Football coaches Mike Grant of Eden Prairie and Jeff Erdmann of Rosemount lead their teams into the Prep Bowl state championship game on Friday evening. Grant’s Eagles are trying to become the first team ever to win three consecutive titles in the largest class. Erdmann’s Irish, who took runner-up in 2010, are trying to close out the Metrodome era with a championship. Rosemount last won it all in 1981, the year before the bubble.

Star Tribune reporter David La Vaque spoke to both coaches during the two weeks of preparations. The game preview story can be read here. More from Erdmann is below. More from Grant is available here.

Q Everyone benefits from experience. How are you and the coaching staff better in terms of preparing for the Prep Bowl than you were in 2010?
A It’s everything added together in terms of our experience the past nine or 10 years. We know each other and we’ve got a pretty good vibe on reading kids and where they are at. We all know what strengths and weaknesses we all have and we can play off of that. As far as the championship game – this is our first time with two weeks. So this is new for us in terms of feeling it out. We’re still learning.

Q How have you tried to make good use of the extra week?
A It’s allowed us to introduce packages over time as opposed to rushing it all in. So hopefully the guys will have a better awareness.

Q The guys went in the pool [Nov. 22]. Is that something new?
A We had not been in the pool before but it’s refreshing and good for the body.

Q Where did you get the idea?
A Our head track and field coach [Jay Hatleli, who also coaches the defensive backs]. I asked him what he thought was the best way to condition for two weeks and that was one of the things he brought up.

Q So this isn’t just a leisurely afternoon at the pool. There is a conditioning element?
A Yeah. They don’t know that yet. That’s why they were asking when they saw the word “conditioning” on the sheet. They were nervous about that.

Q That’s why you said it was a typo, eh?
A Yeah. We’ve got to have them show up.

Q There’s one more game to win. But reflect on your journey. You came in at a pretty low point. The enrollment was still recovering from the addition of Eastview High School to the district. You went 1-9 each of your first two years. But then you won a share of the Lake Conference. You went to state. You went to the Metrodome. You won the South Suburban Conference. You went to the championship game once and now you’re back. How do feel about the mark you’ve been able to make here?
A First, I’m extremely humbled because it’s not me. We’ve got great coaches. You saw how little I’m able to do in practice with everything that’s going on. Our position coaches have been around here a long time and they know how to teach the game.
When you’re talking program building, it doesn’t even start with this. It starts with ninth- and 10th-grade kids having good experiences so they come back out. It’s a 9-12 thing and it even goes beyond that. We’re able to do things with our youth and middle school programs that were good decisions to help us with our growth.

Q We’re taking about a second championship game in four seasons. Is this what you had in mind?
A The three others schools I was at, there was a sense of urgency. I knew coming here that this would hopefully be my last place. So you go about your business a little bit differently. You’re looking at the long-term whereas the other three places there is more of an urgency to win now and there isn’t as much focus or energy put on the building part.
We were fortunate here those first couple years that our administration stuck with us and didn’t start getting antsy and bailing.

Q Eden Prairie has earned favorite status as the two-time defending state champions without a loss this season. You guys are clearly the best team to be in the championship game with them. So you’re an underdog in a sense but you’re pretty darn good. What’s the two sides then of mentally preparing your players?
A We don’t really talk about being an underdog. I think our guys know that this is Eden Prairie and everybody knows what Eden Prairie is. They are a great football program and a great team. Everything we emphasize is our performance and our execution. We can’t fix how fast they are, their size or anything like that. We can only control giving ourselves a chance, hopefully, to be successful.

Q You’re 0-9 all time against Eden Prairie, correct?
A Yeah, we came close in 2002. We scored and we were going to go for two and take the lead but our guy saluted the crowd so we got a 15-yard penalty and had to kick. And then in 2009 we were up 21-7 going into the fourth quarter and we threw two pick-sixes.

Q How do cut through the whole Eden Prairie mystique?
A We talk about their players and try to humanize it. These are high school kids who have girlfriend issues, homework and tests and the rest of it. If we get in a situation where some good things happen and we’re up on them, now they are high school kids who have to deal with all the emotions of being in a state championship game as well. 

Q Coaches believe Eden Prairie is a different team if you get a lead. How are you walking the line between doing what you can offensively and not taxing yourself with pressure to score?
A We don’t usually talk to the kids about that part of it. We’ve talked about being efficient with the ball all year. We’re OK with the game getting shortened. You’re not going to see us come out no-huddle trying to get 70, 80 plays per game. I think both teams are going to try and shorten the game.

Q What are the keys to defending them well?
A The challenge is, when you make your reads, you’ve got to go. But that’s when if their quarterback is running a naked, he’s such a good athlete that it turns into a big play. It’s 3rd and 8 and they run a naked for a first down. Now you’ve got adrenaline from stopping them on two consecutive plays – it’s a difficult thing to overcome. They present a lot of problems with their speed and size and physical nature.

Q What is the chatter around town regarding your trip to the Prep Bowl?
A It’s the same and the thing I love about it is, it’s always “We. We’re going to the state championship.” They feel a part of it and that’s what I love about this community. We need that. One of our slogans is, “Glory is achieved when the many come together to form that which is invincible – the power of one." We have to be one to be successful against teams with larger enrollments and more money.