Today’s interviewee is LaGrange coach Matt Napier, whose team defeated fourth-ranked and previously unbeaten Troup 38-34 last week in a must-win rivalry game for the Grangers to get into the playoffs out of Region 4-4A. Napier became a head coach for the first time in 2020. LaGrange is 25-9 in three seasons under Napier after going 4-26 over the previous three seasons. Napier’s younger brother, Kurt, became a head coach this season at Murray County and got his first victory Friday in a rebuilding program. His older brother, Billy, is Florida’s head coach and got a good win Saturday at Texas A&M. They are sons of Bill Napier, a longtime football coach in northwest Georgia who passed away in 2017 after a long battle with ALS.
1. What are the biggest takeaways for you from the Troup victory? “It was a big win for our program. These young men have shown a tremendous amount of commitment, resiliency and buy-in to the program that our staff brought in from day one. Any time you win a rivalry game, it helps bring validation to the process and work that you’ve had them committed to over the last several years. The win was also big for our community. Granger pride is something that our people put a tremendous amount of emphasis on, so restoring that pride in our program now and the direction we are headed in is critical for our future as we continue to build LaGrange back into a consistent winner. It takes a tremendous amount of focus, attention to detail and preparation to win big games, and we felt like our guys really focused on those things throughout the week leading up to the game. We also won the turnover battle, and in big games that’s critical. Can’t say enough about our kids’ effort and toughness, both physical and mental, throughout the game.”
2. What was the mindset of the team, or the message of coaches, after losing two tough back-to-back games to Whitewater and Starr’s Mill in midseason that put your backs to the wall? What allowed you to rally and get in the playoffs? “We knew we had a good team, and the kids never wavered during those two close losses. We say it all the time when we talk about ‘responding to adversity,’ that we have to keep our composure and stay the course when things don’t go your way. Our staff and players got an opportunity to show how we respond when that moment came for us. Our region has been extremely tough this year. We knew it would be when we saw the teams in the offseason, so we knew that we would have some really tough battles against these teams. We grew and learned from those games to help us be put in the position we are now. We’ve had a 1-0 mindset every week coming off the Whitewater game. and we knew we had to win out to make it to the playoffs. We’ve had a playoff mentality from that game on, and we were able to find a way to win in several big games to finish the regular season.”
3. You’ve got a tough draw for a No. 2 seed – Burke County. Have you had time to scout them? What are your thoughts about them and having to play such a good team to open the playoffs? “Absolutely tough draw getting those guys in the first round. Coach [Eric] Parker has done a great job there for several years, and he has another talented, well-coached team that we have to face Saturday. We’ve watched them and know that they have been battle-tested as well. They have a tough region with very good competition week in and week out, so we know they will be coming in with a great team. I told the team Friday night the importance of being able to move on. We wanted to celebrate this win, but I also told them about the tradition of LaGrange High football. We are not even close to content with a win over our rival. The goal and expectation here is to compete for a state championship and get ready for a run in the playoffs. That starts with a very good Burke County team. I know our team and what they’ve been through in the past, so we fully expect our team to be able to move forward really quickly.”
4. Your dad raised a family of good coaches, leaving a great football legacy. Lots of things exciting things have happened with you and your brothers professionally since he passed away. What kind of coaches’ father was he? What would he make of all that his sons have so recently accomplished? “I can’t begin to explain the kind of impact my father and mother had on all of us. My dad set the example on how to do things for our family. His love for his players, his integrity and his desire to compete were some of the things that inspired all of us to decide to follow his footsteps into a coaching career. I can’t help but think about him in Heaven looking down on all of us and being extremely happy. Happy about us not only as coaches, but hopefully as great fathers, husbands and men of God.”
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