Special to SWOSUAthletics.com: Seth Olson, The Lawton Constitution
WEATHERFORD, Okla. — Locking arms, a dozen Bulldogs are doing group sit-ups on the gym floor while their new coach,
Chet Pobolish, roots them on smack dab in the middle.
The synchronized clapping in unison picks up steam as well as the pace as coach and teammates all cheer one another on during the first team workout last Friday afternoon.
Pobolish blows his whistle three times and raises a set of fist pumps signaling the end of the fun group drill as the team brings the huddle in, all hyped up as one.
This is the new era of Bulldogs football, and with a lively, energetic vibe, Southwestern Oklahoma State is eager to get the ball rolling.
Pobolish now becomes the 22nd coach in 109-year history of the Bulldog football program. He takes over for SWOSU alum
Dan Cocannouer, who coached the Bulldogs nine seasons including this year, before retiring at the end of the season.
"We are very fortunate to be adding a coach of his caliber to our staff," SWOSU President Randy Beutler said of the Pobolish hire. "We look forward to watching our program flourish under his leadership."
Pobolish was introduced as the new Southwestern Oklahoma State University head football coach last Monday, Nov. 27, but only a week into the job he's already instilling a culture change — one that is surely to reap rewards on the football field next fall.
Last week, the team first hit the weight room as a new team on Tuesday. As expected, the mood was different to say the least. With a new coach, players typically aren't sure what the tone is or how to set it.
"They weren't really sure what to expect," Pobolish said.
That didn't last for long.
"By the time we got to Thursday, there was just juice in there," Pobolish said. "Kids were smiling and weights were clanging. From Tuesday to Thursday it was a completely different team, and it's going to be exciting just to see that enthusiasm continue to grow."
As many know, enthusiasm and quality team chemistry can do wonders when a team hits the field.
"When hard work becomes fun, that's when you really start to have success," Pobolish said. "We've only really been around the guys a week. I saw that in two days so imagine what we can do in two months. "
Or two seasons. Really, the possibilities are infinite for the Bulldogs as the future looks bright.
A new direction means a new team motto. The Bulldogs' #SpotTheBall is all about getting after it.
"I don't care who we're playing," the motto by Pobolish reads. "You put that ball down and we're going to play. Parking lot, practice field — doesn't matter. We're here to play."
Pobolish also has a new mantra for the program —with three goals they will pack into one.
Win. Graduate. Have fun.
It's far more than winning on the field, though.
"When we talk about winning, we talk about winning in life, being on time, going to class, etc.," Pobolish said. "I feel if we can teach our kids to win in life, they'll win on the football field, too."
Winning in life is far more important. Pobolish is hoping the accountability the players apply on the field can also be applied in their personal lives away from the gridiron.
"Ultimately, I want these kids to be good fathers and good husbands," Pobolish said. "By doing that, they have to know how to be held accountable and keep each other accountable. It doesn't matter if we're asking you to be faithful to your wife or run a 12-yard route, you have to be held accountable to both. It goes both ways."
Pobolish's wisdom combined with his energy and enthusiasm portrays him as a coach who is both a father figure and a friend to the players. That all comes from his dad, who coached for 40 years, and eventually inspired Chet to coach and change lives of young men.
"My dad is retired now but just being around the game, around him and watching him change lives and mold young men and the things he would say to them inspired me," Pobolish said. "I find myself saying the same things to these kids now."
The opening chapter of Pobolish's Bulldog journey got off to a fast and fun start, but he is well aware of challenges on the horizon. Perhaps the biggest hurdle in the foreseeable future will be putting the rest of the roster together and all the other intricate pieces to have the team ready for a successful first season with him at the helm.
"It really is a jigsaw puzzle, with a bunch of different moving parts to it," Pobolish said. "It's all about putting the whole jigsaw puzzle together as far as what is here, what we have to bring in with the amount of scholarships and money we have. We need to put it all together to put the best product on the field that we can."
Recruiting Oklahoma
Creating a recruiting footprint at a new location is never easy, but Pobolish is going to make it simple — and effective.
Recruit Oklahoma kids.
There is plenty of in-state talent and Pobolish and his staff want to harvest it at SWOSU.
"We want to focus on Oklahoma," Pobolish said. "We want to try and be in every school in Oklahoma in the next month and a half. It's important for our fan base."
This recruiting strategy can also give a chance to build the fan base up.
"If we get Oklahoma kids, then their parents and grandparents come to the games and you start building something," Pobolish said. "There's a lot of alumni around the state who are coaching now that want to see their kids come here because they had a great experience. So we want to continue that tradition."
Despite just getting his foot in the door at Weatherford, recruiting is already fully underway.
"We return every phone call, every email," Pobolish said. "There are a bunch of coaches and kids in the area who are reaching out to us right now. And we're reaching out back to them."
Coaching Pitstops
Pobolish brings 17 years of coaching experience so he's no novice. With the 17 years comes multiple pitsops, though.
Most recently, he was the offensive coordinator at Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo. this past season. Matt Williamson, the head coach at Missouri Western where Pobolish's last stint was, shared promising news for a Bulldogs' program in great hands with Pobolish leading the way.
"Southwestern Oklahoma State is getting a phenomenal football coach with exceptional effort," Williamson said. "Chet is so much more than just a football coach — he's a tremendous person and a great friend of mine. He will do an incredible job there and I wish him the best. I'm super pumped for Chet and his wonderful family."
Before Missouri Western, Pobolish had a long stint at Southeastern Louisiana where he served as the assistant head coach in 2016. Before that, he was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2013-15 and the special teams and wideouts coach from 2012-13.
Prior to Southeastern Louisiana, he was the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach at Delta State from 2007-11. His first gig though came at his alma mater, Emporia State, where he first served as special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach from 1999-2003 before becoming the quarterbacks coach from 2004-06.
For all of his familiarity on the offensive side of the ball, Pobolish does consider himself an offensive minded coach, but he's well-equipped to take the reins of the full team.
"My background and most of my experience is on offense, but you have to play great on defense to win championships," Pobolish said last Friday night as ironically, Tipton, behind its stellar defense surrendering only eight points, won the Class C state championship. "I've been around football long enough where I'll do whatever it takes to win."
What drew him to Weatherford was his familiarity with the conference, realizing this was the perfect opportunity for him to get his first head coaching job.
"Chet was somebody who stood out to our search committee very early on and we are pleased that he will become a Bulldog," SWOSU Athletic Director
Todd Thurman said. "His coaching experience of coordinating offense and special teams at the NCAA Division II and FCS levels along with his knowledge of our region makes him a perfect fit for our department."
Although it was his briefest stint, his time at Missouri Western this year was his favorite. That's all because of the growth he saw in the players.
"I saw the transformation of the kids starting to buy in which is fun," Pobolish said.
It was at Emporia State in Kansas where it all began for Pobolish, who was a wide receiver — and a good one at that — for the Hornets in college from 1995-98. At Emporia State, he earned his bachelor's degree of Integrated Studies in 2000. Pobolish was a four-time All-MIAA selection at wide receiver and a three-time team captain, which has developed his leadership exponentially throughout the years.
Manny Matsakis, who coached Pobolish at Emporia State and is now the offensive coordinator at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, had high praise for the 40-year-old coach.
"Chet is one of the finest offensive minds in the game today," Matsakis said. "His passion and enthusiasm towards his players is undoubtedly a key to his success as a leader. Chet was not only an outstanding player for me, but his leadership as a player was pivotal to our success at Emporia State. He is a first-class guy."
Pobolish teamed up with running back Brian Shay for an NCAA Division II record for most all-purpose yards by two players in 1996.
Pobolish even coached a game at Emporia State last year and some of his former teammates he played with came to visit on a day Pobolish said it was cool to reminisce of their college football days. Now he's hoping to give these Bulldogs similar fond memories to look back on one day.
"The comradery with my teammates is probably why I coach today," Pobolish said of his playing career at Emporia State. "I realized, 'Hey, this is what I want to do.'"
His wife Holly and daughter Lauran made the move to Weatherford with him, and although they are used to frequent moves being a part of Chet's coaching world, they hope SWOSU is a place they can call home for quite some time — not just another pitstop on the football map.
Chet hopes so too as he knows his family and the SWOSU administration believe he can build something special in Weatherford.
"It means a lot that someone has that confidence in you — when they feel like you can get the job done and be successful here," Pobolish said. "It's something I've prepared a long time for so to finally have that opportunity and apply those things I've learned along the way is exciting."
