Seventeen years of coaching football.

That amount of time has shown Eastern offensive line coordinator coach Jeff Hoover he has a true passion for both football and coaching.

But Hoover said he almost did not coach football at all.

“Actually, my college coach talked me into it,” Hoover said. “I had been planning on going to law school. But my coach and I were sitting on a plane together talking and he said ‘We need a football coach and we would like you to have the job.'”

Hoover said his coach told him if the coaching job did not work out, he could always go to law school instead.

Hoover said he has never regretted the decision.

Before Hoover became a coach though, he was a three-time starter for the University of California-Davis, where he graduated in 1991.

He was hired as the offensive line coach after graduation. In 1992 he coached for the offensive and defensive lines for the Arena Football League team, the Sacramento Attack. He went on to coach at Claremont-McKenna, Portland State, Utah State and Henderson State before coming to Eastern.

Hoover was hired last March and said he is excited about being with the team. He said he has nothing but the utmost respect for head coach Bob Spoo.

But Hoover said to stay interested in coaching, it has to go beyond just the game of football.

He said a good relationship between the coaches and players is needed to be able to do the job and do the job well.

Hoover said throughout his 17 years of coaching the players have changed, where as the game has not.

“Obviously, 18- and 19-year-olds have changed since I began coaching, but I think that they still want to play hard and win,” Hoover said. “So as long as they feel you’re putting them in a position to win, they’ll listen.”

Hoover said he and the players at Eastern, even though it is his first year, have a good relationship. He compared the football team to a tight-knit family.

Hoover said he and the team began to bond last spring when they went through camps.

“The team gets along really well,” Hoover said.

Head coach Scott Maxfield of Henderson State said Hoover also had been able to get along well with the players on his team.

“He was a really good coach,” Maxfield said. “They had a good bond and he was able to motivate the players.”

Compliments on Hoover come close to home as well as junior running back Norris Smith also was happy with the hiring and coaching abilities of Hoover.

“He is always talking with the offensive linemen and stressing the run game,” Smith said. “As a running back, I’m like that of course.”

Smith said he feels the team is in good hands when it comes to the running game.

Hoover said he does not feel as though he has to change much at all here in terms of the running game.

“I think sometimes it’s harder to keep a good thing going,” Hoover said. “Eastern is a very physical team and the running game is a part of that. I didn’t feel I had to reinvent the wheel.”

Hoover said he feels confident at the running position because of its depth, even with the injury to Smith.

He said he expects a good season from the Panthers.