No announcement again today. The word is it will come next week.

The word is that it's Chappel from Perry Central. Same school colors I believe.

The word is that it's Chappel from Perry Central. Same school colors I believe.

 

That has been the word for the past few days, but probably next week until we hear an official announcement.

From what I have heard, Jason Chapel will be the next coach at SL.

I haven't heard alot about this man. Does anyone know what his record is?

How did he do last year?

Young and brash. Almost cocky. Needs to be humbled a little. One winning season at PCC. When Al Holland was a senior.

Young and brash. Almost cocky. Needs to be humbled a little. One winning season at PCC. When Al Holland was a senior.

 

If going 1-9 like he did last year at PCC hasn't humbled him, i'm not sure there is any hope of humility. He never had a winning season at PCC. Chapels first season the Commodores returned a D1 QB in Holland and roughly 18 other starters that had gone 7-4 in 2002. They finished 2003 with a 5-6 record and followed that up with a 4-7 record in 2004 and the 1-9 record in 2005.

Mountain Thunder: You seem to have the inside information are the people at South Laurel trying to bring the football program down again after building it back up by hiring this man? (If he is the one who gets the job)

The truth propably is that this school and most others really don't care about building up the program, they just sort of get lucky when they hire a good coach such as Jep. Who goes above and beyond to get things moving up. No he is gone and they are rolling the dice to see if they get lucky again.

IMHO, his teams at PCC have suffered from a lack of discipline from an outsiders perspective. It has cost them some of those losses in the past 3 seasons. I can't speak to whether it was like that before he became the head coach, but the PCC team when Holland was a junior at 7-4 had some talent and much of it did return for the 2003 campaign.

 

The word on the street is that he will be the new SL coach but IMHO, I am not sure that this is the best fit. It was rumored that he had inquired into the NL job last year, but to my knowledge, he did not officially apply for the position.

 

I know there were some very solid assistants who applied, and to be honest, Irwin was a very solid assistant who developed into a good HC.

Mountain Thunder: You seem to have the inside information are the people at South Laurel trying to bring the football program down again after building it back up by hiring this man? (If he is the one who gets the job)

 

I certainly don't believe that is anyone's intent. I know that all involved want to see SL win at every sport, ... more pride, more revenues from attendance, move student involvement, etc. However, part of the problem is the money we pay our head coaches in Laurel County and it limits the number of head coaching candidates. No raise in the base rate for 15-20 years, which limits the field to assistants or head coaches feeling the need to make a move. I believe that this will be revisited in the near future by the BOE, but until the current mess with the superintendents office is settled, it is not an issue for the front burners.

 

I have nothing against Coach Chapel. He is young, energetic, and confident which are traits you like to see in a new head coach. However, it does concern me that SL is possibly hiring a coach who's record as a head coach has not been heading in a positive direction the past 3 seasons to replace a coach who was improving his team every year as Coach Irwin had done at SL. They may see a head coach interested in the program and are afraid to take a chance on an assistant as not many head coaches will have applied.

 

I also believe that there are some high quality assistants who applied who would probably be willing to make that leap to get the shot as a head coach who would be hungry to prove their abilities and be the head coach at SL. IMHO, this could be a mistake. However, whomever is hired for this job, will have my full support.

The truth propably is that this school and most others really don't care about building up the program, they just sort of get lucky when they hire a good coach such as Jep. Who goes above and beyond to get things moving up. No he is gone and they are rolling the dice to see if they get lucky again.

 

I would take a chance on a hungry qualified assistant coach before I would hire a head coach who's record has dropped in each of his 3 seasons as a head coach.

 

Now granted, the PCC team that went 7-4 had talent (Tewayne Willis and Al Holland among others) and a great first year coach. They lost Willis to graduation that season but brought back most of their starters and should have been on pace with the 2002 season results IMHO.

If going 1-9 like he did last year at PCC hasn't humbled him, i'm not sure there is any hope of humility. He never had a winning season at PCC. Chapels first season the Commodores returned a D1 QB in Holland and roughly 18 other starters that had gone 7-4 in 2002. They finished 2003 with a 5-6 record and followed that up with a 4-7 record in 2004 and the 1-9 record in 2005.

My fault on the winning record. I thought they had one in 2003. Would not be a good hire in my opinion.

My fault on the winning record. I thought they had one in 2003. Would not be a good hire in my opinion.

 

I know that the word is that it will be Chapel, but I am not 100% convinced that this will be the final decision. I have been wrong before, but I think the delay indicates that the administration (which has narrowed it down to 2 from what I understand) may be giving another candidate more consideration.

I know that the word is that it will be Chapel, but I am not 100% convinced that this will be the final decision. I have been wrong before, but I think the delay indicates that the administration (which has narrowed it down to 2 from what I understand) may be giving another candidate more consideration.

They need to give the other candidate A LOT of consideration. :thumb: :thumb: