Since taking the reigns in 2007, Coach Bo Atterberry has been on a mission to restore the Javelinas to national prominence. Atterberry produced a winning record in 2008 and is undefeated through four games this season.
Read more about this up-and-comer in Coach Insider.
What coach did you most admire growing up and why?
No doubt it would have to be my father. I feel very fortunate to have grown up as a coach's son. The impact it had on me was awesome, being able to be around the profession from a young age and see the impact coaches can have on the lives of student-athletes was priceless.
How do you define your responsibility as a football coach?
It is to provide the student-athlete with the best environment to reach their full potential in the classroom, community, and on the field.
Your team altered its schedule last year due to Hurricane Rita – starting with four games on the road – and performed admirably under the circumstances. Does adversity off the field encourage your team to perform better on the field?
We try to encourage our athletes to look at all adverse situations as opportunities to grow. It's too easy to get caught up in the problem; we try to look for solutions.
What are the top three things you demand from your student-athletes?
Class attendance, great effort, and great attitude. It doesn't take any athletic ability to do any of those three things.
Do you require your football players to volunteer in the community? If yes, what are the requirements?
We have one of the greatest communities in college football. We are among the leaders in community engagement for Division II. The only requirements are show up with a great attitude, give great effort, and be respectful.
If you could add any collegiate head coach to your staff, who would it be and why?
It would probably have to be Bob Stoops. I don't know Coach Stoops that well, but when I was coaching high school football in Oklahoma I was able to hear him speak a few times and was very impressed. The most impressive thing was that he made himself available after the clinics, and you could just tell there was something special about Coach Stoops. Of course if we couldn't come up with a package comparable to what he is getting at Oklahoma I can think of a lot of other coaches that do a great job in college football.
If you were evaluating game film of yourself as a high school senior, would that player be recruited to play for the Javelinas program today?
I would probably save myself a walk-on spot. The players we have today are much better than I was as a player.
What are some unusual pre-game rituals or superstitions performed by you or your players (past or present)?
I always get stuck eating at the same spots all week during the season. The bad thing is I really like pizza so in season I could end up eating it like 7 or 8 different times a week if we get on a roll.
What is your favorite guilty pleasure junk food?
Pizza.
What is one thing that your players would be surprised to learn about you?
I am not sure how surprised they would be after these three years, I tell them just about everything. I guess they may be surprised that when I get home late I like to watch a little TV to unwind. The surprising thing is I usually end up stuck on a show like the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Flavor of Love, Real World, or some other reality show. Crazy huh? I don't know, the remote just seems to quit working when I hit those shows.
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