HUMBOLDT — Humboldt football head coach Logan Wyrick credits his family for much of his success.
That’s common.
But the second source of his success comes from a unique source.
“I’d say family and video games is the reason why I’m doing what I’m doing today, as odd as that sounds,” said Wyrick. “Me and my family always played sports, always wanted to play catch or shoot baskets, and that’s what we did in a small town.”
The video games, likewise, were where he learned about such things as schemes and depth charts.
And now?
“I get to call Madden plays on Friday nights,” Wyrick said. “That’s the dream for some.” 
AFTER Wyrick graduated high school in Haviland, he went to play college football at Coffeyville Community College before moving on to Southwestern College.
His first coaching gigs were as a graduate assistant at Benedictine College and then Southwestern College.
Wyrick earned his masters degree from Southwestern and then coached for four more years at the school.
He got the call to apply at Humboldt when his brother was working as the strength and conditioning coach at the high school.
“I had never been to Humboldt before coming here,” said Wyrick. “My first year coaching was in 2015 and I thought I’d be here a year, maybe two because I had been a college coach.”
Fast forward to this season, Wyrick’s ninth as head coach at Humboldt. Under his tutelage, the Cubs have racked up a 54-27 record.
“I’ve been big at building a family atmosphere and that’s what I preach,” he said. “It’s important to build a program where kids want to be.”
Wyrick’s philosophy is to show his players he cares for them, and in turn earn their trust and buy-in to the program.
The strategy has worked so far, with multiple deep playoff runs over his nine years, including regional championship win over Osage City last fall. (The Cubs bowed out to eventual state champion Nemaha Central a week later.)
But wins and losses are only part of the story.
“My response to how we’re going to do in a season is to come back and ask me in 15 years,” said Wyrick. “That’s what really matters in the long run. Our immediate goals are to win league, district and regional — if we don’t have those goals, what’s the point?
