Josh Pulliam and the Vikes have epic spring game lineup as they row hard to Valhalla

Coming Home: Pulliam’s Journey to Fort Walton Beach

Coach Josh Pulliam is very much a hometown product. He grew up in Fort Walton Beach, graduated from Choctawhatchee High School, and then left the area to continue his football journey. He played college ball in Greensboro, North Carolina, then moved to Tampa, where he worked at USF as a Graduate Assistant before transitioning into high school coaching.

Eventually, he returned to his alma mater as a coach for about 8.5 years. When former head coach Greg Thomas moved on from Choctaw, Pulliam decided it was time to take a new step as well—but he didn’t want to leave Okaloosa County. That led him to Fort Walton Beach High School, where he came on staff around the 2019–2020 season as an assistant.

Last year, he was named head coach of the Vikings. He calls the opportunity a blessing and says he’s “excited and thankful” to be leading the program in the community he calls home.

Building Men, Not Just Players

Pulliam says the first whirlwind year as head coach matched what many new head coaches experience—but he relishes the challenge.

For him, success is not limited to the scoreboard:

• He wants his players to become better men as they move into the next phase of their lives.
• He emphasizes small daily disciplines: showing up to class on time, making the bed, laying out clothes the night before.
• Those habits, he believes, translate into taking care of “the big things” later in life and on the field.

A core mantra of the program is “chop wood and carry water”—a phrase the Vikings have adopted to describe the grind of consistent, humble effort every day. The idea is simple: do the basic, necessary work, day after day, with pride—just like a Viking should.

A Storied Past, a Rebuilding Present

Fort Walton Beach football has one of the richest histories of success in the area. The Vikings own state championships from 1991 and 1995, meaning they have more state titles than any other big school in Okaloosa County. The Baker Gators own the most of any school in Okaloosa County with 5 state titles. 

Pulliam doesn’t shy away from the reality that the program has been “down for a little bit.” He points to a mix of:

• Transfer movement
• Coaching turnover
• And other shifting dynamics around the program

But he’s quick to add that the “mystique is there” and the community passion has never left. He says fans and former players regularly text or reach out to him, reminding him how much the program means to them.

Now, he believes the Vikings are “rising from the ashes.” With a staff that’s largely intact from last season and a group of players he feels are bought in, Pulliam says everyone in the program is “rowing in the right direction.”

Offensive Creativity, Defensive Rebuild

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Pulliam says the Vikings will build on what they started last year.

• Coaching continuity is a strength: most of the staff have returned.
• Offensively, they’ll look to be creative and get the ball into the hands of their best playmakers.
• Defensively, they’ll be multiple and move around as they work to replace about eight starters on that side of the ball.

He highlights several players— Lavin McDaniel and Cannon Wilbur—as examples of the kind of versatility they want to lean on.

Pulliam noted that the team started with a senior last year, and then transitioned to Wilbur, who is also one of their best wideouts. McDaniel 

• The team started with a senior quarterback and then transitioned to Wilbur, who is also one of their best wide receivers.
• McDaniel stepped in and “does a great job dealing the cards,” running the offense with poise and moxie after having played quarterback since he was six or seven years old.
• The offensive line is young, but they respond well to McDaniel’s leadership.

The Vikings plan to keep defenses guessing by using the same personnel in multiple formations and rotating who lines up where in the backfield. The goal is clear: maximize playmakers and make it tough to scheme against them.

On defense, the focus will be on playing sound, aggressive football, flying to the ball, and solidifying a new core after heavy graduation losses.

Spring Game: A Measuring Stick

The immediate test for the Vikings is the spring game, where Fort Walton Beach will host Crestview, Mosley, and Pine Forest.

He urges the community—especially Vikings fans—to come out, fill the stands, and treat it like what it is in his eyes: Florida football in the South, where people should be “jacked up,” hooping and hollering for their team.

Culture, Motivation, and the “Goldfish” Mindset

An important piece of the Vikings’ rebuild is connecting today’s players with yesterday’s champions. Pulliam has invited former Fort Walton Beach players and alumni back to speak to the team.

Those talks all carry a similar theme:

• Physical toughness – “Get out there and punch people in the mouth.”
• Work ethic – Show up every day ready to work hard and compete.
• Chip on the shoulder – One former player, an undersized corner and state champion, told the team he lived “pissed off for greatness” every day.

Pulliam ties those messages into a mindset of constant improvement:

• Whether you just scored a touchdown or made a mistake, the next play is coming fast.
• You have to move on quickly, learn, and get better—good, bad, or ugly.

He even references the Ted Lasso “goldfish” analogy: have a short memory, reset fast, and focus on the next rep—on the field or in the weight room.

Looking Ahead: A Program on the Rise

The Vikings’ upcoming schedule includes home dates against Pensacola, South Walton, Milton, Walton, Gulf Breeze, and Escambia, along with several key road games, including Booker T. Washington and others.

Pulliam’s message to fans is straightforward:

• The players are working hard every day.
• The staff is committed to putting a product on the field that the community can be proud of.
• The history, pride, and potential of Fort Walton Beach football are very real—and the Vikings are doing everything they can to write the next great chapter.