Know your Trojan coach: Benjy Parker

Troy linebackers coach Benjy Parker is in his third season with the program. He spent time with the Dothan Eagle for an interview, taken place the week of the Western Kentucky game. He spent time at various junior colleges, such as Butler County (Kan.) and Northeast Mississippi, before coming to Troy.

What were your connections to Troy?
I had knew Jeremy (Rowell) and when I was at Butler, we used to come through here and talk football with him and Coach (Wayne) Bolt and got to know him that way.

In 2000, Jeremy started recruiting Butler. We kept in touch, talking football and it just evolved from there. Jeremy got to be the defensive coordinator and we run the same stuff. Through him I got to meet Coach (Larry) Blakeney. I knew from the start that (this job) was a good fit for me, knowing Jeremy.

Was getting to D-1 a goal of yours?
Yeah. It was a goal but I like it at Troy better than any other place. It was a goal.

At JUCO, did you have to coach any other sports besides football?
We never did, well I take that back. When I was at Northeast, one of the assistant coaches left and went somewhere else. They asked me to coach tennis. I did one spring and the year after that, they dropped the program. I think they started it back since then.

Did you argue to chair refs much?
No. I didn’t know how to keep score. Take them to their matches and watch some tenns, that’s what I did.

Most memorable coaching moment?
There’s a bunch of them that stick out. Either the national title at Butler or the bowl game win at Troy vs. Rice. One of the two.

Most embarrassing coaching moment?
No doubt about it. When we were at Butler, we were at Garden City and we go into four overtimes. To make a long story short, we had the game won, they go out to kick a field goal to tie us up, we had 12 men on the field. In overtime, one of my linebackers intercepts a pass. All he has to do is get down and we win the game, but they stripped it from him, got it back, kicked a field goal and tied it. They won in four overtimes.

I took blame for it. The whole year when we were doing ball drills, I never covered that with them. I never said ‘If you get an interception, get down. Or secure the ball.’ That was embarrassing and heartbreaking right there.

So that was also your most heartbreaking moment?
No question, that was it. No doubt.

What made you want to get into coaching?
I would say just from when I was a player, I knew I loved it. I knew I wasn’t an NFL product so I decided I was going to coach in either junior high or high school. Ever since I can remember, I knew I wanted to be a coach.

Pregame routine?
Wake up. Rowell picks me up before the home games. We eat our pregame meal. There’s no superstition.

Do you have aspirations to be a head coach?
Right now, no. Maybe in a few years. Right now I wouldn’t want to be a head coach. There’s a lot of responsibilities that go on. I’m just responsible for the linebackers and that’s the way I like it.