Interview with former Marshall Quarterback Jimmy Skinner

Former Marshall Quarterback Jimmy Skinner was nice enough to field a few questions from the Marshall Thundering Blog. Below is an exact transcript of the questions presented to Skinner and his answers. Enjoy!

1. What have you been doing with your self since graduation?

Since I got my Bachelors and Masters at Marshall, I have been coaching football over in Lawrence County Kentucky for Lawrence County High School for two years now with former Marshall Football Player Luke Salmons. We have former Marsahll Football Player Matt Altobello on staff as well. I am currently working for a local bank here and workin on another Masters in Special Education where I want to get a job as a teacher soon hopefully.

2. Since Your stint with the Hunting Heroes ended have you played competitive football?

The Heroes was my last action I have seen as a player and I am currently focussing on my career as a coach. I miss my playing days very much but coaching has allowed me to stay competitive on the field again!

3. During your career at Marshall what are some of your best memories?

Some of my best memories were the relationships I made with all my teammates and winning a lot of games while there. My favorite memory was being able to win a conference championship and bowl game back in 2002.

4. Do you stay connected with any of your former teammates?

I talk to a lot of my former teammates each day and find myself getting into hour long conversations with them about our days playing. Its hard not to but we all cherrish our time there. I can in contact with not only former players but some of the players who are still on the team today.

5. What is your opinion on the upcoming football season at Marshall? Do you think this is the year MU returns to prominence?

I really feel this will be the year that MU gets back on its feet. it has been a rough ride the past few years but i hear nothing but good things happening around the program to where I feel more confident about this years team than the past few years.

6. Brain Anderson appears to be the front runner at quarterback heading into August practice. You were teammates with Anderson for a few seasons. Do you think Anderson can be an effective starting quarterback?

I have total confidence in Brian and know he can get the job done. He is one of the smartest QB's i've ever been around even as a Freshman when I was a Senior i could tell he was going to be great one day. He was thrown into the mix very young in his career and i really feel that his maturity level is where it needs to be to play at a high level.

7. If memory serves me correct you made a single post on HerdNation.com last season, or the season before that, asking people to stick by your former teammates. What motivated you to do so?

I got to reading Herdnation.com right after i got done playing and saw a lot of negative things being said about some of my former teammates so i just felt i would take it upon myself to say a few words to maybe let people see what the life of a MU football player is like on a daily basis. I'm not big on posting things on the internet but I just kind of wanted to open some eyes to a few people and let my former teammates know that I was still a big supporter of them and that at a time of difficutly, there were still a lot of people in the Marshall community supporting them.

8. Do student athletes pay attention to message boards and what people perceive about them?

I know that I tried to stay away from them just to make sure i didnt' get caught up in distractions both positive and negative, but i do know that some student athletes do get on the message boards and read them. I think its hard not too because some athletes want to know what is being said about them but its not only the athletes who get on its their families who sometimes get on and see the things being said about their sons and that can be hurtful as well.