The OSC Interview: Philadelphia Soul Offensive Coordinator Jim Kubiak
by Fran Stuchbury
February 20, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Philadelphia Soul
OSC contributor Fran Stuchbury spoke to Philadelphia Soul offensive coordinator Jim Kubiak after the Soul's 75-59 win over the New York Dragons. Kubiak is entering his first year with the team after playing four seasons in the AFL as a quarterback for the Buffalo Destroyers, Dallas Desperados and Georgia Force. For his career, Kubiak passed for 9985 yards, 189 TD's and 36 INT's. He also played college football at the Navy.
Fran Stuchbury: Were you pleased with the Soul offensive production this game?
Jim Kubiak: I was very happy with our production. We had a game plan, and we executed it. Guys stepped up when they needed to, and it was great to get Tony back in the lineup.
FS: How about the play calling. You seemed very aggressive throwing a lot of deep passes to throw the Dragons off guard.
JK: They probably figured we were going run the ball a lot, and with Tony getting back in the lineup, we liked our match-ups down field. Our game plan was to go deep on them all the time and that's what we did.
FS: How has the transition been going from a player to being a coach?
JK: It's like anything else, sometimes you make mistakes, and you try not to make those same mistakes twice. Probably shouldn't have called that timeout so early in the second quarter. We made a mistake, but we made up for it in the third. Overall, the team has really pulled together. It's a great nucleus of guys. It's a win and we our proud of a division win, which is more important.
FS: What interested you in getting involved as a head coach for the Philadelphia Soul?
JK: As a player I had a couple of injuries. My little girl leaned over after my knee surgery and said I don't want you to have any more surgeries. I thought about at 33 maybe it is time we look elsewhere. I was lucky enough to have a great interview with Brett Munsey, and he wanted to bring me on board and it was a great fit.
FS: So who was the best WR/OS you played with in the AFL as a player?
JK: There have been some good ones. I would be hard pressed to say I can pick one of them out. Guys like Andy McCullough, Jason Shelley, guys I was with when I played for the Dallas Desperados were pretty good. Any one of those guys can step up and be (one of the best players in the game).
FS: How about your experience playing at the Naval Academy. Did that help you out personally?
JK: That's the greatest experience anyone can have, that experience at the Naval Academy, as a division officer in the Navy, is really what being a coach at this level is. You got a division of guys, you got a group of guys you're working with. That experience is probably more important than anything else.
FS: So what interested you in playing Arena Football?
JK: When you're in five NFL camps and over in NFL Europe twice and you're not making a roster. At some point you have to either go into something else, or you have to give something else a try. I love playing football. It was an opportunity to continue playing football. It was the best football move I made in my career to jump into this football game as a player and now as a coach.
FS: Which AFL coach had the biggest impact on you as a player?
JK: We've had some pretty good coaches. Doug Plank in Georgia is an outstanding person, great leader. Joe Avezzano from the Dallas Cowboys, he was with us with the Dallas Desperados, tremendous coach. Those two guys and now Brett Munsey who has been a tremendous leader. He is showing me a lot of things from the coaching ranks, that maybe I didn't think about as a player.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to drop me an email at arenzone@yahoo.com and I will be more than happy to get back to you.
Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from February 20, 2006
- The OSC Interview: Philadelphia Soul Offensive Coordinator Jim Kubiak - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
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