Tanner Roof
Oklahoma Christian School
VYPE caught up with OCS coach Tanner Roof before the season kicks off to find out more about coach Roof and the Saints.
VYPE: You come from a coaching family; did you always know coaching was something you wanted to do?
ROOF: Many members of my family were educators and coaches, so from an early age, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in education and coaching.
VYPE: Who are some of your early influences and when you want to pick someone’s brain, who do you call?
ROOF: My earliest influence came when I was a water boy, watching my dad coach. In high school, I was fortunate to have him as the head coach and my brother as my position coach. My first coaching job was with my brother at Bethany as a GA. I thought I knew football and the aspects of coaching when I arrived at Bethany, but it was a humbling experience, and I learned a lot from my brother during my three years there. Another significant influence on my coaching career has been my father-in-law, Mark Little. All three of them field calls from me week to week when I am game planning or faced with uncommon situations. I am very fortunate to have them as a sounding board and overall support throughout my career.
VYPE: OCS was 9-2 last season. Graduated a big senior class. Now you’re breaking in a new QB. What was the focus offensively this spring and what do you need to accomplish as we roll through July and August?
ROOF: Our main offensive focus is to get 1% better every time we step onto the field or into the building. This summer, we’ve made significant strides in the passing game during 7-on-7 competitions. We’ve also dedicated a lot of time to working on fundamentals, technique, and communication with the offensive line. Now, we just need to finish the summer by getting stronger in the weight room.
VYPE: Defensively you return a good number of starters to go with some exciting new faces. What have you seen from this group that makes you confident in their abilities coming into the season?
ROOF: The defense has had a great spring and summer. Coach Maly, our new Defensive Coordinator, has done a great job installing our new scheme and getting our players to play fast and utilize our team speed.
VYPE: What makes OCS the right place for you?
ROOF: The community, the people, and the opportunity for my daughters to get a faith-based education in an outstanding school district. OCS is a special place and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.
VYPE: Away from the office and the field, how does Tanner Roof enjoy spending some of his free time?
ROOF: Spending time with my family, golfing, hunting and fishing.
VYPE: What’s the message to the OCS fans coming into the 2024 season?
ROOF: How much we appreciate the way they show up and support all of the sports at OCS. We look forward to them coming out and watching us put on a show for them this season!
