Bohannon offers ride on the energy bus at kickoff luncheon

POWDER SPRINGS — Kennesaw State football coach Brian Bohannon wants Cobb County coaches to drive the “energy bus.”

“I challenge you as I challenge my team to get your bus going,” Bohannon said Tuesday during the 33rd annual Cobb County Kickoff Luncheon at Burnt Hickory Baptist Church. “Our vision and focus will fuel that ride so that you can go do the things you want to do. Your leadership is far beyond what you recognize right now the impact that you have on young people.”

Speaking to local high school coaches, Bohannon referenced a 10-step concept that he shared with his players to achieve whatever vision they set out. Steps include, “invite people on your bus who share your vision for the road ahead.”

“I’ll tell people on my bus that we want to go do what we want to do,” Bohannon said. “For Kennesaw State football, we want to win a national championship. Are you willing to go to work for us to go do that? Come on, let’s go.”

Bohannon also said “enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride.”

“If you want something and you’re passionate about it, you have a chance to do something with it,” he said. “If you want to be great, then go do it.”

If after multiple attempts to get someone to buy in does not work, Bohannon said “don’t waste your energy on those who don’t get on your bus.”

“You’ve got to invite them, you’ve got to go to work, but sometimes they are not cut out for you,” Bohannon said. “There comes a point where you just have to move on. If not, that person will start to pull other people down, and that’s not what you want.”

Another key step is “drive with purpose.”

“You’ve got to love your passion because, whatever it is you have in life, you’re on a mission,” Bohannon said. “Nothing’s going to take you away from that.”

Bohannon’s address began with praise for the coaches in attendance, and an important message on the power of teamwork.

“I have more respect for a high school football coach than I do any coach on the planet,” Bohannon said. “What you have to do to help young men along the way is beyond anything we do at the college level. It’s not even close.”

Bohannon continued with Kennesaw State’s three-letter mantras of E.A.T. (Effort, Attitude and Toughness) and W.T.D. (Win The Day).

“Your effort has nothing to do with your height, weight or speed,” Bohannon said. “You control your attitude, your mindset. You control the ability to win the day. It’s just a mindset of how you go about your business — not just as a player, but as a person and how you treat people.”

Bohannon has been at the reins of Kennesaw State since the program’s founding in 2013, has earned three Big South Conference titles has and gone 63-18 in the first seven seasons of the program. It has all come while emphasizing the importance of having a positive team culture.

“Culture beats schemes every day,” Bohannon said. “People like to talk about schemes, but you could take all the scheme talk and throw it out. What you guys do day in and day out in your building, and the interactions you have with your kids, is what’s going to help you win. When they’re all bought into doing what you want them to do and the vision they have, that’s what gives you a chance to be successful.”