Today's interviewee is Westover coach Olten Downs, whose team defeated Cook 47-16 last week after losing to the Hornets 14-10 in 2018. Downs, in his second season at Westover, led Creekside to the Class AAAAA championship in 2013 before working on the coaching and support staffs at Georgia Southern and Georgia.
Olten Downs, Westover head coach
1. What's different about this year's team that led to such an opening-game turnaround? "When I got the job at the end of March last year, the players' expectations were very low. We worked hard, but they didn't feel they could beat an opponent of that nature. By us missing the playoffs by one point [losing to Hardaway 15-14 in the final game] and losing three games by four points or less, that raised our expectations so much higher. It gave them something to work for. Now there's belief. Most of our skill players were very young, and they returned, and we were able to put up some good points. Our quarterback returned. It's his second year in the system, and he's more polished."
2. Although Westover has been competitive, Westover and the other Albany schools [Monroe and Dougherty] have struggled outside of region play recently. The last one to win a playoff game was Westover in 2013. What are the reasons? "Before I got here, a lot of good players left the area for various other schools. The thought process was that football and athletics weren't important things here. Now, there's been new money brought in. The school system has invested in weight-room facilities. There's a new turf field [at Hugh Mills Stadium]. This was the right time for me to come in and establish a new culture and new discipline for our program. The big thing is that parents and people in our community have to see that we're working as hard as anybody else. When parents don't feel like you're working hard, they're going to go to other places that are. It's forcing us as a school system to step up our game. Our facilities are top of the line. The school system is super committed to applying more funds so that it's not enticing for kids in our district to go [elsewhere]. It lets them know we're a great option and you don't have to go anywhere else to receive something better."
3. What are the main things that you're trying to address to build up Westover? And how is that different than the challenges you had at Creekside? "The biggest thing here is creating a culture of excellence. They've had teams that have been talented, but we have to create it year in, year out. At Creekside they had more of a tradition where they were used to winning. They thought they were going to win every year. We have to have that same standard at Westover where no matter who is here, we come to work and give it our all, and as coaches we're going to coach them hard and make sure they have a great high school experience on and off the field."
4. What is the biggest thing you learned coaching and working with college programs that applies to your current job, and do you think you'll coach in college again? "Probably the biggest thing I learned was from the recruiting aspect, seeing things from both sides. We always think our guys are a certain caliber, but when you go to the next level, you see what those players should look like across the board. It's also opened doors for me to call college coaches and let them know what we have. It's helped my ability to get our kids recruited through those relationships, knowing what these coaches are looking for. As far a X's and O's, I can use those things here or there, but it's hard to apply everything when you're trying to get a program started from the bottom and building a foundation. We're still moving slowly. As far as returning to college, if the right situation presented itself, I'm always open to anything, but right now I'm happy and content at Westover trying to build a winner and trying to become 2-0."
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