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john bland<br />
Head Coach<br />
Who or what inspired you to become<br />
a coach?<br />
My Dad, Dan Bland.<br />
Is there a part of your job that you<br />
didn’t anticipate?<br />
Taking on a parent-away-from-home role. It’s good, but it’s<br />
extra pressure.<br />
What’s your favorite thing to do in<br />
your spare time?<br />
Spend time with my family.<br />
What is your favorite childhood sports<br />
memory?<br />
Having a great senior year in high school and getting a<br />
scholarship to Arkansas.<br />
What’s your biggest win as a coach?<br />
A lot of big ones. At Cumberlands (KY), we beat Carroll<br />
College in overtime in the NAIA semifinals to advance to<br />
the national championship game. The win came over a team<br />
that had won six national championships in the last 10 years.<br />
What is your favorite MC tradition?<br />
The Choctaw Walk. We walk through the Quad where fans<br />
are tailgating prior to the game. It gets the blood flowing<br />
and gets our guys ready for the game.<br />
What’s one of the most difficult things<br />
about being a public figure?<br />
I don’t have any difficulties with it. Dealing with people and<br />
seeing people is one of the great things about this job.<br />
What’s the most rewarding thing about<br />
being a public figure?<br />
Getting a chance to make an impact on more people’s lives<br />
than if this platform was not available.<br />
What is your most challenging task as a<br />
football coach?<br />
Getting the best out of every player on the team, both on<br />
and off the field.<br />
What is your greatest reward as a<br />
coach?<br />
It happens well after a player has played football. Seeing guys<br />
10-15 years down the road as good husbands, fathers and<br />
citizens.<br />
How do you balance coaching and<br />
family life?<br />
I always keep them a part of the team. They enjoy being up<br />
here, and I try to keep them involved as much as possible.<br />
What is the one character trait you<br />
would like your players to say you<br />
taught them?<br />
Good character. I want these guys to make good decisions as<br />
they go throughout life.<br />
What do you consider to be the most<br />
significant accomplishment of your<br />
coaching career?<br />
Making it the NAIA national championship and going 13-1<br />
in the 2013 season at Cumberlands (KY).<br />
Who is your biggest fan?<br />
My wife and three kids and my parents.<br />
<strong>Hometown</strong> <strong>Clinton</strong> • 13
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