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HHF/GID Interview with Edinburgh Head Coach Tyler Despain


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Numbers are up nicely at Edinburgh and optimism rides at an all time high as the Lancers look ahead to a winning season.
 
Hello Coach Despain, and thanks for joining us at Hoosier High School Football and The Gridiron Digest
 
Question 1
Many Indiana high school football fans from throughout the state are unfamiliar with your background. Please start by telling us about your educational background and your playing career, and when and why did you decide to get into coaching? Also, are you teaching at the school or are you a lay coach employed outside of the school system?
Response
I went and played at Edinburgh till my Senior year and had to transfer to Southwestern Shelby (family reasons). I started as a middle school assistant at Edinburgh when former Edinburgh coach Bill Unsworth was the HFC. I also assisted the varsity for the last two years of Unsworth's time. When Jason Burton was named the head coach in 2017 I was asked to be his DC. I decided to take the HC position at Edinburgh because it is my home. I love everything about Edinburgh. I am a lay coach currently working at a company in Edinburgh called MacBeath Hardwood as a planner.
 
Question 2
Clearly, you have taken on one of the extreme high school coaching challenges in Indiana based on Edinburgh's overall record over the past 3 decades. . The school has had significant coaching turnover and has never really been able to develop any sustained momentum. What specifically drew you to this job, and what did you see in Edinburgh and in the community that gave you optimism for long term success?
Response
A few things caught my eye with Edinburgh besides just being where I am from. The talent is one of those. I could see the incoming freshmen and sophomores were very talented. I knew that it would take some work and we had to get the best athletes from every class, but it was possible. The community has always been great. Whether we had 15 kids on the team or 27 I knew that the community would come out and support us. I believe this year will be no different. Something that Edinburgh has really lacked is the continuity of a staff staying with them. As you said we have had a ton of turnover coaching wise. I think if someone just gives this school a chance they could really make a difference and that is what I am hoping I can do. I have no desire to coach anywhere else.
 
Question 3
Last year ended in difficult fashion for the Lancers, as your team was beaten badly by eventual 1A state champion Covenant Christian in a first round sectional matchup. How have your kids rebounded from that loss, and what has been your primary focus throughout summer drills and 7 on 7 competition as you prep for the 2021 season?
Response
Lets be honest Covenant Christian beat a lot of teams badly on the way to the state title. They were one hell of a team and no one was really stopping them from winning a state title. Our kids are multi-sport athletes. As much as I hate to say it they sometimes just move on to the next sport and that helps them forget games like that. For our focus this offseason it has mainly been to get the freshmen and new players to be on the same page as the upperclassmen. We scrimmaged Clarksville, Eastern (pekin) and Rock Creek just a few weeks back and felt like we were the best team at the scrimmage.
 
Question 4
As you head into your 3rd season at EHS, how would you assess the overall health of your program including numbers and positional depth, skill level, strength and speed development, and general capability to execute your offensive and defensive systems on the football field?
Response
I am very pleased with the health of our program. We have had the highest numbers of players coming out to play (34) then I can ever remember. Our middle school team consistently stays about the same with 10 or so in each grade. We have a combined 7/8th team. Our youth program is seeing the highest numbers we have ever seen as well. Position wise we are in great shape for the varsity. I have around 15 OL/DL and the rest are skill players.
 
Question 5
In 2021, what will be the core identity of your team? What specific offensive and defensive schemes will you utilize?
Response
So we are a no huddle fast pace team. We run a split back offense out of shotgun and we are a 3-4 defense. We actually run a very similar defense as Whiteland. I have gotten to know Whiteland and the defensive staff there. They have been great and helped us change from a 4-4 to a 3-4.
 
Question 6
Who are some of the more experienced kids coming back in 2021 that you will be counting on for production this season on Friday nights?
Response
We have some great athletes that I believe people will start hearing more about very soon. QB Riley Palmeter (SR) and WR Caleb Dewey (JR) are the best two athletes we have. Riley threw for 2235 yards last year with 29 TD's and Caleb caught 65 passes for 1037 yards and 13 TD's. On our line we have some great guys as well. Caleb Turner (SR), Mason Calhoun (JR) and Devyn Milburn (JR) will be protecting Riley.
 
Question 7
You are currently ahead of several of your coaching predecessors at Edinburgh with 4 wins in your first two seasons. You will be playing a full 1A schedule in 2021 as an independent. Is it difficult for the program to find opponents to fill out the schedule due to conference commitments, and in general, what is your scheduling philosophy as you balance testing your team weekly vs preserving player health due to low numbers and lack of depth?
Response
This is the first year of us going back to being an independent. Our thoughts with our schedule is to get teams that are about the same as us. We have to get this program winning. We have to build our numbers and the only way I know how to do that is with winning, newer facilities and a staff that will stick with the team. It is almost like starting a brand new program. We have to get excitement built with the school and the town. It is not hard for us to find opponents as we still play a few teams from our old conference.
 
Question 8
You are surrounded by great Indiana football programs like Center Grove, Columbus East, Whiteland and many others. Many onlookers in the past were concerned that the Edinburgh program might shut down either due to extreme low numbers or a general lack of competitiveness and internal administrative support. How would you describe the support you are receiving currently from the school administration, and also from the community at large?
Response
The onlookers have always been wrong with Edinburgh. Football was never going to go away. The team could lose 100 games in a row and the program would still be around. The school administration has always had our back. Right now we are doing the right things and building the program. Getting kids out is the main focus and I think this year we have done that. Winning is next. The program and the school have bought in. We now have a new scoreboard that was donated by McDonalds and Fletchers dealership and we also got new jerseys. Kids love new things and that is what we are trying to give them
 
Question 9.
Is there a feeder system in place that is preparing future Lancers for varsity play, or are you sharing feeder schools with other high schools in the general area?
Response
I am on the board of our youth league. We have had the most participation in our youth league then I can ever recall. We have great people out teaching our kids teaching football. We are trying to get our program like other teams in Johnson County. Having everyone run the same schemes top to bottom so we don't have to learn everything as a freshmen.
 
Question 10
It is said that a football head coach generally sees his team make a big leap forward in Year 3. You are now in your Year 3 at Edinburgh. How do you feel about your team's prospects heading into the 2021 season, and what are your goals and expectations for Edinburgh football this fall?
Response
I feel like this is the turning point for our program. We have worked extremely hard over the last two years to get to this point. A winning season is the main goal for us. The expectations are very high for our team this year. We have everything going in our favor. Schedule, leadership, experience, talent and a good staff.
Thanks Coach, and we wish you, your team and your staff the best of luck this season. Go Lancers!

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2 hours ago, southend said:

Nice, this is a guy on a mission. Good for him. Hard journey. It all starts with a new scoreboard and New Jersey’s . I hope everyone at Westfield , cathedral, center grove , Carmel are listening and reading. 

I like the way he bounced right off the Covenant Christian sectional loss question.  Hes right.  Kids move on.  Its adult who have difficulty.

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