[Editor’s note: This interview was conducted before East Carolina’s season opener against Virginia Tech.]
Technician: I noticed you started your career as a tight end. How did that help your transition to playing guard?Coffman: It took [care of] some of my weakness as tight end — maybe my speed as a tight end wasn’t very good, but for an offensive lineman, it’s pretty significant. It helps in that aspect. I’ve also been able to hone some of the skills needed to play offensive line. Originally, I had a raw idea of what to do, and now [offensive line] coach [Steve] Shankweiler has molded me into the player I am now.
Technician: How do you like leading off the year at Virginia Tech, knowing what that’s going to mean to their fans and how they’ve all been looking forward to that game?Coffman: It’s an opportunity that I won’t forget for the rest of my life. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. I’m very excited about it, and the rest of the team is excited. It’s something that is very unfortunate what happened there a few months ago. We look forward to helping them put all that behind them and focus on something more positive — the game of football.
Technician: This year, you play both of the in-state ACC public schools, and you have them both at home. What’s the level of excitement at East Carolina surrounding those games?Coffman: Oh my goodness, you cannot even imagine. Everyone, every student I see, every person I see around town, all they talk about is the Carolina game, the N.C. State game. They can’t wait for the in-state rivalries to be rekindled again this season. It’s just a phenomenal buzz going around about the in-state games this year.
Technician: Will there be any kegs left in the city of Greenville by the end of Oct. 20?Coffman: (laughs) I don’t know. Between the combination of East Carolina fans and N.C. State fans coming together, I doubt it.
Technician: What’s the biggest change that coach [Skip] Holtz has brought since he arrived?Coffman: Honestly, he’s brought to us the belief that we can all be winners. We used to go into games with doubts in our minds with the old staff. We went into games with hesitation, and with coach Holtz we honestly believe we’re winners. We believe we’re going to go into every game not just with a chance to compete, but a chance to win the game. He’s brought back our attitude, our swagger, and as a result we’ve been very successful.
Technician: Describe your experience in last year’s East Carolina-N.C. State match-up.Coffman: It was a tough challenge. State’s a very talented, very athletic team [with] lots of good players. It was unfortunate that the coaching staff was let go. The game itself was good. I felt a little uncomfortable. It was my first game starting at tackle. I didn’t really know what to expect out of that. But coach put together a good plan, and we had some help from our defense — they seem to be able to help us out a lot more in recent years, and it’s been awesome — and we were able to squeak out the win.
Technician: You said a lot of students are looking forward to that State game. Is that the most important game, the biggest game, that you guys play whenever it’s on the schedule?Coffman: Honestly every game’s a big game. In the public eye, I’m sure many people would consider the State game the most popular game of the season. But, personally, every game is the same, regardless of the emotion surrounding it. You just have to go to work every day, bring your lunch pail and go get them on the field.
Technician: That being said, what do you expect the atmosphere to be like in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium before the State [game’s] kickoff?Coffman: Oh my goodness, there will be a buzz that will be ridiculous. No doubt a sell-out crowd. It’ll be awesome. I look forward to it. I can’t wait, I really can’t.