KFDM COOP Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 Bobcats settling in with Huckabay Van Wade The Orange Leader ORANGEFIELD — First-year Orangefield head football coach and athletic director Brian Huckabay is excited about lining all the ducks up in a row as the Bobcats await two-a-days, which start up Aug. 3. Huckabay was bouncing around the fieldhouse Thursday with enthusiasm. “It’s getting close, and that just makes you that more excited,†said Huckabay. “I’m excited about the kids we have here. The turnout this summer has been very good. The kids seem excited and ready to go. Aug. 3 can’t get here quick enough.†Coach Huckabay’s varsity coaching staff is intact. Derek Peveto returns and head basketball coach Rea Wrinkle and head baseball coach Jeff Bennett have both moved up to the varsity staff. Former Little Cypress-Mauriceville, West Orange-Stark and Deweyville assistant Brian Waguespack is at Orangefield now after being at Deweyville last season. Former Bridge City standout Toby Latiolais is also new to the staff along with Murdock Havard and Alan Baxter. Huckabay, who has head-coaching stints at Hardin-Jefferson, Wharton, Paul Pewitt and Hull Daisetta, was the assistant principal at Hull-Daisetta last year. The move to become athletic director at Orangefield allows Huckaby’s wife, Mary, to stay on as superintendent of Hull Daisetta Independent School District. Huckabay has had quite a bit of success in his other posts, including a superb 63-27 mark at Paul Pewitt. Now he will try to turn around a program which went 1-7 in 2008 and has not made the playoffs since 2003. “As a staff, we’ve really gotten to know the kids over the summer and they’re getting to know us,†said Huckabay. “We’ve used the summer as a get-to-know process and it has worked out well.†Huckaby knows he will have the support of a tremendous community which always turns out in huge numbers at all Orangefield games. “Orangefield supports all of its kids in every sport well, that’s always been the case,†said Huckabay. “The summer has been great, but we’re all ready to go to work for real and we’re less than two weeks away. The excitement is building.†A couple Bobcats, Logan Moss and Cole Durkin, expected to play key roles this season, were sweating pumping some iron in the weightroom Thursday. “Two-a-days can’t get here quick enough,†said Moss. “We’re all excited and working hard this summer. Coach Huckabay has big plans for us. His workout plans are much tougher, both in the weightroom and on the track.†“I think we’re ready for two-a-days more than ever this year,†said Durkin. “All of us have been up here this summer more energized than ever.†The Bobcats return 20 letter winners, including eight starters on offense and six on defense. “We’ve got a lot of good guys back,†said Moss, a linebacker last year. “We’re just waiting on those first few days of practice to see what kind of schemes and plays that Coach Huckabay is going to install.†“We’re really excited about going into the season,†said Durkin. “I’m sure things are going to be different, learning a new system and all but we’re all fired up about it.†The Bobcats will begin the 2009 on Aug. 28 with a road trip to face East Chambers.
HDcats0422 Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 I don't recall Huckabay ever being head coach at Hull Daisetta....pretty sure he never has
Rebel4Christ Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 The article is incorrect. He has never coached at HD, he was the assistant principal there last year. He was a finalist for Liberty's vacant AD/HC job last year, but it was awarded to Shane Deel. If what I hear about him is correct, he will prove this year that Liberty made a major mistake by not hiring him. You would've thought that Joe Slack at HD would've found a spot on his staff for Coach Huckabay, but he wasn't given that opportunity. With his experience and wealth of knowledge, HD might have gotten alot out of him coaching there. Also, Slack might have benefited from someone with that kind of experience on the sidelines helping him out. HD has plenty of talent, but when the playoffs roll around, they always get out coached. IMHO.
bigtimefan Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 I think that the Liberty job was actually offered to Huckabay. Must not have had a good feeling about the facilities or what he would have had to work with. And when HD runs into a team that made it to the state final game, being "outcoached" may not have been the whole story. It sure helps to have the athletes that Mart has.
Rebel4Christ Posted July 24, 2009 Report Posted July 24, 2009 Wasn't aware that Coach Huckabay was offered that job. Interesting that he turned it down. The "outcoached" comment was more pointed at the loss to Groveton the year before. HD physically dominated Groveton the entire first half, but came out in the second half and couldn't stop the counter. They literally got beat by one play, the entire second half. A friend of mine is the OC at Groveton and after the game he told me they ran the counter to the "left and to the right" the entire second half because "HD couldn't stop it". All in all, I like Slack. I"m not bashing him, just making the point that Huckabay could've taught him alot.
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