Nice article by Mike Fields asks the question. What do you think? Will that record ever be broken in today's coaching climate?

 

Is Philip Haywood’s win record untouchable? | Kentucky High School Athletic Association

 

Is it safe to say that no coach will ever challenge Haywood for the coaching record, especially if he keeps churning out state contenders at Belfry? Here is what a few of the coaches chasing him think:

 

“Can you imagine if he stays there, say, five more years, and gets 13 or 14 wins a year, he’ll be knocking on the door to 500,”- Dudley Hilton

 

“All records are usually broken, but it seems like a far-fetched idea that anybody could ever catch (Haywood). In this day and time, with so many more things that go into coaching, I can’t see anybody who’d stay in it long enough to catch him.” - Mark Brown

 

“It’s unreal, isn’t it,” French said, referring to Haywood’s 416 wins. “He’s done a tremendous job up there. He got a program going and they believe in the program. It’s just like a machine every year.” - Larry French

10 wins a year average, which would be great for almost any coach...it would take 41 years + of coaching to get to where he is right now. Think about that. Some kid could graduate college this spring, take over a football program at 22 years of age, and would be 63+ years of age winning on average 10 games a year to just match were Haywood is today. That's almost unthinkable.

Is it technically breakable? I mean, yeah.

 

 

But, will it be broken? Unless a program like Trinity hires an 18 year old, and he stays in that job until he's 70, probably not.

There is a good chance that this record could stand for a long time in Kentucky and maybe never broken.

 

There could be a lot of changes in the landscape of High School Football over the next 40 years, it's hard to tell what it will look like then. A young hot shot coach comes along, maybe he's already on the scene and makes run after run to the regional finals and beyond averaging 12.5 wins per year...still in 30 years you'd only be at 375 wins.

Haddix and Brandon Smith are two young coaches I could see racking up wins...

 

But I just don't see the landscape being the same now as when Haywood was plugging along. First of all I don't see young coaches who would be willing to coach for 40 years

 

Secondly, there was a time in Haywood's career at Belfry that I am not sure would still have him coaching in today's culture. When Belfry went a combined 10-13 in 93 and 94 I sadly could see a lot of programs today that would have moved on.

The problem with looking to break Haywood's record is that it is a moving record. Reaching 416 wins? Possible, not probable. But if Haywood goes another 5-6 years at the clip they've been at recently, the target keeps getting further away.

Joe Morris/Mayfield has 200+...

Jim Matney at JC has a chance. He is 55 and has 257 wins. He plans on coaching until his youngest son graduates (will be 15 more years). If he averages 10 wins a year at JC in that time span he will have 407 and be 70 years old. If he is close to Haywood at that time, you might see him stick around to get it. It is also possible he averages more wins than that and gets even closer.

 

Of course all this depends on health as tomorrow is guaranteed for none. It also depends on how high Haywood sets the bar too. The aforementioned scenario is unlikely, but feasible.

 

If his health stays good (and there is no reason to think it wouldn't at this point), I think Matney gets to 400 at least.

Here is the top 20

 

I am more interested in where Coach Haywood ends up on this list when all is said and done. This was pre-season: Top 5

Am I the only one that thinks he may ride off in the sunset if he wins it this season?

I am more interested in where Coach Haywood ends up on this list when all is said and done. This was pre-season: Top 5 winningest active high school football coaches - MaxPreps

 

548-61-6 with 26 state championships! :eek:

OK, how old is Coach Haywood? And when was his first year at Belfry, and has that been his only HC job?

OK, how old is Coach Haywood? And when was his first year at Belfry, and has that been his only HC job?

 

Not sure of his age, his first HC job was at Prestonsburg, he came to Belfry in 1984 if I remember that correctly. I think he started at PBurg in 76 or 77. He was also an assistant coach on the Tates Creek team that won a state title.

Kevin Wallace at BG is the only coach I think has a legitimate shot if he chooses to stay with it that long.