Hoggard’s Craig Underwood hopes to continue winning culture at Hoggard

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Hoggard Vikings made it all the way to the 4-A East Finals last year in high school football. 2014 was a transitional year for the coaching staff due to a health scare for involving longtime head coach Scott Braswell. Craig Underwood is the new head coach at Hoggard. The interim and co-coach label no longer applies for Underwood. “I think selling the tradition and the expectation that is here, that is one thing that I am very blessed to have inherited a program that I’ve been a part of for a long time now that has the expectations of winning,” Underwood told WWAY. “These guys have to understand it doesn’t just happen. It’s the hard work and the hours of grinding that equals the wins on Friday night.”

Craig Underwood does not have to change the culture at Hoggard. It’s already there and the culture of winning has been there awhile thanks to longtime head coach Scott Braswell, who stepped aside a few months ago. “He and I still work extremely close together,” Underwood said. “As the AD he’s obviously very supportive. He’s been a great mentor for me. I am still using him very regularly.”

Hoggard will be a force to be reckoned with. In fact Craig Underwood already believes he knows what the strengths of his team will be. “Right now we have a very experienced defensive line. I am excited about that group. I think they can attack and get after it. Our receiving corps is experienced and they had a good summer and everyone else is catching up and coming along. Well we’ll still be multiple, but we’ll still be spread, use the passing game. We’re still gonna have our power running game, our option game and all of that. Bryan Sasser our quarterback, we have a young quarterback Josh Jones who is doing a great job. The tailbacks are stepping up. Again, I think we are on the right track.” And being on the right track is nothing new for Hoggard.

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Make sure you’re with us on Thursday. We’ll check in with the new head football coach at Ashley High School. Jeff Turner, the new Ashley head coach, used to be the defensive coordinator at Hoggard.