Gene Cathcart, Loganville head coach
Today’s interviewee is Loganville coach Gene Cathcart, whose team defeated Clarke Central 51-50 last week after falling behind 50-39 with 2:44 left. Loganville scored with 1:02 remaining, recovered an onside kick and, with no timeouts, scored again with 32 seconds left. Brody Hannah passed for 553 yards and seven touchdowns. Ahmed Souare had 13 receptions for 290 yards and four touchdowns. Cathcart is back in coaching after a year off. He previously coached at Jefferson, Habersham Central and Greenwood, S.C., and won two region titles at each.
1. How do you explain a game like that? What led to all the fireworks? “For us, the season has brought adversity with injuries to our captain and best OL/DL Dylan Robbins, our leading tackler and college prospect LB Luke Culbertson and our starting RB Chris Wilson as well as a few other key players. Defensively, coach Ryan Angel and his staff have done a great job even being depleted, and there were some key injuries for Clarke as well Friday. We try to pride ourselves on being comfortable in any style of game that unfolds, and it seemed like Friday night was one of those shootouts with over 100 points and over 1,000 yards. I was so very proud of how we held together after a five-turnover loss to a very good Eastside team and a heartbreaking loss to Winder-Barrow. Our defense held them to some key field goals and scored a huge defensive touchdown, and we executed a successful onside kick by our kicker Devin Pugh. Working with young people, you can preach that faith is belief in what is not seen, but it was good this Friday that they could see evidence that hopefully helps strengthen their faith in what we are doing. To win heads and hearts is sometimes like a jury trial – some good evidence sure helps.”
2. Your offense at Loganville is obviously much different than the one at Jefferson. [Loganville passed for more yards in this game, 553, than Jefferson did, 243, for the entire 2021 season. Why? “I have been blessed to be at some very special places and share in the careers of some awesome players. At Jefferson we were a balanced pro-style team until personnel dictated we do what was to give us the best chance to win, and that was turn the keys over to Colby Clark and Malaki Starks. Even though it wasn’t popular, it was extremely effective. I have always prided myself on being willing to do what is best for our talent. At Presbyterian College we led all NCAA divisions in passing and total offense. Being that way doesn’t always play well in interviews when coaches have cool names for ‘their offense’ or in offices where non-football people get to make football decisions, but I am proud to have been blessed to win championships doing whatever is best for the kids we have at that moment, in that window of time. I know we have always made every decision based on what is best for the young people we are blessed to serve, and that gives me a peace if not always popular at the coffee or barber shop. It has led to way to more happy than sad Friday nights at the goalpost afterward.”
3. Talk about Brody and Ahmed. What’s the skill set of each? “Both are incredible young men from great families and every bit as good persons as they are players. Ahmed is very spiritual and physically gifted, big and strong and extremely coachable. Brody is from a quarterback-centric and football family and soaks up every bit of coaching and teaching and then seeks more. He is also physically very talented and honestly has just scratched the surface of what he is capable of. They are just two of the many good players we have, but they are both special, and no goal they could set for themselves or their lives would be out of reach for either one of them. I am very proud and honored to be their coach.”
4. What are you most enjoying about your new school and new job? “I have always been told if you love the game, it will love you back. Working for principal Dr. Brad Boleman, athletic director Jeff Segars and with the incredible faculty and staff of Loganville and my brothers on this talented coaching staff – all make my feet hit the ground in the morning excited and energized about what we can accomplish together that day. It is a unique and special place. We are most assuredly a work in progress but are trying to believe in work and work in belief. Our motto is ‘Believe In🔱Believed In.’ It is so important that while I am striving each and every day to earn their trust – that they know I genuinely believe in them and will earn their belief in me, and together we will in every aspect of this Red Devil Football Family build something we all can wholeheartedly believe in. We are definitely headed in that direction. and that is very gratifying. While we aren’t there yet, we still have two huge regular-season games left as opportunities for growth together. One is at home [versus his former team Jefferson] against my good friend and great coach Travis Noland, who’ll lead many kids and coaches I love very dearly and with all my heart. Then there’s one at Flowery Branch against one of the best-coached and hottest teams in the state led by Coach [Jason] Tester. I simply hope and expect that we embrace both great challenges and exhibit solidarity and class and then we will grow closer toward reaching our ultimate goals. I have learned that a coach without a team is not a coach and irritates his wife and stepdaughter and yells at the TV during games a lot. I am so proud, happy and blessed to be a part of this football family and grateful for the opportunity to be back on sideline – as much for who I am with and how proud I am to be with them. As the Robert Earl Keen song puts so well, ‘It feels so good feeling good again,’ and I love what I do and more importantly love who I am blessed to do it with. I am going enjoy our off week and fall break, though.”