HHF Interview with Rob Gibson of Owen Valley

[Guest]

Rob Gibson stepped onto campus and set a new standard and culture for the Owen Valley football program last year, and the Patriot's responded with one of the very best seasons in school history. Numbers are up significantly as more OV kids want in on the action. Gibson's team now has a target on its back, and expectations will ramp up significantly this fall as OV looks to repeat and even surpass its recent success.

Question 1

Hello Coach Gibson and welcome back to Hoosier High School football. Like most teams at this time of the year, your group is focused on winter strength training and conditioning. What is the focus of your training sessions at this time and have you identified any new up-and-coming players that look to make an impact on your 2022 football team?

Response

We have had great attendance in the weight room this offseason. We have several multi-sport athletes, so for those who are not in a sport, they are with us in the weight room. We break up our weight room focus into 3 blocks, and we are just now entering block #2. So I am excited to see how these next 5 weeks go. We have several young up and coming players who I think can impact our team in a positive way. We will see how these next 5 weeks go!

Question 2

Are you and your staff still hearing from college recruiters, and which of your kids from the 2021 team will be moving on to play at the next level?

Response

We had several staffs reach out to us over the recruiting period. I am encouraged that so many schools make it a point to stop at all of the local high schools. Indiana schools are really recruiting hard. We have 3 kids who I think will be playing football at the next level from the '22 class. Jerry McBee, James Hendrickson, and Eli Miller are all choosing between a couple schools.

Question 3

There's been some significant conference membership and divisional alignment changes recently. Are you anticipating any changes in your conference as league administrators continually look for ways to improve competitive balance and give their member schools the best opportunity to control their own scheduling?

Response

It has been very interesting to see the conference shake up around the state. I do not foresee our conference changing anything up at the moment. Both sides of our conference have very competitive schedules and I think there is a rich history of rival games in this conference. I would hate to see any of that change!

Question 4

Looking ahead to the fall season, how are your overall numbers looking coming off your tremendous 2021 season, and who are some of the key underclassmen that you will be counting on to step into major roles and provide a high level of production and leadership for your football team?

Response

A year ago, we had around 49 players. Right now, we have 74 players scheduled to play! I am really hoping we can keep as many of those 74 as possible. I predict we will be somewhere around 60-65 players once we hit Fall. We have several freshmen who I think will play significant varsity minutes next season. We have 22 available starting positions on offense and defense. I am excited to watch our team continue to compete against each other every day and see which of these young players buy into their development.

Question 5

As the game continues to evolve primarily on the offensive side of the football, what clinics and events are your staff attending this off season to enhance their knowledge of changing schemes and philosophies and keep up with the ever-changing dynamics of high school football in Indiana?

Response

We attend 2 to 3 clinics as a staff, and then a lot of us break off into individual learning opportunities as well. We attended Indianapolis and Cincinnati Glazier clinics, and will attend the State clinic as well! I really enjoy listening to how other coaches do things and how they handle different situations.

Response

Question 6

2021 was a very solid year for Indiana high school football, especially considering the pandemic related challenges of the prior season. In your view what are the two or three biggest challenges or issues facing coaches today at the high school level as they work to maintain excellence and consistency from year to year?

Response

There are a lot of NEW challenges to coaches in high school that I think everyone is just trying to figure out. Obviously Covid protocols are more normalized now, but they are always changing. Doing our best to put the kids in situations to stay in school is always priority one. Obviously the transfer portal in college has changed the landscape of high school recruiting, so those are also new challenges that I think most coaches are trying to figure out as well. It will be very interesting to see how this affects recruiting not only this year, but in the next several. I have friends in college coaching and friends in high school coaching. We spend a lot of time collaborating on what we think recruiting looks like right now compared to a year ago, and how it will look a year from now. How we continue to handle and market our players in high school will make a big difference.

Question 7

Given the great success your program enjoyed this past season, how do you manage expectations and now raise the bar even higher as you and your staff begin preparations to take your team up that next rung in the postseason ladder?

Response

We definitely enjoyed what we were able to accomplish last season. The most important thing to know now is that that's exactly what it was - last season. We lose a tremendous senior class worth a whole lot of on-field production. Like I said before, we have 22 available starting positions on offense and defense. Who started on last year's team may not be the best fit for this year's team. It is a difficult conversation to have, but how our team gels together as 11 on the field may not be the same as it was just 4 months ago. This group of players haven't won anything. We haven't played a single game together. We worked extremely hard last year to get to the point that we did. I think teams who experience new success often mishandle the following season by thinking they have to "work a little bit harder than last year to take that next step" - and then proceed to work "a little bit hard". We haven't "arrived". The most important thing for us right now is to find that equal groove of efficient hard work and rest. In order to take that next step, we have to actually match the work and focus that we did last year. Literally work JUST as hard as we did last year - and THEN harder. It is a new group with new leaders and new faces. It will take us a little bit to figure out that equal groove with this new group. Once we do that, I think we will be okay. I love this group that we have with us right now and I can't wait to have everyone together in June