having a growth mindset is It's something that I know
I want to continue to get better at and improve.
And I think if I can embody that in our young people to improve there,
to be consistent and have that growth mindset of every day striving to be better,
you know, then offense, defense, special teams, getting bigger, faster, stronger.
(38:32):
I mean, all those things that normal people would say that they want to improve
on, well, those things are a byproduct of the growth mindset and consistently striving to get better.
I know that's not like a pop-out answer. No, that's a good answer.
But I think it's the truth.
Hey, listen, this thing, for me, it's all about finding little things from people
(38:57):
to help me get better, help other people get better, and just a source of encouragement.
And, you know, I think I say, you know, like there's five things.
Like there's consistency, there's commitment, there's intensity,
there's execution, and there's perseverance. And those sound simple, right?
But to wake up and give your best every single day, like you're talking about
(39:17):
win the day, like that is hard.
Like it's easy to talk about. It's hard to do.
It is. We have a saying that we always talk about. We don't need to know more.
We need to do more. Isn't that pretty much everybody in the world right now?
Yep. We don't need to know more. Lord, we know what we need to do in order to
live a fulfilling life and be successful at the same time.
(39:41):
It's will we do it day in, day out, or do we give in to our feelings when we
get the poor means? And look, now, I'm guilty now.
Don't look up here like I got this thing figured out because I got these same
battles and demons I have to fight day in, day out when my feelings try to get the best of me.
That's right. Right. But, you know, and that's that's cool that,
you know, you're raising up a group there at the boys that you coach and you're
(40:04):
teaching them how to win the day and suck up, suck up their feelings and and get after it.
Well, coach, you know, it's it's it's been a pleasure. I don't want to waste
any more of your time. I'm so thankful that you came on.
Wish you nothing but the best of luck here in 2024.
If you don't mind, I'd like to pray for us as we end. Yes, sir.
(40:25):
Absolutely love it. In fact, I'm glad you're back doing this again.
I'm a big podcast guy when I drive into work.
So I take my son Cooper to work every day, so he has to listen to it.
So he's already listened to Kevin Smith's, and we listened to Bond's this morning driving in.
So I've enjoyed listening to your podcast too, brother. So I appreciate what you're doing.
Yes, sir. Thanks, man. All right, let's pray. Lord, we're coming for you today.
(40:47):
I just want to praise and thank you for loving us, Lord.
Praise and thank you for dying on the cross for our sins. Lord,
I just praise and thank you for coaches like Coach Rogers and just everything
that he stands for, Lord, and what he's teaching those boys and what he means
to the community there at Thomas County Central.
Praise and thank you for just a great season that he had.
I know I enjoyed watching the state championship game. It's the first time I
(41:11):
got to watch his team this year.
And I just really appreciate how he carries himself and what a great example
he is for other coaches across the state and even country. Lord,
just continue to bless his efforts, bless his and bless all the people at Thomas County Central.
Lord, we love you and praise you in Jesus' name. Amen. Coach,
appreciate it. Thank you, brother. Yes, sir.
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