article The Five Best Young Head Coaches in KY High School Football

The Bluegrass State has been blessed with coaching icons over the years. The second you begin to brain storm of coaches who brought dominance and notoriety, you immediately recall the “old timers” of Jaggers, Miracle, Martin, Hauck, Brugh, and Duffy. You think back to the Golden Days of the late 80’s, the 90’s and the turn of the century and names like Howard, Yeagle, Schneider, Harp, Redman, Holcomb, and McGlone immediately fill the tip of your tongue. You also can’t forget the names that are fixtures or who are currently getting it done like Haywood, Mueller, Yeagler, Beatty, Smith, Wallace, and Hilton.

It is very easy to get caught up remembering each of these guys and their successes or specific moments that made them into living legends of the preps realm. With such dominant names littered throughout the state’s history it is very easy to get hung up on the past, but as we look around today there are several young faces who represent the next generation of Kentucky’s elite Head Coaches.

Before we quantify these guys, first we must set the parameters:

1. He must have ten years or less of Head Coaching experience entering the 2016 Season.

2. He must have at least taken his team to the State Semi-Finals.

3. He must be free from a major scandal or KHSAA sanctions.

4. He must be under 40 years old.

5. Clay Clevenger, Danville/Henderson County (71-39 Overall, 1 Semi-Finals Appearance)

Most know Clevenger for his recent run at Danville, including the push the 2A Semi-Finals in 2015. What people overlook is that Clevenger held Henderson County at a solid level in the largest classification. His last four years at Hendo he managed to at least win one playoff game.

4. Mark Perry, Lexington Catholic/Central Hardin (43-22 Overall, 1 State Runner-Up, 2 Semi-Finals Appearances)

Perry has now coached for 5 seasons and has posted double digit win totals each of his past three seasons.

3. Brandon Smith, South Warren (39-3 Overall, 1 State Title, 2 State Semi-Finals Appearances)

The only knock on Brandon Smith in his young career is the size of the sample we are dealing with. An unprecedented start that even his Father could not match, Smith is averaging a 13-1 record through his first three seasons and his South Warren program is quickly growing into the State’s next juggernaut.

2. Harold Davis, DeSales (48-10 Overall, 2 State Titles, 4 State Semi-Finals Appearances)

Davis has coached for four seasons at the small Louisville Catholic School and has yet to see a season that his team wasn’t at least playing on Black Friday. A pair of State Titles cement his place, and CAL’s Stefan LeFors can probably single handily blame Davis for keeping his name out of contention for this list.

1. Ty Scroggins, Central (92-38 Overall, 5 State Titles, 1 State Runner-Up, 7 Semi-Finals Appearances)

There are elite young coaches… then there is THE elite young coach. In 9 years Scroggins has already built a Hall of Fame resume. Scroggins has did something very few coaches have been able to, he has taken a Louisville Public School and made the most of their talent. Never afraid to play the biggest and best teams he can find, Scroggins has became the epitome of a November Coach and may well be on his way to legendary status if he continues within the prep coaching ranks.

Honorable Mention:

Eric Shaw, Lafayette

TJ Maynard, Russell/Raceland

John Hodge, Bourbon County

Justin Haddix, Corbin/Perry Central

What Scroggins has done at Central is pretty impressive he is an elite coach.

What coaches that fail to meet the criteria could you see taking the next step and joining this list?

What schools have an "Under the Radar" young Coach who is just getting his machine rolling?

John Edge

39yrs Old

3 State Runners Up 2004,2005,2010

1 Semi Final Runner Up 2006

3 Regional Runners Up 2008,2011,2015

Record: 111-45

What Maynard has done in his time as a Head Coach is impressive:

Greenup County: All-Time winningest coach in the history of a program that has struggled for continued success.

Raceland: Left the third winningest coach in school history at a program that is a proven winner and a school coaches don't leave easily from.

Russell: Still writing his history there, but I'd say it will be a quality chapter, and probably the last chapter in his coaching career.

One of my "Top Under the Radar" Guys is Josh Abell at Fern Creek.

Coach Abell only has 1 season under his belt (2015), but went 12 and 2 in that campaign. The losses were a 28-18 loss to Dupont Manual and a 21-0 road playoff semi-final loss to BG.

I was very impressed with Coach Abell's team last year. Yes, his sample size is even smaller than Coach Smith's at South Warren, but I offer the following as reason's I think Coach Adell will continue to do well:

1. Pete W the BGP person in the know stated that his kids bought into his system.

2. I am a big fan of defense first guys. They tend to make it deep into the playoffs.

3. They are a Louisville school in an area of Louisville with a good feeder system of athletes going there (good numbers).

4. They stepped into John Hardin's old spot in 5-A and I like them to take over that region for some time. Yes, they have to play tough teams in the late rounds, but everyone else does too!

He graduated from Manual in 2004 so he should be a very young 30-ish.

John Edge

 

39yrs Old

3 State Runners Up 2004,2005,2010

1 Semi Final Runner Up 2006

3 Regional Runners Up 2008,2011,2015

 

Record: 111-45

Would definitely be on the list if not for the fact he has been coaching for over 10 seasons.

The was definitely one of the names I scribbled down originally but had to disqualify for not meeting the criteria.

Robbie Lucas Somerset

7 Seasons

1 State Finals Appearance

5 Semi-State Appearances

5 Region Titles

5 District Titles

61-30 Total Record (which includes one disastrous year of 0-10)

Never Mind...just realized he's a couple of years past 40 but has only been a HC 7 seasons.

Eddie Eviston, Covington Catholic.

2 State Titles

2 Regional Titles

3 District Championships

4 seasons as a head coach.

I like Lexington Catholic Coach Mark Perry, but he does not qualify under #1 of your criteria.

The 2016 season will be Coach Perry's 13th as a head coach (Washington County 2004-2010; Central Hardin 2011-2013; and Lexington Catholic 2014, 2015).

Excellent "young" coach who just started his head coaching career a little younger thank most.

I like Lexington Catholic Coach Mark Perry, but he does not qualify under #1 of your criteria.

 

The 2016 season will be Coach Perry's 13th as a head coach (Washington County 2004-2010; Central Hardin 2011-2013; and Lexington Catholic 2014, 2015).

 

Excellent "young" coach who just started his head coaching career a little younger thank most.

Did not know he had coached at Washington County!

Eddie Eviston, Covington Catholic.

2 State Titles

2 Regional Titles

3 District Championships

4 seasons as a head coach.

Good call.... completely forgot about him

Did not know he had coached at Washington County!

I am envisioning a Take #2 on this topic at some point.

Eddie Eviston, Covington Catholic.

2 State Titles

2 Regional Titles

3 District Championships

4 seasons as a head coach.

Agree, I blame ATL.

How many years does he have as a college football coach? College Coordinator?

Agree, I blame ATL.

 

How many years does he have as a college football coach? College Coordinator?

2 as an OC, 1 as QB coach at TMC, I believe.