UVA and NOVA Legends Podcasts®
Mike Skinner Is Back: The Championship Coach Returns to Woodgrove
Two‑time Virginia state championship football coach Mike Skinner returns to the sideline — and at 67, he has Woodgrove off to a 3–0 start. Coach Skinner joins me for a wide‑ranging conversation about a coaching career that spans generations of Northern Virginia high school football.Coach Skinner looks back at his early years at Marshall and Centreville, the 2000 Centreville state title, Woodgrove’s 2018 state championship, and the coaches who shaped him — from Vince Lombardi and Chuck Noll to Mickey Thompson and Nick Saban. He explains how the game has changed: no more two‑a‑days, reduced contact, advanced modern defenses, extensive film study, and offenses snapping the ball every 15 seconds.We also break down Woodgrove’s talented 2026 football team — its standout young quarterback, strong running game, and physical offensive line. Coach Skinner discusses why wrestling helps football players, the importance of community support, and what he learned coaching alongside Mickey Thompson.And after decades on the sideline, Coach Skinner explains why he’s still coaching. His goal for Woodgrove is simple: reach December with no “woulda, shoulda, coulda” — get there ready to roll.The episode ends with a moment that gives the conversation its heart. When asked whether he’s having as much fun now as he did 15 or 20 years ago, Coach Skinner reflects on stepping back, trusting his assistants, enjoying coaching more — and hoping he still has five, six, or seven years left in the game.NOVA Legends® Podcast is proudly sponsored by Foley Mechanical, the DMV’s elite HVAC company.
