We sat down over Dr. Peppers and chocolate doughnuts with wide receivers coach, Lewis Edwards, and talked Midway football past and present.
SORSN:
Coach, the 2013 receiving core for the Waves are the most talented group of pass catchers that we’ve seen in many years. Did the attention to the passing game and focus on receivers change due to the current talent or has the focus been there for several years, just waiting on the right athletes to emerge?
Coach Edwards:
We’ve wanted to implement some passing offense in recent years and hoping that the opportunity would surface. Things just fell in place this year. We have a good group of guys that come to practice every day and work hard. We do have a talented bunch of receivers but also a talented line and talented QB…having all 3 doesn’t happen that often in single A ball. Typically you’ll have one or two pieces…but rarely all 3. It all came together this year.
SORSN:
The no-huddle offense is really clicking for Lyle and the Waves right now. From play calling to checks by your QB Lyle, give those fans that are away from the sidelines an idea as to the how fluid of a play calling system you and the other coaches have developed and what it takes to make it effective.
Coach Edwards:
We’ve studied doing it all season but really didn’t take off until the Greenback game. Play calling and no-huddle vs huddle is determined on Sunday’s during coaches meetings and game reviews. Lyle does typically have the green light to audible if he sees something. We have confidence in his ability to make adjustments and he’s proven that in the 2nd half of the season.
SORSN:
You’ve been to the quarter finals of the state tournament as a player and now as a coach. Were you or are you more anxious/nervous then or now?
Coach Edwards:
I was more nervous as a player; having never experienced the playoffs before and that kind of atmosphere . However, I’m more anxious now as a coach to get the game started and seeing the guys execute the game plan.
SORSN:
The receiving gloves, the uniforms, the equipment…..all help to paint an image of a legit program. Tell us coach, how does today’s Greenwave football budget for gear compare to when you played for the Waves back in the late 80s? Describe for us the age and the fit of your first MHS uniform.
Coach Edwards:
The support from the community is the same now as it was in the late 80s and early 90s but the gate money on a Friday night is really what allows us to outfit our kids with quality gear. When you can pack the bleachers, hill, fence, and visitors’ side; it makes a difference in your budget. I weighed 115lbs when I took to the field for the first time. I was handed down Brad Patterson’s jersey and gear, complete with lineman facemask. Does that paint a pretty picture?
SORSN:
Due to all the teams swag $$ gear, it’s been suggested that additional security personnel be added to the equipment trailer. Coach O’Toole is being used as that security ride-along officer. What are the pros/cons of having O’Toole on the equipment truck and not on the team bus?
Coach Edwards:
With Coach O’Toole’s connections with local law enforcement, he was clearly the best person for the job. Rosey can now focus solely on getting us to the game. Coach Campbell can also rest assured that the equipment will arrive without delay (Hancock) with O’Toole focusing more on security and less on navigation.
SORSN:
The General Lee. KiTT. Longmire’s red Fiero. All were popular cars back in the day and admired by everyone south of the river but perhaps none more so than….the Dirty Duck. The 1981 Mercury Bobcat, better known as the Dirty Duck, was your chariot while attending MHS. How did the Bobcat earn the name the Dirty Duck? To help paint a picture for your current players as well as former classmates needing to jog their memory, please list some of the features & add-ons that the DD was well-known for.
Coach Edwards:
I cannot give full discloser how the DD came to be. The Duck featured a hug-the-ground suspension….like many cars during the early 90s, it was slammed to the ground and rocked some sweet rims. The stereo was worth about 4x the actual car. It was a head turner with blackout window tint…which resulted in a fine and of course the famous duck sticker on the sunroof telling everyone they were #1.
SORSN: Who wins the following matchups:
#22 Lewis Edwards cornerback from 1988 vs. 2013’s WR Mason Woody?
Coach Edwards: Me unless Jessie Lewis is waiting in the corner of the end zone.
Midway LB Greg Herron (good knees) vs. Chicago (Tellico Plains) Bears RB Walter Payton?
Coach Edwards: Hands down Greg Herron. It was proven on the field.
Thanks for your time coach and good luck Friday night.