Maynor, New HC for WSSU Football

[aggiejazz]

By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Connell Maynor, the offensive coordinator at Fayetteville State the last nine seasons, is expected to be named the head football coach at Winston-Salem State on Tuesday, according to several sources.

WSSU has a press conference scheduled then to officially name its replacement for Kermit Blount, who was reassigned last month after 17 seasons, with a year left on his contract.

Maynor, 40, is a former quarterback at WSSU and N.C. A&T. His college career ended in 1991, and he went on to become one of the top players in the history of the Arena Football League, where he played mostly quarterback but also saw time at linebacker and wide receiver and on special teams.

His AFL career ended three years ago, and he went into coaching in the Arena League, helping the Philadelphia Soul to the ArenaBowl XXII title last July as offensive coordinator.
At Fayetteville State this season, Maynor was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for a team that won the CIAA title and made the NCAA Division II playoffs.

www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/dec/14/141627/sources-maynor-replace-blount-wssu/sports-college-team-pages-winstonsalem-state/

[Aggie9195]

Good news!

[treese]

Congrats homeboy.......The E.E. SMITH family is happy for you & family!!!! AGGIE PRIDE!!! ok....not that game, but the rest.!!!

[B&GMM 80]

Congrat's (Alum) Coach Maynor, I knew you would be the man

AGGIE"BLUEDEATH"PRIDE

[Aggie One]

You heard it here first from our news department when Blount was first let go weeks ago. BDV.com is very rarely wrong on these things.

[aggieman007]

Maynor and Hayes together WSSU will be a force in the CIAA. Hayes will have Winston football program going in the right direction by time he is forced to retired by the state of NC.

[numberonebrave]

Connell Maynor, the new football coach at Winston-Salem State, has hit the ground running, and his players are feeling the faster pace.

Offseason conditioning drills and weight lifting have started, and a tone has been set.

At an hour-long session with about 80 players Tuesday, Maynor -- sporting wraparound sunglasses -- left no doubt who was in charge.

"No hats, no earrings, and they have to wear their pants on their butts," Maynor said.

"Whenever they are on this campus, they are going to have their pants up, and I don't want any earrings or hats.

"And and they are going to treat their teachers and the women on this campus with respect."

Maynor, who turns 41 today, and his staff are getting the Rams ready for the start of spring practice Feb. 8. The conditioning work includes plenty of time in the weight room and more than enough wind sprints for most players.

"They lift on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and then we work them out with conditioning for an hour on Tuesday and Thursday," said Maynor, a head coach for the first time.

Several players were gasping for breath during Tuesday's drills, but after last season's 1-10 finish, they weren't about to complain.

Marvin Bohannon, a fifth-year senior defensive back, said that the added discipline is a plus.

"I like it," Bohannon said. "You see he's very disciplined, and he doesn't play any games at all. He doesn't expect anything less than us winning a championship."

One motivational tactic Maynor has already used involves jewelry. Some of his assistants who were coaches or players on Fayetteville State's recent CIAA championship teams have flashed their championship rings.

"The new coaches all have championship rings, and they showed us those at our first team meeting," Bohannon said. "We've got our chance to earn a ring, and that's what we are all about at this point."

The Rams will play in the CIAA again next season after a four-year absence as they tried to move to Division I.

Maynor isn't apologizing for his old-school discipline, which he learned from Bill Hayes, his former college coach and now WSSU's athletics director.

"I think this generation of young kids is kind of getting away from that," Maynor said. "I want them to respect their elders with ‘No sir' and ‘Yes ma'am.'.… I'm old school in that aspect and doing the little things that command respect. You aren't going to wear your pants off your butt to a job interview, so I'm just trying to get them ready for the real world as well."

Maynor said he senses that the players have embraced his rules.

"They know my track record of winning championships," said Maynor, who has been part of 10 championship teams as a player or assistant at the college and pro level. "A lot of times kids just need to be led."

Maynor said that the early conditioning and spring practices will set a good foundation for next fall.

"They are learning what we are about and what championship football is about," he said. "It's about being dedicated. I told those guys anybody can go 3-8, 4-7 or 5-6 or 1-10 -- but you have to pay the price if you want to be a champion."

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