The 2022 high school football season is right around the corner and with that ESPN Chattanooga radio host Greg Larnerd is inviting a different high school football coach on his show each week.
This week he talked to the young second-year head coach for the Ooltewah Owls James 'Goose' Manning.
Q: Where does the nickname 'Goose' come from?
A: So, when I was born, a flock of geese flew over the hospital and my granddad was outside and said, "Hey, let's call him Goose!" Sort of like the natives used to do with naming a child after something that happened at birth. It started off as a joke as my dad and my granddaddy used to call me that and my pops used to call me that. Then a newspaper or somebody heard my dad yelling it at a football game and then they printed it in the papers 'Goose Manning'. From then on there was no getting away from it and it just took off from there... so, I just started to embrace it.
Q: Do the kids call you Goose or coach Manning?
A: Coach some of them. So, they're pretty understanding. They're supposed to call me Coach Manning. The problem is I've had cousins that have been here when I was a teacher, and they'll call me Goose. So, like, the other kids are here. My cousins are out of here now. So, it's starting to get more Coach Manning and not so much Goose, but some of those kids that I've known for 10-15 years before I was Coach Manning, that's a hard habit to break. But they're pretty good about calling me Coach Manning. And like I said, I always tell the parents when I introduce myself, I'm like, hey, I'm James Manning. I'm Goose. All that other stuff yelling on Friday night, I'll answer, whatever.
Q: What sort of happened last year as you've gotten a lot of time now to sort of reflect back on 2021?
A: Yes. We obviously had a lot of diversity, part of it being that I didn't get the job until this time last year. I've only been a head coach for 365 days. I got the job over the dead period and then had to wait for me to get obviously I knew him because I wasn't very far gone since I was helping Coach Chandler at Tyner, but I've just been doing it for a couple of weeks, so I knew them all. But I still had to install an offense and kind of not necessarily install the defense, but they were going against the different looks, but they had to kind of install everything on the run. I mean, that first day after the dead period, we had one practice, and then we had a seven on seven the next day...I always say it was like drinking water out of a fire hose right from the jump.
Q: How do you self scout or self evaluate yourself as a coach after every season?
A: I'm still trying to figure out what my process is...Luckily I've been apart of some really good programs as a player but also as an assistant coach and at the end of the season I gave every player an exit interview sheet and I tried to meet with everybody one-on-one...I told them, there's a part on there about me and to be pretty critical of me because I'm trying to learn but in reality I'm trying to evaluate every day.
Q: Talk to us about the team you have for this season here in year two heading into 2022.
A: We graduated about 19 seniors from last year and some of them played big roles for us...We graduated a lot of our secondary from last year along with our Mr. Everything for us, linebacker, fullback, tight end, kick returner, long-snapper so we've got some spots to fill... But the good thing is last year we went to battle with a bunch of young guys, so I'd say we're right in the middle...We've got to build some depth along the defensive line, we replaced every reciever we got except one starter, but I've got a QB and running back returning, and only lost one offensive lineman.
Q: Who are some guys we should be keeping our eyes on this coming season?
A: QB, AJ Robertson...RB, Dakota Jones...LB Justin Willis...Safeties, Will Bolton and Mason Arnold...CB, Marquis Crutcher, Hudson Spears, Rocco Jennings...DL, Jamal Whitacker and CJ Carter.
Q: How do you handle social media with your kids?
A: We have a big recruiting night, and we talk to the parents and kids, we do it about twice per year so they can understand the social media aspect of it all...Ya know, I was lucky enough to play at Carson Newman and our SID Adam Cavalier and he had this talk with our entire athletic department every year and he had a handout that he gave out every year. I take it and go over the same type of things every year. What you can and can't say, don't let our team information, and don't give the other team bulletin board material...We tell them that if you want to get recruited you must utilize social media.
*Two Minute Drill-Hard Hitting Questions*
Q: Favorite hobby outside of football?
A: Golf, I'm awful at it but I love competing with myself.
Q: What's your favorite all-time meal?
A: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes homestyle food like that or BBQ.
Q: If you could eliminate one hour from the day which would it be and why?
A: 5a-6a, just to be able to wake up and be ready to go.
Q: What's your favorite aspect of being a head coach?
A: Interacting with so many kids around the school...The opportunity to watch the kids grow up and help them grow up.
Link to audio: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6qg7iOg9meyLa1kYDL7Xhk
(Questions and answers have been edited for content and clarity)