Q&A: Susquehanna Twp. Head Coach Joe Headen

Penn State has gone above and beyond to find underrated defensive lineman in recent years. In addition to Joseph Appiah Darkwa, who still lives in Germany but is about to make the move to State College soon, Sean Spencer and the rest of the Nittany Lion coaching staff also earned a commitment from Fatorma Mulbah last month.

Listed at 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, Mulbah is originally from Liberia and only began playing football three years ago. To get to know him better, I caught up with Susquehanna Twp. head coach Joe Headen to get a better feel for Mulbah's growth, both on and off the field, as well as what fans can expect moving forward.

Snyder: How did you meet originally meet Fatorma and his family? Take me through that experience.

Joe Headen: When their family moved here, I believe they were originally living with relatives. Going into his sophomore year, they found a home in Susquehanna Township. I believe he was originally living [in the Swatara area]. I actually found out this week that Fatorma originally wanted to be home-schooled. Coming over from Liberia was a major adjustment for him, so going to a new school and all that made it all the more difficult. But anyway, I teach at the school and I was called down to the office one day by the principal. We were actually a week or two into the school year at the time. So I’m going down there, thinking I did something wrong. Well, of course, as soon as I walked in and met Fatorma, I realized right away why they wanted to meet me. His father let me know that he was interested in football and I was very interested in having him. So that’s how I met him for the first time. Instantly, you could tell that he comes from a great family. I was really impressed meeting his father. They just wanted to do everything they could to help Fatorma adjust to life over here and a new school.

Snyder: What was he like those first few weeks? You guys had already started your season, so it’s not like you had preseason to get him caught up.

Headen: Honestly, he didn’t know much. He didn’t know what he didn’t know, if that makes sense. Before he got here, he was on the freshman team at his previous school [Central Dauphin East], but that was about it. I don’t think he did a whole lot that first year. But we did everything we could to catch him up those first few weeks, and once we got to week four, we had to get him out there. Our class that year was already very young, so we had to get him out there. We had nothing to lose. For him, it was just baptism by fire. At the time, he was still learning how to get into his stance, how to properly get out of his stance, all of that. But the one thing he really showed us those first few weeks in practice was the willingness to stay after and learn. Also, it was always, ‘yes sir, no sir,’ with him. So we really started from the beginning with him, but once we got to week four, we felt comfortable giving him a chance. I remember it well. We were playing Central Dauphin East. Now, don’t get me wrong, there was a lot that he could clean up still, but just watching him play a few drives, we knew something was there.

Snyder: Once he started playing, what kind of progress did you see from him the rest of the season and into the off-season?

Headen: We played him on defense his entire sophomore year after that. We actually had him play both junior varsity and varsity. We figured the only way he’s ever going to catch up is to get the expeirence. Honestly, by the time we got to the end of that first season, the progress he had made was incredible. And then, from November 2017 up until August 2018 – so before his second season – that’s when we realized he could really make it and possibly play at [the collegiate] level. Just everything he showed us in the weight room and how committed he was to improve. I’ve coached a lot of kids who work hard and want to be great, and Fatorma is as committed as any of them. We watched him improve so much in that first year. That’s when we knew he really had a chance. Seeing him progress in the off-season was impressive. Then, once we got to week eight or so of last season, and we saw all that hard work translate to the field, that’s when we knew he definitely was going to get the chance to play in college. Also, just to add to that, at the end of his junior season, he was a little over 240 pounds. I think it was 247 or 248. He then wrestled and at the end of wrestling season he was 250 pounds. When he went up to Penn State last month, he was tipping the scales at 270 pounds. So that just shows how much he lived in our weight room the past couple of months. The transition he’s made is incredible, and I can’t wait to see him keep improving.

Snyder: What’s he like with his teammates? I wouldn’t call him shy, but from my interactions, he’s more quiet than not. What’s he like in the locker room?

Headen: In the beginning, it was like pulling teeth. It was difficult to get him to open up. Fortunately, he found a good group of friends on our team, and that really helped bring the kid out of him. That helped him realize that he’s not an outsider with our group. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still adjusting to life over here. He still has a very strong accent. He’s only been here five years, so that part is still an adjustment, but he’s really coming into his own. The one thing that really gets him talking is basketball and the NBA. He loves the 76ers and he loves Joel Embiid, for obvious reasons. You can be sitting there talking to him and he’ll be so stone-faced, but when you mention the Sixers, he just lights up. He thinks he’s a basketball player at heart [laughs]. But yeah, he’s grown a lot with us and he’s still growing.

Snyder: Where does he stand today? What are some of his strengths and weaknesses, and what will you be focusing on with him once two-a-days start in a few weeks?

Headen: Well, to start, he’s still very raw. There’s still so much for him to learn, and that’s what all the college coaches liked. They like the fact that he’s big, has some ability and is raw. I know that’s one thing that Sean [Spencer] and Coach [Brent] Pry and Coach [James] Franklin really liked about him. They saw a guy that they can really develop and mold into the player they want. He has some very impressive measurables, too. He tested great at Penn State and has always put up impressive numbers for us, too. But I’d say his biggest strength right now is his strength, which shouldn’t be a surprise. He’s put on so much muscle and has really always been able to push guys around. He’s only getting stronger nowadays. As the season progressed last year, I thought he made some real improvement with his hands. Obviously, Coach Spencer can teach him so much more still, but he understands the importance of hand placement now and is learning more and more every day. One big thing he improved with this year is leverage. Wrestling helped him so much with that. I think that’s going to really pay off for him. Other than that, the one thing he still has to improve on is just football IQ. When he can match his strength and also read formations and understand concepts, that’s when it will all come together. That’s when he’s going to really show everyone the player he can be.