Coaches: Did you play college football?

[LR05]

I am considering becoming a coach one day, and I was wondering how many of you played college football, and where?

I was going to try to walk-on at my current school, but for different reasons I am going to have to transfer to UCA. While I think I would have had a shot to walk-on straight out of high school at UCA, I doubt that they are the type of program that would let me come out for spring ball. So, I was wondering: will I have credibility issues trying to coach without having played college football?

[Lions84]

Nope I had an academic scholarship to UALR and I was too poor back then to try and walk on even though I got 2 offers to walk on.

[-Painted Fan-]

Charleston Tigers coach Wood played at UCA, coach Loughridge played at Ark Tech, and former coach/ now principal Storey played at the U of A.

[Fife1]

I never played college football and did not play my senior year of high school (shoulder). I've been coaching for 7 years now and been a Def. Coord for all but 2 of those years. I did though volunteer coach for 2 years in college and that gave me a foot in the door and a little experience on my resume.

[Captain_Caveman]

I played at UCA as a freshman and was hurt in spring practice.  Ended my playing career, but put me on track in the coaching field.  One of our other coaches played at Arkansas and Coach Stanley played at Arkansas Tech.

[5aFan]

Just some of the Mountain Home coaches that played college ball:

Head Coach-Shane Patrick-SAU
Defensive Coordinator-Robert Johnson-SAU
Randy Barnhill-ASU
William Frazier-UCA
Jason Gentry-UAPB

[Qb12]

Cedarvilles Coach Ray played at obu.  He was a 3 year starter and is coaching  the Cedarville  pirates to thier first playoff game in like forever.  He also lead Southside to a conference championship his senior season, not many people wear a cahmpionship ring around and can say they were the starting Qb!

[RedskinFever]

Well it certainly doesn't hurt, but it's not exactly a requirement either. Competence and knowledge of the game is really more important than anything. If you've got that then your resume will likely reflect that.

[Football Coach]

It would help you get your foot in the door, after that you will be judged on your coaching.

[#1 STUNNA]

bo hembree played at uca
coach branch uca
coach ellis obu
coach brown uam
coach avery hsu

[wildcats22]

Coach James Hemphill at Lr Episcopal played to LSU and then he went on to play professional football he is a linebackers and rurnningbacks coach and he is huge

[wildcats22]

and coach hemphill also played major league baseball

[idontthinkso?]

i know CACs whole coaching staff played college football at at least d-II schools

[bigfatguy]

Coach Dauksch from West Memphis played at Harding.

[Football Coach]

3 of the coaches at HA played football at Harding and 1 was on the track and field team

[bigduck]

bo hembree played at uca
coach branch uca
coach ellis obu
coach brown uam
coach avery hsu

Bo Hembree and Zack Branch never played football @ UCA. They went to a couple of practices, got there pictures made, and quit.

[keystonelight]

There are more high school football coaches that didn't play in college than there are that played in college. In this day and age an ambitious student's access to information is tremendous. Video and print instruction on fundamentals, strategy, organization, any facet of coaching you might be interested in can be found. The difference is are you one who is content with knowing just enough to get by or in trying to be the best you can be?

[Rikitikitavi]

There are more high school football coaches that didn't play in college than there are that played in college. In this day and age an ambitious student's access to information is tremendous. Video and print instruction on fundamentals, strategy, organization, any facet of coaching you might be interested in can be found. The difference is are you one who is content with knowing just enough to get by or in trying to be the best you can be?

Sounds like you know something about coaching.

[Billy Bob]

Coach Michael Johnson at Ozark played for Ouchita Baptist.

[bwinn33]

I am not sure about most coaches not playing college football?, but most did play in high school and were considerably good.  It does help if you played in college, because of better references, i.e.  college coaches. 

[arreferee]

I am considering becoming a coach one day, and I was wondering how many of you played college football, and where?

I was going to try to walk-on at my current school, but for different reasons I am going to have to transfer to UCA. While I think I would have had a shot to walk-on straight out of high school at UCA, I doubt that they are the type of program that would let me come out for spring ball. So, I was wondering: will I have credibility issues trying to coach without having played college football?

Since you will be at UCA and want to be a coach, you might try to get in touch with Coach Conque and tell him your plans.  He might be willing to let you hang around and learn from him and his staff.  I'm sure he could use another waterboy/manager to help out with the team.  Anyone who truly wants to learn and work would be a benefit to any coaching staff.

[chilly gilly]

AWWW MAN! THATS KOLD!

bo hembree played at uca
coach branch uca
coach ellis obu
coach brown uam
coach avery hsu

Bo Hembree and Zack Branch never played football @ UCA. They went to a couple of practices, got there pictures made, and quit.

[wideout88]

I thought the question was if you coaches played college football, not something between AAAAA and AAAA high school football.

[Bobcat_Pride]

You can play football in college and not be really football smart, coaching is more about x's and o's than about being able to go to another level and play, you have to be able to teach it to somebody. I want to be a coach, and hopefully will be going to UCA next year to take care of that. There is way more to coaching than being able to play, because i know alot of guys that can play that would be horrible coaches.

[footballfan-tastic]

Some very good players turned out to be not very good coaches and some very good coaches didn't play very much or very well.  I think it would be the same in any profession, how much you study your craft and work to improve.  Apply what you know and make the right connections.

[futurecoach]

I never played college ball and played really only 1 year of high school.  However, I have worked to learn what I know and I realize that I have ALOT more to learn.  I coach jr high wide receivers right now and it can be a challenge but I love it.  College playing experience isn't the career roadblock it used to be.  Just a couple of names to remember, Charlie Weiss and Dennis Franchione, neither played a down of college football and they are pretty successful.