I meant to ask this question during the summer but I'll ask it now: What has made Central so good at football?

 

For years they struggled, failing to make the playoffs, losing seasons almost annually. During the late-90s/early-00s they started to win more but couldn't beat teams like Boyle County and Southwestern in the playoffs.

 

What, in your opinion, made the difference? I know moving to 3A (in six classes) after being in AAA (in four classes) meant there were some easier opponents, but they've still had to deal with Belfry, Breathitt County (when they were still good), Bardstown, Elizabethtown, Boyle County, Lexington Catholic, Paducah Tilghman, and many others. I know Scroggins is clearly a good coach but how was he able to move them to the top tier?

Hard work, discipline, and great coaching.

I believe Central is a magnet school, I'm not for sure how long they've had that title, but in general that gives the school an opportunity to bring in students to learn about a specific academic program.

They had a ton of talent for a while, but the arrival of Scroggins made a huge difference. It was the right person to take what was there and make it excellent.

I believe Central is a magnet school, I'm not for sure how long they've had that title, but in general that gives the school an opportunity to bring in students to learn about a specific academic program.

 

It's a nursing magnet school, the vast majority of Central's student body is female

Just my humble opinion:

1. Scroggins brought a discipline and focus on Defense

2. They have had talent on the D-Line and at LB that worked perfectly into what Scroggins does best

3. They played a brutal schedule that made them stronger come playoff time

4. It's no surprise that the two teams who have dominated Class 3A have been the two teams traditionally the most dominant on the LOS.

5. Outside of Male and Fern Creek, by and large the Jefferson County Public Schools haven't exactly thrived during this run.

I have always heard successful high school football programs must maintain 3 key ingredients:

 

1. Quality Coaching

2. Quality Athletes

3. Great Support (Community & Administrative)

 

Can someone in the know confirm if Central meets this criteria?

I have always heard successful high school football programs must maintain 3 key ingredients:

 

1. Quality Coaching

2. Quality Athletes

3. Great Support (Community & Administrative)

 

Can someone in the know confirm if Central meets this criteria?

 

The first two I will say definitely

 

#3 I am not sure about...

The first two I will say definitely

 

#3 I am not sure about...

 

Oh they definitely have #3 too.

Back when Redman coached at Male, due to his friendship with the with the superintendent, Redman was able to arrange talent to come to Male that should have gone to other schools in Jefferson Co.. When that superintendent retired, Redman also left for Jeffersonville, IN High School and the talent went where it normally would, Central benefited from this the most by far.

Just my humble opinion:

4. It's no surprise that the two teams who have dominated Class 3A have been the two teams traditionally the most dominant on the LOS.

 

This point seems to get overlooked often these days, and I have always thought and been taught that is the most important aspect of gameplay on the field.

If you don't control the trenches, every thing else is less efficient.

 

If you control the LOS, you can run any offense you want with efficiency.

As well as

If you control the LOS, your defense will feast.

 

There are other factors, but this is battle #1, and everything else depends on it.

If the battery on your car is dead, it doesn't matter how fast it will go, or how far it can go on a tank of gas-

This point seems to get overlooked often these days, and I have always thought and been taught that is the most important aspect of gameplay on the field.

If you don't control the trenches, every thing else is less efficient.

 

If you control the LOS, you can run any offense you want with efficiency.

As well as

If you control the LOS, your defense will feast.

 

There are other factors, but this is battle #1, and everything else depends on it.

 

At larger schools and larger classes you can get by not having the dominant line play when you have platoon football and greater depth at the skill spots and the ability to do more complex scheming.

 

For lower classification football there is no factor more valuable than line play on both sides of the ball.

Two words, Pappy Redman.