Q&A With Honaker's Doug Hubbard

[hhstigerfan 12]

This is the first part of a 3 part series where the Lebanon News has a little Q/A session with all three of Russell County's head football coaches. This coming Wednesday will be Lebanon's John Adams and Wednesday after next will be David Scammell of Castlewood.

 

Football practice begins Monday; August 1.Honaker football coach Doug Hubbard begins his 23rd year as head coach of the Tigers. Lebanon News Sports Editor Anthony Stevens spoke with Coach Hubbard recently about the upcoming season.

 

Q: Although you lost some outstanding football talent to graduation, you’re also going to be returning a solid nucleus with the opportunity to have an outstanding football team. What is the outlook for the 2005 Tiger football season?

 

A: We are all excited. We lost some talented kids and good football players but you do that every year in high school ball. We bring back a really good nucleus so we’re excited. But it doesn’t guarantee success. You have to practice hard and work hard. If they do that we have the chance of having a good football team.

 

Q: Practice starts on August 1, what are the important questions that have to be answered in the preseason?

 

A: Number one is finding quality depth. We have a few roles that people have to improve in. We have to develop some young kids that can come in and give us some help at critical times and be a positive contributor.

 

Q: Of course each team works in the weight room attends camps and does a lot in the off season. Have you been pleased with your work over the summer?

 

A: I don’t know if any coach is ever pleased. Some of kids worked hard, and some didn’t. We had some kids that needed to work and improve and they didn’t do a whole lot. Every coach wishes his team would have done more. We could have worked harder.

 

Q: What do you see as the strengths of the team this year?

 

A: We have nine kids back on offense including five linemen so that has to be a strength. Our fullback, tailback and quarterback have a year’s experience and a year to improve. As far as the strength of your team I always look at the offensive and defensive line. I like the offensive line and I have to worry about our defensive line because we will be replacing some people. But I think we will have some kids step in on defense and do a good job.

 

Q: Quarterback Andrew Bostic returns for his senior season with a year’s experience as a starter. How big of a key will he be to your season?

 

A: He’s such an athlete and is really good in space. Anytime you have an athlete as quick as he is you want him to have the ball. In addition to quarterback, he’ll play defense and return kicks. He will be a huge key to what we do.

 

Q: Last year an 8-2 record and a BDD championship. In the BDD it always comes down to Honaker and Haysi and 2005 shouldn’t be any different. Is everything on the line with the trip to Dickenson County this year?

 

A: I think so. Even though they lost (quarterback Jacob) Colley they have some really talented kids returning. Haysi will have a much better team than most people think. They will be big and have speed. I expect Haysi to have a really good football team and whoever wins that game will have the inside track.

 

Q: You advanced to the playoffs last year before falling to Gate City when the Blue Devils scored a last minute touchdown. Will that game affect this year?

 

A: You take a team with as many new starters as we had last year you have to be really pleased with where we got to. We thought we should have won that game. We don’t want to just make the playoffs, we want to do something. We lost in the last 40 seconds and this year we have to win that game. Our goal is set on winning the BDD this year. That should be every team’s goal right now (to win their district title). You start with the district championship and a lot of work has to be done to accomplish that.

 

Q: The Blue Devils will again be tough. Who do you see as the strong teams in Region D?

 

A: I feel that Gate City, Powell Valley, Haysi and Honaker have been the four premier teams in Division 2. Clintwood made a good run last year and J.J. Kelly was down last year. All those teams should be in contention.