Mike Pope is a FINE Line Coach (on Jr. High, High School, AND College levels):
Rather than give in to illness, football coach helps strengthen players
7-13-09
COLUMBIA, SC - Mike Pope could've quit coaching a few years ago when he suffered a personal tragedy. Most people would. Instead, the longtime South Carolina coach travels around the country helping football's unsung heroes --the lineman -- all for the love of the game. Pope loves football grunts.
"Lineman are special," he said. "They're like the forgotten child. We just need to do all we can do to build them up." So for the past 20 years, this former offensive lineman has been holding inexpensive camps for kids as far away as Texas. They're called Hog Tuff. "I'm the boss hog," he says. During camps like the one this week, players run home-grown drills with rodeo-like names like root hawg and bull pull. The tire flip requires plenty of strength. "It's hard," said one player. And it's their fun that drives Pope. Four years ago, he lost his legs after getting a staph infection in the hospital. "For six months it was eating me up," he said. But getting back on the field motivated him.
"God decided he wasn't going to take me four years ago," said Pope. "For whatever reason, he's going to let me stay and I hope he lets me stay longer. There's lots of things I want to do."
