Chat transcript with subscribers asking questions:
How is Anthony Landrum recruitment going so far?
Coach Stacy Luker: "He has been injured this summer. He has only made one camp because of it, to UAB. Marshall and Southern Miss are showing strong interest. Trying to decide if he is an outside linebacker, fullback or tailback.
"Marshall likes him as tailback, UAB likes him as a linebacker. His recruitment will pick up in the fall. The SEC schools are waiting to see how he does on the ACT."
Is Johnny Lockett a tailback or fullback?
Luker: Yeah, that is how we finished spring. Butch Williams mixes in with those guys. Landrum will be our feature back at fullback."
Johnny Lockett potential?
Luker: "D-1 football player, 3.9 GPA, 4.5 speed. He will be recruited in the future. Caught the eyes of Auburn and Marshall in the spring. He will be a D-1 running back."
How is your team's focus after winning the state championship?
Luker: "It has been pretty good. We learned our lesson in 2005. We had a talented team, but our focus wasn't good. Our seniors went through that, and it is their turn to lead. They know we have to keep our focus. We have had extremely good attendance this summer--45 players in the spring. We are averaging 40-44."
Did anyone standout while you were at the Ala-Miss All-Star game?
Luker: "Rolando McClain was a man among boys--great football player and good player. I felt all week long I was watching a professional football player."
I heard you lost some coaches?
Luker: "We lost Andro and Cecil Wallace to Linden."
What are your goals for the season?
Luker: "Win a state championship–there aren’t any other goals. All the little things will take care of thermselves–beating Thomasville, beating Leroy and those other teams will be taken care of if we win the state championship."
Tell us about any other prospects.
Luker: "Drew Luker has gotten a lot of attention. He is high on the board at Marshall and UAB. They are actively recruiting him. He is high on Vandy’s board. They told us they would be recruiting him after he visited there."
"His name and his athletic ability is what is making him attractive. I know he is my son, but someone is going to get a steal. Anthony and Nakia Dennis are legitimate."
How did you enjoy your time in Mobile?
Luker: "That is always a good experience. If you are invited down you are obviously doing well. You meet people, and you network while you are there. You never know when you are going to use some of those guys down the road. It’s some good experience."
You have accomplished a lot at Sweet Water. Are you content?
Luker: "Yes, I can see myself retiring from Sweet Water in five or six seasons..Unless God has another plan for me."
How often are you contacted for other jobs?
Luker: "Never contacted..You wouldn’t believe that would you? I think I have been contacted one time in five years. No one wants a little 1A coach (laughing)."
Biggest rival you think this year ?
Luker: "Thomasville. On our schedule THS is our biggest rival. All of our games are important though. Our kids know that, but they are grounded enough to know it. We just never beat them. It has been 10 years I think. It is a good clean rivarly. This year it will be on TV. It will be HSTV. It will run statewide. Our kids are excited."
"Plus we have Thomasville’s DC now at Sweet Water. Linden and South Lamar have real good football teams. We never play teams more athletic than Linden–that’s anyone on our schedule."
How many seniors ?
Luker: "12 seniors this year."
Who is a rising underclassman star?
Luker: "Johnny Lockett and Butch Williams. Butch will be a junior and Johnny will be a sophomore. Butch (5-8, 165) starting at corner since the 8th grade. Our shut down corner. I think he will be a corner at the next level. I don’t know what level. He reminds me of Anthony Madison who I coached at Thomasville. I think he will open some eyes this year and next."
Think he will grow a couple of inches?
Luker: "I don’t know that is hard to say..He will top out at 5-8 or 5-9."
Any college coaches visit this spring/ and who?
Luker: "A lot of coaches visited--Auburn, Marshall, Southern Miss, Alabama, Samford, Jacksonville State, Ole Miss, MSU, UAB. Vanderbilt jumped in late on Drew Luker."
How many coaches on staff?
Luker: "Three full-time assistants and two volunteers....voluteers do middle school program. Pat Thompson-new DC from THS (Thomasville), Mark Davis, Kevin Byrd from Thomasville Middle School. Scott Luker and Alan Lewis are my volunteers."
How often do the players work out this summer?
Luker: Three days a week–Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, up until next week.. We will take a week and half off, and then we will start back."
Who recruits your area for Alabama and Auburn?
Luker: "Alabama-Ron Middleton. I have known him for about eight or nine years..I met him while he was at Ole Miss. He recruited Anthony Madison; James Willis from Auburn."
When do you start two-a-days?
Luker: "We don’t do but a couple of two-a-days now. We will do them like the first Thursday and Friday--about August 9. School starting early has cut that out. I can’t stand two-a-days. They wear me out (laughing)."
Would you say your players are more Tide or Tiger fans?
Luker: "I have a good mixture of Tide and Tiger fans..Even a LSU fan or two."
Do you have any special motivational things you use w/ the players?
Luker: "No, not really...I can’t say we do. We just work them to make sure they are mentally prepared. Have a heart of a champion...Use the second part the verse 1st Samuel 16-7. It talks about man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. We have to have that inner strength."
"We are never the biggest and fastest on the field. It’s heart and guts. It is on our door. We look at it every day."
What gets them thru the grueling 2-a-days in this heat? Also, discipline?
Luker: "I think the will to win gets them through 2-a-days."
"I tell them if they are not out here to win a state championship they need to go walk the halls or something. Depends on the situation..It depends on the kid not how good or bad he is. What if he is late for practice because he can’t get a ride. They understand accountability."
Are you more of a "in-your-face" coach or "pat on back, next time" coach?
Luker: "We get after them pretty good.. I will leave it at that. I hope I am a players’ coach though. I thnk I can relate to them."
Who do you respect the most as a coach? Think they do an overall great job not just in wins and losses?
Luker: "Current or former?"
Both.
Luker: "Former coach Nolan Atkins from Sweet Water. A lot of my style and philosphy comes from him. He taught me as a player and a coach about discipline and how to organize practice. I greatly respect him. The Sweet Water stadium is named after him. .That means a lot to me."
"The others are Jack Hankins from Thomasville.. He is a personal friend of mine. I know how hard he works and how hard he works his kids. I respect what he does and his knowledge of game."
"My brother Keith Luker at Gardendale. He is like a mentor. He taught me you don’t have to use the foul language to get your point across. He is very intense."
"Maybe in our class (1A) like Brent Hubbard at Maplesville and David Lowert at Brantley."
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A very special thanks to coach Luker for his time with subscribers for the Q&A session.
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