When Mark Hollars became the head coach at North Cobb Christian in 2016, just 30 days after leaving his home state of Ohio for Georgia, he became the school’s fifth leader in the program’s 10-year history.
In a county with nearly 20 other football-playing high schools, the trend for potentially talented football players had been to attend NCC for elementary and middle school, then head somewhere else for high school and a better football program.
But Hollars had a simple fix: get better.
“You have to give a kid a reason to stay,” he said. “We promised them that we were going to be here, that we weren’t going anywhere, and if they stayed and put in the work, we would be successful. I saw we had some good kids here. They just needed someone to stay.”
And after a 0-10 baseline year in 2016, and a marked improvement to 4-6 in 2017, the Eagles are a robust 21-6 since, with two playoff wins. The 21 victories include the three wins NCC (3-0), ranked No. 8 in the Class A Private poll, has posted this season. Last week, NCC traveled south to Mableton and picked up a hard-fought 30-19 win over Whitefield Academy (1-2).
We spoke with Hollars this week to get his thoughts on this year’s team, the program he is building in Acworth and the Eagles' prospects for taking another step in the playoffs.
In last week’s win over Whitefield Academy, you put the game away with a late touchdown. What does that say about the team’s ability to perform under pressure?
Hollars: “We tell our kids that anytime you can get a win on Friday night, it’s a good thing. For us to go to Whitefield and get a win against them is huge. We respect their program a great deal. The skill players they have are as good as any we will see this season, and they have a big lineman who makes it hard for you (Note: Whitefield sophomore DT/OT Ian Geffrard, 6-4, 340, reportedly already has an offer from Georgia Tech.).”
What would you say have been the biggest factors to the program’s success?
"When we told our kids that we’re going to be here and we want them to stay and buy into the program we are building, they committed to hitting the weights and to our off season program, big time. They have really put in the work, and I appreciate that. Also, we’ve established a pretty old school culture here where it is truly about ‘us,’ not the individual. Our kids know that we succeed as a group and they don’t care who gets the credit. That’s huge.
“And at the end of the day, we want to make them the best football players they can be, but more than that, we want to set the foundation that will make them good fathers, good husbands, good providers for their families. I tell them, if all we did for you is football, then we’ve failed.”
With so many high school football options in Cobb County, does that make it harder to keep your players at your school?
"Coming from Ohio, high school football is huge there, just like it is here. Whole towns shut down on Friday nights. But the kids don’t move around as much as they do here. That was something I was not used to. Also, the depth and abundance of talent and skill in this state is right up there with any other state in the country. In Georgia, there are a lot of talented kids in every classification. What we tell our kids is that we’re going to have a quality program that is going to develop you as a football player and as a young man, and we’re going to do everything we can to help you get recruited. [Colleges] are going to find you. Your tape will speak for itself. Plenty of players in single A get looks and offers from SEC schools.
“We tell our kids to control what you can control and focus in what is in front of you. In today’s era I think kids get so focused on the future that they miss out on the special moments that are happening in the present. We want them to stop and smell the roses. In the end, it will all work out.”
In today’s era of wide open, spread offenses, you run the traditional triple option. How have you been able to get your kids to buy into that?
“I think the thing is that our kids just wanted to compete and win. When we told them that right now this is the best way for us to do that, they bought into it and we’ve been successful. I’m old school, so I do think the best way to win is to play good defense and run the ball. If we had a team that was built to do something else, I would be open to something else. But right now this is what is working for us. Also, not that many people see the offense we run and so that can present challenges to other teams.”
Who are some of your players that you are relying on this season?
"Sharnard Banks (senior LB/RB, 6-2, 190) is a great young man, who has been a three-year starter for us. He’s a great leader, very unselfish. On the next level I think he will be an edge rusher. He’s got some D-II offers and is starting to get some D-I looks, too.
"Caleb Cannon (senior RB, 5-8, 180) is our B-back, our fullback. He’s waited his turn and this year he has really stepped up. Right now he has close to 600 yards and is one of the leading rushers in Cobb County.
“Nate Watson (senior LB/RB, 5-10, 160) is just a tough, hard-nosed kid. He’s a wrestler (152). He was our leading tackler last season and he’s providing great leadership this season.”
"Ben Hollars (senior OL/DL, 6-2, 275), yes, he’s my son. He’s a three-year starter with this group of 14 seniors that has really put the time in and put the work in in the weight room, and has really bought into the team concept. He has some D-II offers and is getting some D-I looks as well.
“And Denzel Alexander-Lewis (junior OL/DL, 6-5, 300) is a junior who is getting some D-I looks as well.”
After two consecutive playoff appearances where you advanced to the second round, what will have to happen in order for your team to take that next step?
"We’ve been fortunate to win a couple of playoff games. It has given our community a sense of pride and excitement, and it has given our kids confidence. But to take that next step I think our kids realized that we have to be stronger. They know you have to make the sacrifices and put in the work. We talk about being humble and hungry. The people and teams that are successful are always hungry to improve so that they can maintain that level of success.
"Right now we’re executing in the run game well, but as the season goes on we’re going to have to be able to make more plays in the passing game, and we’re working on that. Also, we have to eliminate the big pass plays that we have given up.
“And also, God is showing great favor on us. If you’re going to make a run in the playoffs, you have got to be healthy. We don’t have the depth that some other programs have, so we have to be healthy.”
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