The way Bud McSuley figured it, he was either in the wrong place at the wrong time, or he was in the wrong profession.

McSuley began his coaching career in Liberty at the junior high level, then he moved on to Howland where he coached the freshman program.

“The Liberty coach was fired shortly after I arrived, then the Howland coach was let go soon after I went over there,” McSuley said. “I began asking myself, ‘Is this a good idea?’”

Luckily for Girard fans, McSuley decided that he wasn’t about to turn his back on a profession he loved. Instead, he joined the Girard coaching staff when he was hired as a teacher in 1992. McSuley took over the program in 1997.

Under McSuley’s guidance, Girard has made three playoff appearances while winning a conference title in 2002. The Indians own a 5-0 record as they prepare to travel to Niles to play their oldest rival.

McSuley was born in Pittsburgh. He grew up on the south side of Youngstown and graduated from Boardman. He later attended Youngstown State University, where he earned a degree in Business Education.

McSuley holds a 69-52 career record.

Q: Can you pinpoint the single most memorable win of your coaching career?

A: The final game of the 1998 season. We were coming off a 1-9 season, and we were just 3-6 at the time. We’re losing to Salem 28-6 at halftime, and when we got into the locker room a few of the seniors stood up and had some words for the rest of the team. We went out in the second half and ended up winning that game 30-28. I really believe that was the moment when we turned our program around. We had a great offseason, then we went 10-2 in 1999, losing only to a pair of teams who finished 30-0.

Q: What are your thoughts of the new artificial turf at Arrowhead Stadium?

A: I love it. It’s great for the coaches and players, because you can prepare every day regardless of the conditions, and plus it saves us about 30 minutes now that we don’t have to hike down the hill to practice. There have been times this year where it has rained, and we were still able to go about our business. In the past we might have been chased indoors. Plus, it’s a bonus for every other sports program and for the band.

Q: Because of your prolific offense, do you feel as though there are times when the play of your defense gets overlooked?

A: You know the old saying about offense selling tickets. But we’ve won many of our games over the years because of our defense. And if you look at our playoff years, you’ll see that we were always defensively sound.

Q: Under your tenure, Girard has produced some of the area’s all-time top quarterbacks. If you could pick one of them to start your team, who would it be?

A: That’s impossible to answer. Each quarterback was great at doing things based on his ability. Bobby Ovesny was a tremendous thrower. Matt Zuppo was an incredible rushing threat. Randy Mason ran the offense and called his own plays better than anyone I’ve ever seen at this level. Jason Collins was the best overall athlete of the bunch. And Adam Charles might prove to be as good a passer as anyone.

Q: Do you believe it is an asset to teach in the building where you coach?

A: It’s extremely beneficial. We have four varsity coaches and four junior high coaches who teach here, plus a sub who recently earned his degree. It’s very important to have that interaction outside of football. Whether it’s getting to know each other while having lunch together, or just keeping tabs on what’s going on in the classroom, being around the players is a huge bonus.

Q: How would you make a case for Kyle Stadlemyer in his quest for the Trumbull County Player of the Year honor?

A. His offensive numbers speak for themselves, but beyond that he is the complete player. He plays defense, he returns punts and kicks, and he punts and kicks at times. He has three interceptions. Early this year he showed what he was all about when we put him at quarterback. Opponents totally keyed on him, and he still produced.

XInterview by Vindicator correspondent Steve Ruman.