We chat with Alan Chadwick, longtime coach at Georgia football powerhouse Marist, about his career at the school, including coaching a future Super Bowl championship winner, and look ahead to the challenges of the 2022 season.
Q: Coach, you have been at Marist since 1985, and I’m sure you have seen a lot during that time. What would you say are your greatest memories from so many years of coaching high school football?
A: I would have to say certainly that the three state Championship years of 1989, 2003 and 2020 stand at the top of some of my most fondest memories. Winning football state championships in Georgia is extremely difficult to do. The time, work, effort and energy put into winning it all is extraordinary. Having the kind of players necessary to make plays to get you over the top is a huge part of being successful, so the memories of those special players is something that will stay with you forever.
The ’89 state championship was extremely gratifying, as it was the first football championship in Marist’s long and distinguished history. Also, my dad, who was always my biggest supporter, was present for the ’89 Championship. He had been very ill that year, and to have him there was very heartwarming.
Q. I’m sure you get asked a lot about Sean McVay, the Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, and one of Marist’s most famous former alumni. He was a quarterback during his time there. Coaches are always talking about certain players being a “coach on the field.” Thinking back, did McVay display those traits then, and did you think that he had what it took to become a great head coach?
A: Sean McVay was a special player and very special person as well. He was totally dedicated to his team, his teammates and being the best player he could be. He grew up around football, with his grandfather being a coach, his dad played college football, and so he had a tremendous background in the game. His leadership skills and knowledge of the game was off the charts. Coaching is not something many of our former players go into as a career, but if there was one who you thought would be good at it, it was Sean McVay. Nowadays my staff and I are learning from him.
Q. Lets talk about the current state of Marist football. Congratulations on the undefeated season and state championship from two seasons ago, and last year was a very good year with 10 wins. What are the challenges of next season with the move up two classifications, going from 4A to 6A?
A: Our overall football culture at Marist is as strong as it has ever been. Our numbers of participants throughout our five teams is phenomenal. I did not have enough equipment for all of our players last year. That said, we have a huge challenge moving up two classifications into AAAAAA for the next two years. We have 860 students in grades 9 through 12, which means we have 430 males in those grades. We will be going up against schools with two-and-a-half times the number of students we have. But our student-athletes are resilient and overachieving, and we expect them to compete and acquit themselves well.
Q. Tell us about the 2022 team and the personnel. From your perspective as the Marist football coach, what do you see as areas of strength, and which areas are you and your staff dedicating time to getting better?
A: The 2022 Marist team will be different from some of our recent teams. Although we lack three or four All State-type players, we have more depth at more positions with players we expect to contribute. Our size is a concern and how well we can match up in AAAAAA. We will also be a young team with a good number of juniors and sophomores making contributions. Our senior class seems very determined and willing to pay the price to be successful.
