2023 Interview with Zach Tibbs Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach from Paul Laurence Dunbar

Name:  Zach Tibbs

School:  Paul Laurence Dunbar

Position:  Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line

To kick this off, can you give us a history of your coaching career? Where you have a coach and the positions held at each stop:

I began at the Middle School level here in Lexington at EJ Hayes.  From there I was at Douglass for two seasons as the Freshman HC/Varsity TEs.  I spent one year at Lexington Catholic as an Offensive Assistant before going to Dunbar where I’ve been the O-Line Coach for one year and then OC.  This was my first year calling plays.  

Coming off of a 6-6 season, including 3-0 in district play, what are your main concerns and things you’re looking forward to entering this season as far as the offense goes?

Some of my main concerns is replacing some key guys on offense.  We will be replacing 3 OL, 3 receivers, 1 QB, and our RB.  Another is can we take the next step in our offense and capitalize on some of the mistakes we made in Year 1 and not miss some of our big plays.  I think the exciting piece is we have been working hard this off-season and have a QB back who was able to play in 6 games and had some great flashes during that time.  We also have several guys returning who made some big plays for us last year including two receivers.  Our rising kids have been working hard this off-season and we have some Freshman and Sophomores who are ready to take the next step.  I am excited about the 2023 season as Year 1 you may take some lumps and bruises when installing a new system.

What will you remember the most about the 2023 class?

The thing I will remember the most about the 23 Class is the legacy they leave at Dunbar.  They are the first 3-Time district champs in school history.  They were great academic and athletic kids.  They left as the most winning class in school history and we’re able to break some school records in terms of success on the field.  Lastly, the relationships I created as a coach.  That’s the most important thing to me is that they know the impact they had on me and the love I have for them.  

Who was the best team the Bulldogs faced last season? Explain.

Frederick Douglass.  They were well coached and had dudes all over the field.  Coach Jeff Poe was able to orchestrate a defense that made things really hard for us as an offense and their kids did a great job.  They went on to win 5A State Championship and congratulations to them.  

Who was the best player you guys faced in 2022? Include the team he played for and what made him so good.

We faced several great teams and players during a 4 week stretch.  Jamarrion Harkless is one that stood out to me as well as Ty Bryant.  Ty was such a vocal leader for their defense and able to make big plays and Harkless was able to make things really tough at the LOS.  They both played at Frederick Douglass.  

Of the six losses, which one was the hardest to get over?

Probably our games against Madison Central.  Week 2 we went up 28-21 with about a minute left and lost 29-28.  Then in Week 2 of the playoffs we had 85 plays on offense, over 600 yards, and scored 42 and lost in a tough one.  

Of the six wins which one will be the one you remember the most?

Hard to pick just one.  Our 3 district wins were very fun.  Our trip to Russell stands out as we were coming off a stretch where we went 1-4 and we weren’t playing very well, but a kid who missed a play early in the game was able to take a hitch 85 yards for a score and then our defense made a huge stop to ice the game.  It was good to see the resilience in those moments for our kids and how they faced a little bit of adversity.  The Lafayette game was also one as it was homecoming and we had a great atmosphere and our middle school night that evening and we’re able to put on a good show in all phases of the game.  But winning is fun and I remember them all!

What did you learn about yourself during the 2022 season that you can use to be a better coach this season?

Always design your offense around what your kids do best and trust them within the scheme and trust the scheme you’ve created for them.  I think at times I may have went away from what we did best and wanna grow from that and help our kids grow from those mistakes to make us all better in 2023.  Another thing I learned about myself is just how passionate I am about the game and our kids.  I hope to continue that same energy and passion and capitalize on it as I continue coaching.
Also learned about myself. Be able to adapt and evolve as the season progresses

Can you tell us which seniors from last season will be moving on to play college ball and list the colleges too?

Jakobe Biggerstaff - Bellarmine
Jaden Commodore - KCU
Desmond Duncan - Thomas More
We have a few guys who are still making that decision about their future.  

Have you watched any of the XFL games? If you have, what are your thoughts on the league?

I have watched some of the games.  I like the piece of being able to hear exchanges between QB and huddles as I love to hear and see how different people structure their systems.  I also think it’s a chance to see some creative schemes and things that we haven’t seen yet.  I like how the league is giving guys a chance to do what they love and then incorporate some different rules to try and continue improving the game.