Paragould Head Football Job

nuttinbuthogs · February 13, 2016, 09:25:12 am

Doesn't seem to be any real word out on this job.

bigchief72455 · February 14, 2016, 09:16:03 am

I was reading on Facebook the congratulations for an assistant that got the job. So they just promoted from within.

Grond · February 14, 2016, 02:51:07 pm

The Paragould Daily Press reported today [2/14/16] the assistant coach Michael Sloas was hired as the new head coach for Paragould.

Sloas became a Paragould junior high coach in 1997, and was a jr. high head coach for 10 years. He was moved up to the senior high in 2009.

Sloas stated that one of his initial goals was to increase the number of players in the Paragould football program.

The article also reported that there were 32 applicants for the position.

nuttinbuthogs · February 14, 2016, 07:06:56 pm

So does anyone know much about the new guy. Sure wasn't much noise about this job.

Pat Swilling · February 15, 2016, 08:44:37 am

Really? this doesn't make sense to me. Hope I am wrong.

GotInfo? · February 16, 2016, 09:25:08 am

Surprised but not shocked....
Second verse, same as the first...

Pat Swilling · February 16, 2016, 09:39:41 am

Quote from: GotInfo? on February 16, 2016, 09:25:08 am
Surprised but not shocked....
Second verse, same as the first...

+1

MikeDiesel™ · February 16, 2016, 09:55:10 am

I don't know this new coach at all, but this is the process that Blytheville took with hiring Coach Fisher. He knew the kids, the community, their families, and cared deeply about them. He 'worked his way up' in Blytheville having been the elementary PE teacher for this year's seniors and then coaching them in jr. high and moving up to coach them in high school.

It doesn't always take a 'fancy' hire from outside to change the culture.

nuttinbuthogs · February 16, 2016, 08:29:26 pm

You never know what a school board, superintendent, AD, principal, group of parents may want. You hear, old and established, young and exciting, spread guy, guy from in house, guy from outside. I wonder how they come to the decision in some of these cases.

ASURedWolf6 · February 17, 2016, 11:36:05 pm

I think Coach Sloas is an excellent hire.. Been in the program for almost 20 years now he gets his shot. He'll be fired up and ready to turn that program around, he just better hope he's got some (more) kids that are willing to work hard enough to do so.

tmycjy · February 21, 2016, 09:07:47 am

So what offense and defense is he going to run

Grond · February 21, 2016, 11:55:43 am

Quote from: tmycjy on February 21, 2016, 09:07:47 am
So what offense and defense is he going to run

Paragould made some offensive/defensive changes in 2014 that helped make them more competitive. Using an "Auburn" style offense with a 4-man front on defense. It seems there have been quite a few games where, with a little luck, Paragould would have won.

The challenge for Coach Sloas and the Paragould staff will be how to MAKE that "little bit of luck". Paragould is not a "wasteland" of talent; in fact, the coaching staff has consistently produced good linemen. (And you have to MAKE linemen; you can't just go pick them off a tree.) Should they run a QB under center, so a runningback can hit the line faster? More short passing game? Run the old 6-man line sometimes? I don't know. So much of this depends on available personnel, and what you can get that personnel to do.

Each high school is its own particular "environment", requiring a special combination in order to improve. Batesville and Wynne have been very successful, but I am not sure their method will work at Paragould. Does Paragould football need a new model, with a Facebook page, and parent/coach meetings, and grade school recruiting? Each of these choices have their pros & cons.

I wish them success.

nuttinbuthogs · February 21, 2016, 03:19:58 pm

It is nice to see a guy already in the program get a chance to lead it. Now how will he make his mark on the program. Will he be able to be his own man?

bigchief72455 · February 29, 2016, 02:09:41 pm

Out of 32 applicants was he the best program choice of payroll choice. It is nice to promote from within but that program needs a shaking up. They have the talent available. Just look at their other sports programs. If the team had low numbers with him as an assistant, how will it grow with him as the HC? You just can't hang your hat on beating Tech every few years.

bigchief72455 · March 01, 2016, 12:47:57 pm

I also just read an article stating that Paragould's band has over 400 students. That is impressive. Their facebook page is #2 in the nation for school pages. So apparently there is support in the system some where.

ricepig · March 01, 2016, 02:56:17 pm

Quote from: bigchief72455 on March 01, 2016, 12:47:57 pm
I also just read an article stating that Paragould's band has over 400 students. That is impressive. Their facebook page is #2 in the nation for school pages. So apparently there is support in the system some where.

Hmm, there's only 638.67 students, so over 62% of the student body is in the band?

bigchief72455 · March 01, 2016, 03:01:58 pm

Quote from: ricepig on March 01, 2016, 02:56:17 pm

Hmm, there's only 638.67 students, so over 62% of the student body is in the band?

7th through 12th. But still impressive. Especially when the total 8 years ago was 140.

ricepig · March 01, 2016, 03:10:01 pm

Quote from: bigchief72455 on March 01, 2016, 03:01:58 pm
7th through 12th. But still impressive. Especially when the total 8 years ago was 140.

I guess it's impressive, if you like the band, lol.

Grond · March 01, 2016, 05:05:47 pm

Quote from: bigchief72455 on March 01, 2016, 12:47:57 pm
I also just read an article stating that Paragould's band has over 400 students. That is impressive. Their facebook page is #2 in the nation for school pages. So apparently there is support in the system some where.

This is correct. The Paragould "Pride" Band is highly successful in training and recruiting. And they work their tails off. It is a year-round dedication.

The "400" number is 7th thru 12th grade, although this represents a large group of 7th & 8th graders. The band in 2015 had 150 members, 9th thru 12th.

ricepig · March 01, 2016, 07:00:10 pm

Quote from: Grond on March 01, 2016, 05:05:47 pm
This is correct. The Paragould "Pride" Band is highly successful in training and recruiting. And they work their tails off. It is a year-round dedication.

The "400" number is 7th thru 12th grade, although this represents a large group of 7th & 8th graders. The band in 2015 had 150 members, 9th thru 12th.

Yeah, my kids either had to do band or choir in Jr high, I lucky only ended up with one tenor saxophone for 7th and 8th grades. The other two participated in choir, for their credit/class.

bigchief72455 · March 02, 2016, 08:15:14 am

There is a dark cloud that hangs over the Paragould football program. It has hung there for quite some time. It is hard to jump start a program that has had a lengthy history of losing season after losing season. Nobody feels inspired to jump on board and lets face it, WINNING is a very important thing to people. Repeated success attracts more talented individuals. The young men on that roster work hard but they need help. They need more like minded students to get on board and they need a student body that backs them all the way. I hope that promoting from with in was the smart call. Sometimes it takes a set of fresh eyes to see what needs to be done. Thus far it seems that the football program is the weak link in the entire extra curricular athletics line up. I guess the next few seasons will show if this coaching change was a smart one or not.

Pat Swilling · March 02, 2016, 08:23:41 am

Quote from: bigchief72455 on March 02, 2016, 08:15:14 am
There is a dark cloud that hangs over the Paragould football program. It has hung there for quite some time. It is hard to jump start a program that has had a lengthy history of losing season after losing season. Nobody feels inspired to jump on board and lets face it, WINNING is a very important thing to people. Repeated success attracts more talented individuals. The young men on that roster work hard but they need help. They need more like minded students to get on board and they need a student body that backs them all the way. I hope that promoting from with in was the smart call. Sometimes it takes a set of fresh eyes to see what needs to be done. Thus far it seems that the football program is the weak link in the entire extra curricular athletics line up. I guess the next few seasons will show if this coaching change was a smart one or not.

Good quote!

whippersnapper · March 02, 2016, 08:36:02 am

I know the late Coach Bill Keedy was there for a few years in the 70s. I think he had a couple 10-1 conference championship teams. Lost in the first round both years.

nuttinbuthogs · March 03, 2016, 06:53:53 pm

Quote from: ricepig on March 01, 2016, 07:00:10 pm
Yeah, my kids either had to do band or choir in Jr high, I lucky only ended up with one tenor saxophone for 7th and 8th grades. The other two participated in choir, for their credit/class.

So are you saying they "had" to go choir or band? Is that school policy? Wow, if the school said kids had to go football or basketball just think of how many kids would be out?

ricepig · March 03, 2016, 07:23:09 pm

Quote from: nuttinbuthogs on March 03, 2016, 06:53:53 pm
So are you saying they "had" to go choir or band? Is that school policy? Wow, if the school said kids had to go football or basketball just think of how many kids would be out?

Well.......it seemed like it, haha. Maybe it was their mother??