Today’s interviewee is Pebblebrook coach Leroy Hood, whose team defeated defending Region 2-7A champion East Coweta 38-21 last week. It was Pebblebrook’s first victory over a ranked opponent since 2003. Pebblebrook (6-0-1) is now ranked for the first time since 2003. Hood, an Arkansas native, had been a Tift County assistant and Turner County’s head coach for two seasons before taking the Pebblebrook job in 2019.
Leroy Hood, Pebblebrook head coach
1. What did the victory mean to your team? “It was a program-changing win. Winning a game on the road in the fashion that we did in a hostile environment gives us something else to build on. It says a lot to the community as well as the state. This win is something we can build on throughout the program starting with our middle school and neighborhood feeder schools.”
2. What was the difference in the East Coweta game? Was it the running game? “As a offensive unit we wanted to be balanced and to be able to run the ball more effectively for several reasons. We had two guys go down, our No. 1 and our No. 2 running backs [injured and did not play], but we have a sophomore athlete Dwight Phillips Jr. that we move around. He’s a kick returner, a slot receiver, running back, and he even plays some safety. We knew he was explosive. He ran a 4.4 laser time in the 40 at a Troy camp this past summer. His dad was an Olympian [Dwight Phillips Sr. was the 2004 Olympic long jump champion], and his mother [Valerie Phillips] ran track in college. This was his first game at running back with the lights that bright. When he broke for those two long runs I said, ‘Wow, this kid can fly.’ That along with solid defense, explosive plays in the passing game and special teams also led to a victory.’’ [Phillips Jr. rushed for 239 yards on 13 carries.]
3. When did you feel like this team could be pretty good? “We felt like we had a really good team back in January. At the start of spring the attendance was up and numbers were consistent. The off-season was more intense. From day to day, week to week we got better. The players became more accountable. So it really started before the season.” Hood added about being ranked: “That’s a good thing and bad thing because I kind of enjoyed flying under the radar.”
4. What made you want to apply for the Pebblebrook job? “I felt like it was a diamond in the rough. The Cobb County school system is respected around the state. Pebblebrook was in a quality region but it was also in a region that we’d have a shot to compete for a region title at some point. The opportunity and challenge of doing something that hadn’t been done as a football program intrigued me. I knew there were talented kids at Pebblebrook and in Mableton. I watched HUDL film from the previous seasons, so it gave me an idea of the type players that were there. I also felt it was a school where the administration valued education but would give me and my coaching staff the time to build a football program while producing quality student-athletes.’’
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