Since they both first strapped on cleats and helmets in the third grade, Tucker Floyd and Brian Adams have been the only constants in one another’s football career.

The two seniors have played alongside each other for ten seasons in red, white and blue, but each August when they took the field they looked a new head coach in the eye.

Floyd and Adams have played for a different head coach during each one of their ten seasons in the Pike Liberal Pee-Wee, Junior Varsity and Varsityt programs.

“We had Mr. David Dickey as our coach in the very first year we played,” Floyd said. “The next year we had Chuck Ingram, Austin’s dad. We knew that you have different coaches a lot of the time in pee-wee and stuff, we didn’t think it would follow us all the way through.”

Every year, a new head Patriot roamed the sidelines and called the plays while Adams and Floyd made the tackles and scored the points.

When the two moved to the junior varsity level, Bob Pickett was in charge. After Pickett left, Burt Rice stepped in for one season and was followed by Shane Davenport.

In 2011, the duo suited up for Steven Kilcrease, and in 2012 Wayne Grant was in charge. Gene Allen calls the shots for the Pats currently.

“It was difficult every year,” said Adams. “It seemed like every year we would build a good relationship with someone and gain trust with a new coach, Then…boom. We would have to start all over the next season. The change every year has definitely not been fun.”

Floyd agrees with his friend.

“A lot of high schools have the same coach for a while, and the players learn the routine in JV,” said Floyd. “We had Kilcrease’s routine, then Coach Grant’s and now Coach Allen. It hasn’t been fun learning something new, but Coach Allen is the best for the job. The constant turnover is not good for the program.”

Despite just a handful of wins in their varsity career, both Floyd and Adams say they will remember their football life fondly.

“We have grown up playing football for Pike and with each other for a long time,” Adams said. “The change has not been fun, but we were able to leave a mark and a legacy. We helped show the younger players how to do it the right way. Coach Allen and the rest of the guys will be successful in the future. I know it.”

Pike Liberal Arts travels to Greenville Friday night to play Ft. Dale Academy.