Gleghorn hits the ground running as Hobbs football coach

Kimberly Ryan/News-Sun

Hobbs football coach Charles Gleghorn speaks to students Wednesday.

  On the first morning of his first day on the job, Hobbs head football coach Charles Gleghorn was in front of every boy in the sophomore and junior class at Hobbs High School on Wednesday in Tasker Arena introducing himself, his philosophy and his desire to turn a Hobbs football program that has one playoff victory since 1982 into a winner.
  As I wrote in my story for Thursday's paper, he quickly informed the 400-plus students in front of him that no team in New Mexico will throw the football more than the Eagles in 2012 – leading to a loud ovation.
  Safe to say the student body is eager to move away from its three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust mentality.
  Gleghorn's no-huddle, pass-happy spread offense has this town buzzing – in the middle of basketball season nonetheless. Add to it the addition of Aztec defensive coordinator Mike Felicetti (who helped Aztec to a state title in 2011 and coached with Gleghorn at Hatch Valley and Kirtland Central) as Hobbs' defensive coordinator and the Hobbs football program has its base set and is ready to build.
  Gleghorn made it clear that any student interested in playing football is welcome to join Hobbs' football athletic period. The 41-year-old Lovington graduate came across very approachable and probably had roughly 30 students sign up to change their first period class to his football athletic period (more will likely follow).

Kimberly Ryan/News-Sun

Hobbs students sign up for the football athletic period as new coach
Charles Gleghorn watches during a meeting Wednesday at Tasker Arena.

  Anyone who watches college football nowadays (especially if you watched West Virginia thump Clemson in the Orange Bowl Wednesday night) knows these fast-break style of offenses are incredibly player friendly as many athletes get their hands on the football every game. As an Oregon alum (which Gleghorn bases some of his offense around), I've enjoyed this style of football for a few years and I'm sure Hobbs players and fans will fall in love with it as well.
  But patience must be had by Hobbs fans, players and even coaches. I've talked about this before but it takes time to change the culture of a football program. It doesn't happen overnight or with just the hire of a coach. It must be changed from the junior high level up. Players (and parents) must dedicate to it and not be satisfied with just making the varsity roster or to be starting. The goal for this program year in and year out should eventually be to win state championships. The facilities and the athletes (while sometimes over exaggerated) are here to do it.
  It's going to take time. Hobbs players are going to have to dedicate to learning this system and spend a lot of time throwing and catching footballs over the next eight months to get ready for the season.
  If they do that, the Eagles will be a team in 2012 – at the very least – opponents aren't going to like to prepare for and do better than their 2-8 mark of 2011.