Yes, but he was not a Highlands grad.

 

Oh, I was a aware of that. I knew Tom long before he went to HHS. In fact I'm confident his victory in '86 over the Birds is why HHS came looking after '87.

 

I was just pointing out that sometimes HHS is very hard, even on successful "outside" coaches.

I think we are at 6 Suspensions and counting in this thread.

 

The Rules are the Rules are the Rules...

I don't know the full rosters on either team but, has the success of the baseball program dropped the talent level on the football team? There clearly is a talent drop off.

 

The coaching issue, I don't know and I don't think many people on here would know that answer either. However, at Highlands, you must win. Another sub-par next year and he will likely be replaced.

I firmly believe that he will not be "replaced" at any point in time to be quite honest. He will make the decision when and if he steps aside.

Doesn't like a quarter the male enrollment play? I can remember HHS fielding rosters of 100+, not including freshman.

 

Just because you field a roster of 100 or so does not mean that there are 100 "players" on said roster. This is not anything "new" for Highlands football.

I don't know the full rosters on either team but, has the success of the baseball program dropped the talent level on the football team? There clearly is a talent drop off.

 

The coaching issue, I don't know and I don't think many people on here would know that answer either. However, at Highlands, you must win. Another sub-par next year and he will likely be replaced.

 

Interesting that you bring this up. No I do not believe that the success of the baseball program has done anything to the football program directly, but I do think that the baseball program has benefitted greatly from the fact that kids who were pretty good baseball players did not play in the past because it interfered with spring football. It was always believed that if you wanted to play the next fall football season that you would be earning that time in spring practice.

 

I still think that the biggest change is that the youth of Fort Thomas do not live, eat and breathe Highlands football like they used to. This is reflected in the number of kids playing in the FTJFL. It has nothing to do with the league or the coaches but rather some kids choosing to play soccer which has grown exponentially in the last 10 to 15 years and the biggest thing IMO is that mom's do not want their boys to suffer those nasty concussions that you hear about how many times a day.

 

Just some food for thought.

So what is your explanation for the dramatic drop in talent level? Furthermore, the timing of Dale's retirement suggests he knew this was coming.

 

Dale knew the guys from grade school thru high school. He was active in all the football activities in Fort Thomas. He had great rapport with families, kids and coaches JR thru HS

 

He also would never shy away from a challenge and was driven to make players better and put them in a position to succeed.

 

Football had taken him away from many family activities over the years and now that his kids were having kids he wanted give them more of his time. He also is active in church and gives his time in important projects. I believe his wife and kids had more to do with his leaving than any drop in talent.

Dale knew the guys from grade school thru high school. He was active in all the football activities in Fort Thomas. He had great rapport with families, kids and coaches JR thru HS

 

He also would never shy away from a challenge and was driven to make players better and put them in a position to succeed.

 

Football had taken him away from many family activities over the years and now that his kids were having kids he wanted give them more of his time. He also is active in church and gives his time in important projects. I believe his wife and kids had more to do with his leaving than any drop in talent.

 

No disrespect to Coach Dale. I simply am speculating that talent drop influenced his retirement timing. I am a spouse of a coach. I understand completely the sacrifices involved.

Interesting that you bring this up. No I do not believe that the success of the baseball program has done anything to the football program directly, but I do think that the baseball program has benefitted greatly from the fact that kids who were pretty good baseball players did not play in the past because it interfered with spring football. It was always believed that if you wanted to play the next fall football season that you would be earning that time in spring practice.

 

I still think that the biggest change is that the youth of Fort Thomas do not live, eat and breathe Highlands football like they used to. This is reflected in the number of kids playing in the FTJFL. It has nothing to do with the league or the coaches but rather some kids choosing to play soccer which has grown exponentially in the last 10 to 15 years and the biggest thing IMO is that mom's do not want their boys to suffer those nasty concussions that you hear about how many times a day.

 

Just some food for thought.

 

I wouldn't have them playing soccer, then.

Interesting that you bring this up. No I do not believe that the success of the baseball program has done anything to the football program directly, but I do think that the baseball program has benefitted greatly from the fact that kids who were pretty good baseball players did not play in the past because it interfered with spring football. It was always believed that if you wanted to play the next fall football season that you would be earning that time in spring practice.

 

I still think that the biggest change is that the youth of Fort Thomas do not live, eat and breathe Highlands football like they used to. This is reflected in the number of kids playing in the FTJFL. It has nothing to do with the league or the coaches but rather some kids choosing to play soccer which has grown exponentially in the last 10 to 15 years and the biggest thing IMO is that mom's do not want their boys to suffer those nasty concussions that you hear about how many times a day.

 

Just some food for thought.

 

Sounds reasonable. That makes sense that more athletes may be playing now that were "football only" before. That's why I was asking about the rosters--how many play both football and baseball? Good point about soccer too. So, probably a little bit of all the above.

I am a huge admirer of Dale Mueller. This is a man that was a great motivator of young men who helped them believe in themselves and pull more from within themselves for the good of the whole. Coaches like Dale are far and few between.

 

As a Highlands Alumni I am looking for Brian to be Brian and to be his man. The sample size is small and folks need to give him an opportunity to carve his own niche.

I'm not entirely sure the sample size is that small - especially with the disastrous results.

I'm not entirely sure the sample size is that small - especially with the disastrous results.

 

Three years is small. One state championship, one regional final. Pretty solid for following a legend. BW will be fine.

As someone with no dog in this fight whatsoever:

 

- Thought #1 is we saw signs that this was coming. Even when Highlands was reaching the Finals ever week it seemed you saw different threads about people bragging how they beat down Highlands' JV or Freshman team.

 

- Thought #2 is Highlands' problems from what I have seen begin and end at the Line of Scrimmage. The biggest change I have seen is the Offensive and Defensive lines are at a low point in terms of talent, and a low point in terms of depth.

 

- Thought #3 is if I were a Highlands fan I would be much more concerned about my feeder program than my next Coaching hire right now. It seems Highlands' is getting lapped by other NKY schools or schools from across the state at the feeder level (Look at Bowling Green as shining example number one). While other programs have evolved to playing statewide competition Highlands seems content playing Regional competition and I think this has hurt them.

 

- Will a coaching change help this trajectory? Maybe.. maybe not. I don't know the inner workings of Highland politics..but what I can say is that if Highlands doesn't evolve their feeder program the talent pool is going to remain down and the talent pool is what is causing all these losses right now in my eyes more than anything.

 

 

- Just my .02 from someone with no dog in the fight.

No one said all Highlands coaches are Highlands grads. There are more that are than are not though. Some smart guy said (Highlands shouldn't get a Highlands guy as a new HC)

 

BW 1

Dale 11

Walz 1

Rice 3

Highlands Guy HC State Championships = 16, that's really just average if you consider that Highlands has 23 state championships

 

That is terrible why would you want a head coach that was a Highlands guy? Totally falling apart.

Dr. Rice had 2 titles during the playoff era and one mythical. My memory isn't what it was but I think I remember Coach Herrmann being president of the alumni association a few decades ago. Does anyone know for sure?