Thomas Smith, Wheeler County head coach
Today’s interviewee is Wheeler County coach Thomas Smith, whose team defeated then-No. 9 GMC Prep 42-14 in a Class A Division II game last week. It was Wheeler County’s first victory over a top-10 team since 1977, ending a 69-game losing streak in such games. The Bulldogs are ranked this week, at No. 9, for the first time since 1997. Smith is in his third season as head coach of the south Georgia school. He previously was head coach for 10 seasons at Robert Toombs Academy, where he won a state title in 2013.
1. What did your team do well that allowed you to win Friday? “The first play of the game went perfectly. Coach Sheldon Miller, our special teams coordinator, had a great kickoff return set up, and the players executed it perfectly, with freshman Alvin Ricks returning it 95 yards untouched. GMC responded well, and it was 14-14 going into the second quarter. Ian Scott blocked a punt to set us up with great field position, and everything went right from there. The offensive line and running game controlled the line of scrimmage, and the defense played well to force three turnovers to make it 42-14 going into halftime. The defense played great in the second half, led by senior Tylon Gorham and freshman Justin Culver. Offensively Jason Culver [Justin’s brother] finished with 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and Alvin Ricks finished with 89 yards rushing and two touchdowns.”
2. You’re ranked for the first time in 25 years. What does that mean to your team? “It's great for the school and community, but for the team we are just trying to get ready for a tremendous challenge Friday in Toombs County.”
3. When you got the Wheeler County job, the team had gone 1-9 three straight seasons. What was the key to getting it turned around? “When we first got to Wheeler County, our two biggest challenges were getting the kids to buy in to the weight room and believe they could win. We have an awesome administration, and we were able to get all our football players in the weight room, and after having some success and going 5-5 and having five players sign last season, our team now believes they can compete and that you get what you work for.”
4. What's the team's style and mentality? “Our message to our players is that the most physical and disciplined team usually wins the ball game, and that is what we are working towards becoming.”