Daniel Papp, University President
This is a historic occasion for Kennesaw State University. This is a day that is going to be hallmarked in KSU history along with our founding 50 years ago. When we began this effort to bring football on board, we started by putting together a football exploratory committee. Coach Vince Dooley headed that committee and we had tremendous efforts from our staff to help us arrive at this day.
When we started our search for a head coach, we looked for an individual who knows football, we found that individual. We looked for an individual who knows 21st century athletes, we found that individual. We were also looking for someone who knows the state of Georgia, we found that person. We wanted someone who knows there are two words in student-athlete, both student and athlete. Brian Bohannon clearly knows what we are looking for to play football at this university.
Vaughn Williams, Director of Athletics
It’s a great day to be at Kennesaw State. We’ve had an unbelievable start to 2013 with so many milestones and things that have fallen our way, and plenty more to do.
Today is about progress. It’s about what we strive to do and what we’re striving to be at Kennesaw State. We’re starting that process to strive for excellence. We talk about excellence here at KSU and that’s what we’re going to do.
This is a humungous task. We talk about somebody that embodies a champion. That will make our student-athletes champions both in the classroom and on the field. We’re impacting lives. We’re about the total student and total person. So it was clear based on background and where he’s (Brian Bohannon) been that he embodies every fabric of what we want in a coach at KSU. He will lead us onto the gridiron in 2015. It’s our time. We are very excited for what the future brings to this institution and I can’t think of anyone else who I would want than Brian Bohannon, the first head football coach of your Kennesaw State Owls.
Brian Bohannon, Head Football Coach
Let me just first say how humbled and honored I am to be here today. This is something you look forward to in our profession and I’m honored to be a part of this institution that is as special as this one is. I’m truly excited and it’s surreal for me to hear ‘first head football coach at Kennesaw State.’”
My family is important to me and that’s the culture I want to bring to KSU. People are excited to be here and to be in this department and that’s what I want to continue.
It was a surreal moment for me last night looking back on what’s gotten me to this podium today. I started out on the field at age eight with mom dropping me off. I’ve watched my dad coach and that’s what I’ve learned from. It’s had a huge effect on me and my path here today.
My family, the coaches I’ve worked with, they’ve all been influential and I can’t thank them enough and I’ll never be able to. This is the plan laid out for me and I’ve followed it and that’s why I’m here today.
So why do I interview at KSU? I moved to Woodstock, Ga. and became a member of the community. If I never leave I’ll be the happiest man alive. I knew about Kennesaw State, my grandmother lived across from Kennesaw Mountain High School. My family history is in the Kennesaw area. One day I ride by and I see these huge brand new dormitories. I see different buildings and I say ‘what’s going on here?’ So I ride through and see the stadium and say ‘there’s something going on here.’ My son Blake played basketball and decided to go to a Kennesaw State game with his team. And when I walked into the Convocation Center it was the most unbelievable atmosphere I’ve seen in a long time. It was Mercer night and the fight song was released for the first time. The atmosphere and community that hit me when I walked through the door was the ‘aha’ moment. I knew I wanted to be here. I experienced what KSU was about.
I’m not taking a job to look for the next job. I’m at KSU and I’m here for the long haul. This place, I felt it. I felt there was something special here. What football is going to do is open that up for everyone else to see.
The first thing I said to Vaughn was I want our young men and staff to win the day. Everything we do, we win the day. The classroom, the field, our personal lives. I want these young men to win the day. When they do that they have a chance to lead the community, become great fathers and great citizens. Wins and losses are important, but it’s about developing these young men in and out the classroom.
There are three core values that I’m going to instill if we are going to win the day, first is faith, players faith in me and the institution. Second is family. Family is very important to me. That’s what should be created for KSU Football. And last, but not least, is football. I want to win. Winning is fun. I want a football team that when a colleague looks at our team, they say ‘they play hard, they’re well coached and disciplined.’ That would make me proudest as a head coach.
I’m excited to be head football coach at KSU. That’s who I am and who I want to be and the leadership for this football program. I’m ready to lead and take this to a new level. Owl nation its time. It’s our time.
We’re going to try and establish a profile for KSU. We’re looking for a young man to help us win on Saturday afternoon, but also has the character to fit the profile of Kennesaw State. We have to develop those three components.
What’s next is we’re going to put together a timeline for hiring staff. We’re going to go out and talk about KSU football and let the public know were here. The high school coaches in the community, we’re going to tell them what’s here. We’ll recruit and add staff and build from there.
