Our Georgia “4 Questions” spotlight this week is on Osborne head football coach Luqman Salam, who is wrapping up his second season with the Cardinals. He has done a remarkable job since arriving prior to last season, turning around a program that had enjoyed very few wins, never mind winning seasons.
Their 5-0 start to the season was a pleasant surprise to those who have followed and supported the Cardinals, but region play brought an end to the winning streak, and any hopes for a playoff spot. However, Salam has fans and administrators excited about the new direction of Osborne football.
Q: Coach Salam, thank you for agreeing to talk with us as you and your team get ready to close out the regular season. Can you take us back to last season when you accepted the job at Osborne? You obviously felt that despite the lack of winning football there, you had a foundation on which to build from, right?
A: When I became interested in the job, I heard about a group of young men who had options to leave Osborne but decided to invest in each other and their friendship and come to their local school. I was motivated by their dedication to each other, and I told myself, “Those are the type of players that I’d love to coach.” And I am so glad that I’m getting that opportunity.
Q: You hired a friend and a former head coach, Phillip Ironside, who you have credited with helping you turn things around, especially on the offensive side of the ball. How much has he meant to you in this whole process?
A: Coach Ironside has and continues to be an invaluable friend and mentor to me and all those he encounters. His leadership and expertise are tremendously important, and we are so glad he is standing on our sideline.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in turning around this Osborne football program?
A: Osborne has blossomed into a 7A school and has close to 2,700 students in the building; however, not many of those students have a foundation in football. Therefore, recruiting students from the school to come and play football was a huge challenge. There were 27 athletes who participated in spring practice the first year, so getting to 90 athletes in our program has been a fulfilling improvement. Next was building a culture that highlighted what is special about our community and creating a shared vision. Once we can accomplish those tasks, we feel that we will be on our way to building something special.
Q: This season you guys were the talk of the state, getting out to a 5-0 start. Then the region portion of the schedule began and you finished at 5-5. What is the mood of the team and your staff after such a promising start, now knowing your season is over?
A: We are disappointed, considering we knew that we had a chance to make the GHSA playoffs and did not, but we realize that we have taken some tremendous strides, and although we are not satisfied with the results, we do feel that we are making the proper progress.
Q: Coach, what is the outlook for next season with returning starters, the returning senior class, etc.?
A: We have a lot of good players returning on both sides of the ball who now have some great experience and understand better what it takes to win at this level. We are excited about the next season and look forward to taking the next step in our process.
