It's coaching carousel season right now around the state. By my estimation it's been a slightly slower than average start to the shuffle, but particularly with the Boyle County job out on the table right now, I've been thinking about some of the bigger jobs that have been out there over the years.

 

There have to be some coaches who have retired or hired away from programs that have ended up making or breaking some long-standing football traditions through the years, without a doubt. There have been some hires that have turned programs around completely, or dropped them off the map.

 

What are some that you can think of?

I’m basing the “bigger jobs” off the criteria of:

1) Tradition/Talent

2) Legit chance to compete for a region title and beyond year in, year out

3) Facitlities/Resources

 

Thinking the last few years- the top:

 

Highlands

Bowling Green

CovCath

 

I’d also throw in:

 

Hopkinsville

McCracken

Owensboro Catholic

Hazard (this year)

Paducah Tilghman

 

Corbin came open 6 or so years ago, but it had been 15+ years or so since it had came open. Reason for that, too.

 

Not many. The truly good ones don’t come open very often, and there is a reason for that (namely the numbers listed in my criteria), and if they do- a good amount of time they are in house hires (“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”- see BG, Highlands, O’Cath.”

 

Not a lot of coaches jumping from head job to job in this day & time, few and far between really. Even fewer worth packing up and moving your family for.

Edited January 7, 20206 yr by Calico Jack

Boyle County multiple times in the last decade as well as currently.

I’ll throw out some other “bigger jobs” that have come open that fit within that criteria- they also hired from within. Not exact on the years, but:

 

-Owensboro

-Madisonville

-Paducah Tilghman

 

All three in house hires (Tilghman most recently was an in house hire after Steve Duncan had to resign due to to health issues. Interim tag and then later tabbed the HC following the season).

 

I think Henry Clay is a good job that came open and since filled this year.

 

-Biggest public school in the state that just so happens to be in the..

-2nd biggest city in the state who has..

-great facilities and talent pool to be able to REALISTICALLY.....

-compete for region titles year in & year out

 

 

Hired from? Within.

Edited January 7, 20206 yr by Calico Jack

Add CAL to the list as well as LCA, from a football side of things. Financially, retirement/benefits if you are actually a teacher? That I’m not sure. As good as being a public school teacher w KTRS? Not even close.

 

LCA- hired from within, correct?

In terms of coaches leaving one job for another, these current HC's all changed the fortunes of one if not both programs:

 

- Matney leaving Sheldon Clark for Johnson Central.

- Wallace leaving Bowling Green for St. Xavier.

- Eviston leaving NewCath for CovCath.

- Haddix leaving Perry Central for Corbin

- Dudley Hilton from Bell County to Bourbon County

- Wolfe from PRP to Male

 

Other notable switches I immediately recall when a Coach was at their peak:

- Larkey from Rockcastle to Harlan County

- French from Boyle to Southwestern then from Southwestern to Middlesboro

In terms of coaches leaving one job for another, these current HC's all changed the fortunes of one if not both programs:

 

- Matney leaving Sheldon Clark for Johnson Central.

- Wallace leaving Bowling Green for St. Xavier.

- Eviston leaving NewCath for CovCath.

- Haddix leaving Perry Central for Corbin

- Dudley Hilton from Bell County to Bourbon County

- Wolfe from PRP to Male

 

Other notable switches I immediately recall when a Coach was at their peak:

- Larkey from Rockcastle to Harlan County

- French from Boyle to Southwestern then from Southwestern to Middlesboro

 

If you think about it, French has done even more than the above. He has gone from Lincoln County (State Semi-Finals) to Boyle (went from 6-6 I believe to 13-1 the next year). That's not including Mercer County/Meade County.

In terms of coaches leaving one job for another, these current HC's all changed the fortunes of one if not both programs:

 

- Matney leaving Sheldon Clark for Johnson Central.

- Wallace leaving Bowling Green for St. Xavier.

- Eviston leaving NewCath for CovCath.

- Haddix leaving Perry Central for Corbin

- Dudley Hilton from Bell County to Bourbon County

- Wolfe from PRP to Male

 

Other notable switches I immediately recall when a Coach was at their peak:

- Larkey from Rockcastle to Harlan County

- French from Boyle to Southwestern then from Southwestern to Middlesboro

 

Didn’t Eviston leave NewCath to go to Georgetown College before going to Cov Cath?

I’ll throw out some other “bigger jobs” that have come open that fit within that criteria- they also hired from within. Not exact on the years, but:

 

-Owensboro

-Madisonville

-Paducah Tilghman

 

All three in house hires (Tilghman most recently was an in house hire after Steve Duncan had to resign due to to health issues. Interim tag and then later tabbed the HC following the season).

 

I think Henry Clay is a good job that came open and since filled this year.

 

-Biggest public school in the state that just so happens to be in the..

-2nd biggest city in the state who has..

-great facilities and talent pool to be able to REALISTICALLY.....

-compete for region titles year in & year out

 

 

Hired from? Within.

 

But a bunch of good players seem to be winding up at Douglas.

In terms of coaches leaving one job for another, these current HC's all changed the fortunes of one if not both programs:

 

- Matney leaving Sheldon Clark for Johnson Central.

- Wallace leaving Bowling Green for St. Xavier.

- Eviston leaving NewCath for CovCath.

- Haddix leaving Perry Central for Corbin

- Dudley Hilton from Bell County to Bourbon County

- Wolfe from PRP to Male

 

Other notable switches I immediately recall when a Coach was at their peak:

- Larkey from Rockcastle to Harlan County

- French from Boyle to Southwestern then from Southwestern to Middlesboro

 

Eviston went to Georgetown College as OC until lured back by Cob Cath principal Bob Rowe.

I’m basing the “bigger jobs” off the criteria of:

1) Tradition/Talent

2) Legit chance to compete for a region title and beyond year in, year out

3) Facitlities/Resources

 

Thinking the last few years- the top:

 

Highlands

Bowling Green

CovCath

 

I’d also throw in:

 

Hopkinsville

McCracken

Owensboro Catholic

Hazard (this year)

Paducah Tilghman

 

Corbin came open 6 or so years ago, but it had been 15+ years or so since it had came open. Reason for that, too.

 

Not many. The truly good ones don’t come open very often, and there is a reason for that (namely the numbers listed in my criteria), and if they do- a good amount of time they are in house hires (“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”- see BG, Highlands, O’Cath.”

 

Not a lot of coaches jumping from head job to job in this day & time, few and far between really. Even fewer worth packing up and moving your family for.

 

Highlands is broke and needs fixing.

 

#makethechange