Let's start you off with a question you are often asked: How much longer will you coach?

Forty years – I don't know. I enjoy it now as much as I ever have. The young people and the competition and the people I work with. We have a great group of coaches and student-athletes. We have a great community working with us. As a high school coach, you can't ask for much more than that.

You mentioned your coaches, to whom you often give a lot of credit. You've done a lot for your assistants during the years. Is that your ultimate satisfaction?

I think in this business, if you're not supportive of each other, you're not going to receive any support. To see them grow, here on this staff, their attitudes and what they bring on the field, that's very rewarding for me. This is a good situation.

Do you still remember the first game you coached?

The first game I coached was at Southwest Randolph. It was the first year they had football. Nobody on the team had ever been on a game field before.

We played (Thomasville) Ledford at Ledford. They were coached by Kenny Browning, now the running backs coach at (North) Carolina. It was one of his first games he coached in North Carolina. We got our butts beat. I remember the first one we won. It was over at Bunn.

Do you still get the same excited feeling every Friday night that you did in years past?

I still get uptight. I probably get a little edgy. I quit throwing up about 10 years ago. I went through a period for about 15 years when I threw up. I threw up pregame, even sometimes at halftime. Maybe I've matured a little bit.

I know families have to be supportive if you are going to coach for as long as you have. What has that backing meant to you?

My wife (Barbara) is very special. She has probably mentored as many coaches' wives as I have coaches. She's really a caring person about the school. Our family has just been very tolerable with me. I've been very blessed.

The community seems to have embraced the program, as well.

(At the Rocky Mount Football Jamboree) I saw a lot of growth in relationships between the city, the city rec and the athletics department. Parents came out and worked, and put in a lot of hours, a lot of time, trying to make the situation better. The community support is way up right now.