HOOPESTON — Chip Glass was close to going back to Alabama when the Hoopeston Area/Armstrong-Potomac football coaching job was vacated.
But Glass had a reason to stay and lead the Cornjerkers this season.
“I was mulling going back, but in one year, I developed such a good relationship with these kids,” Glass said. “They are some good kids and I didn’t want to leave them. I have to stay just for them.”
Glass moved to the area last year from around the Birmingham area for a new challenge.
“My daughter graduated from nursing school and got married and I had been coaching for 23 years and I wanted something new,” Glass said. “I was looking for jobs throughout the nation because I never saw much of the nation. I was looking for a small, rural school and there was a offensive coordinator’s job here that was open and I got it. When the head coach (Carrick McDonald) resigned, they offered me the position.”
After getting the job, Glass knew what was ahead in leading the Cornjerkers and he is ready to do that and then some — for the team and the community.
“I am aware of the challenge here. I love history and I know they have had one winning season in the last 30 years,” Glass said. “Where I am from football is everything, so I just want to unite this community, not just for backing the football team, but the community. Football is my platform, but our motto is ‘Be Present.’ Whatever you are a part of, the first thing to be do is to be present and I have given that challenge to the parents we have to be there to support them and the most important building in Hoopeston is the school because the past, present and future of the town runs through the school and that is what I am trying to develop.”
For the present Cornjerkers, Glass has a lot of experience returning with a core group that has seen action for either two or three years.
“They are good kids and being leaders. I want to develop a higher standard in the way we do things and put demands on them and they have met the challenge,” Glass said. “Our slot back is RaSiah Jones, who is a good kid and hits harder than his measurables. My quarterback, Zach Huchel, just started to know me last year with the no-huddle offense and he has a better understanding of the offense and his forte is pre-snap reads and he is an extension of me.
“We have a great receiver in Cole Miller, he is like a train, but once he gets in the second gear. it is tough to take him down. We have Nick Brown, who is like our swiss army knife on defense because I have asked that kid to play so many positions. A kid I am proud of is Charlie Flores, who was a state championship wrestler and his heart, desire and no fear and he has stepped up as a senior.
“Alandize Barnett played quarterback last year, but he will be our starting receiver this year. He has good acceleration and good hands. Felix Rivera is a sophomore and will play for us and his brother — Fernando Rivera — is also tough. Nick Cardenas plays running back and linebacker and is a very talented kid that knows the game.”
Glass has also made moves outside the team as he officially made Hoopeston his home and continued to spread the word around town.
“If you are striving to be a head coach, there are a lot of the things you do that does not involve football,” Glass said. “I have had to run fundraisers and be my own secretary. There is a lot of paperwork and I had to prepare myself for it.
“I lived in Danville when I was a coordinator, but I made up my mind that if I was going to be a head coach, I was going to move up there. I am committed to the team and the town and they have treated me great. They have been extremely supportive and has been nice to me. We did a fundraiser and the kids did a great job. If you are going to be the face of the program, you have to lead by example. So I understand now that the decisions I make and the attitude I demonstrate is because I am responsible for that. If I am going to make demands, I have to make demands of myself as well.”
The Cornjerkers start the season against Iroquois West and then face Salt Fork, Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin and Momence in the next three weeks. But Glass has a strategy.
“We are going to treat each team the same. I want to look at every opponent, figure out our schemes and go to work because your toughest opponent is the one you are looking at in the mirror. Bismarck is here to stay and is the standard in the county, but I don’t think Westville is far behind and Salt Fork is a team that gives you everything they got,. They like football and they are gritty.”
Glass thinks the conference will be tight all throughout compared to years before.
“In the past, there has been separation,” Glass said. “I don’t think that there is a gap because a lot of teams in the middle have some many returning players. There could be what we consider upsets this year because I think the talent is evenly dispersed. It is going to be a talented conference this year and we want to face each opportunity and not get wrapped up on who we are playing.”