Open Job: Highlands

[BlueKernels]

1 hour ago, Sweeperboy said:

Of course ask any successful coach or heck for that matter non-successful coach at a school like Highlands will always state that the fan base and parents are their biggest problem. 
 

I guess this is why Dale was so good, he didn’t let people get to him mentally. He could look a person in the eye and smile at you genuinely but behind that smile he was saying I despise you. 
 

Finding that guy will certainly be the biggest challenge and it could take a few hires to get it right. 
 

Let’s face it, everyone of these coaches are grown adults that will apply for this job. They know what they are signing up for, if it were easy BW would still be the coach. 

Dale was obviously a great coach. He did also have far superior talent many years as well. That level of talent hasn’t been at HHS for several years now. 

[Sweeperboy]

6 minutes ago, BlueKernels said:

Dale was obviously a great coach. He did also have far superior talent many years as well. That level of talent hasn’t been at HHS for several years now. 

We will agree to disagree on this.

[Bluebird99]

Let’s be honest here—obviously Dale is a great coach, but he was one side of the game, offense.  Weinrich was the other half of the game, defense.  The two sides of the game were completely separate. They held separate meetings, separate practices, players didn’t even really know the “other” coach during those years.  

[Jack of all Trades]

4 minutes ago, Bluebird99 said:

Let’s be honest here—obviously Dale is a great coach, but he was one side of the game, offense.  Weinrich was the other half of the game, defense.  The two sides of the game were completely separate. They held separate meetings, separate practices, players didn’t even really know the “other” coach during those years.  

And yet, the coaching staff still tried to only play guys on one side of the ball, why?  I will be the first to say that the talent level was not what it was in the heyday of Dale years, but it certainly was not to the point of being under .500 in 2 of the 5 years when there were not Dale kids playing.

Defense was not good when BW called the offense and Offense was not good when BW called the defense.  So I guess what was missing was that other side of the coin?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

1 hour ago, Bill W. said:

Anyone hearing anything about Mitchell Hewitt?

 

1 hour ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Chardon High School?

 

29 minutes ago, Bill W. said:

Yes.

Just read up on him a little. He's highly touted by Urban Meyer, who coached Hewitt at Bowling Green. He's teaching and coaching at Chardon (current OH D-III), his alma mater, and he also has a side gig as a city councilman in Ashtabula. Defensive mind...played linebacker and fullback in high school he was OH D-II defensive POY as a senior and was 2nd place in Ohio's Mr. Football voting in '98. 4-year starter at Bowling Green at linebacker. Took over at Chardon in 2011 after they'd had three losing seasons in a row. He started an assistant coach at Chardon, then took over as DC at West Geauga HS and then DC at Riverside HS.

Riverside was 18-23 while Mitch Hewitt was their D-coordinator. 

Career at Chardon:
2011: 4-6 (Didn't make playoffs)
2012: 10-3 (2 playoff wins)
2013: 6-4 (Didn't make playoffs)
2014: 8-3 (Lost in 1st round of playoffs)
2015: 8-3 (Lost in 1st round of playoffs)
2016: 11-1 (1 playoff win)
2017: 6-4-2 (Didn't make playoffs)
2018: 7-4 (Didn't make playoffs)
2019: 10-3 (2 playoff wins)
2020: 12-0 (D-III state champs)

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Just now, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Just read up on him a little. He's highly touted by Urban Meyer, who coached Hewitt at Bowling Green. He's teaching and coaching at Chardon (current OH D-III), his alma mater, and he also has a side gig as a city councilman in Ashtabula. Defensive mind...played linebacker and fullback in high school he was OH D-II defensive POY as a senior and was 2nd place in Ohio's Mr. Football voting in '98. 4-year starter at Bowling Green at linebacker. Took over at Chardon in 2011 after they'd had three losing seasons in a row. He started an assistant coach at Chardon, then took over as DC at West Geauga HS and then DC at Riverside HS.

Riverside was 18-23 while Mitch Hewitt was their D-coordinator. 

Career at Chardon:
2011: 4-6 (Didn't make playoffs)
2012: 10-3 (2 playoff wins)
2013: 6-4 (Didn't make playoffs)
2014: 8-3 (Lost in 1st round of playoffs)
2015: 8-3 (Lost in 1st round of playoffs)
2016: 11-1 (1 playoff win)
2017: 6-4-2 (Didn't make playoffs)
2018: 7-4 (Didn't make playoffs)
2019: 10-3 (2 playoff wins)
2020: 12-0 (D-III state champs)

Looking at Hewitt's record as head coach, he seems like he'd be worth interviewing, but as a lifetime northern Ohio guy who's invested in his home community and teaching/coaching at his alma mater, he seems like he'd be tough to get to make the move.

Removing this season, which was obviously a great one for Chardon, Hewitt only had 5 playoff wins in 9 seasons. Seems like Highlands would have to be ready to be awfully patient for the return of the Highlands powerhouse if he was their hire.

[BirdDaddy]

19 minutes ago, Bluebird99 said:

Let’s be honest here—obviously Dale is a great coach, but he was one side of the game, offense.  Weinrich was the other half of the game, defense.  The two sides of the game were completely separate. They held separate meetings, separate practices, players didn’t even really know the “other” coach during those years.  

While we are being honest here, did Dale and Brian like one another during this cult-like period, as you claim? I know many ex-players that have said Dale and Brian use to go at each other’s throats all the time. Is that true? The masses would like to know 7 years later. It would explain a lot on why Brian took the keys to the paid-off Mercedes and traded it in for a Ford Focus and put proceeds in his pocket to be cashed in over the course of 7 years.

[gbballfan21]

28 minutes ago, Sweeperboy said:

We will agree to disagree on this.

I seriously don't get this -- especially after the Ginger Webb ordeal. Did she really not have an impact? 

How has the talent level been the same as it was during the run? Was there really no impact on fewer tuition students? Was that just a story that held no truth? I have to wonder--was the Highlands faithful okay with fewer tuition students? Did some of those 3rd/4th generation families want those kids gone so Fort Thomas kids could play a larger role? (And if so--are you really going to say that it was all the Coach and not a lack of talent?) Did those Again, from an outsiders perspective the kids in the program during the run looked like they came off an "ideal athlete assembly line". 

There is no way that the talent the past few years has been anywhere near as quick, fast and athletic as the not so distant past? 

I just struggle with the fact that, what I see with my eyes now, is as good as it was a few years back. 

[Sweeperboy]

1 hour ago, Bluebird99 said:

Let’s be honest here—obviously Dale is a great coach, but he was one side of the game, offense.  Weinrich was the other half of the game, defense.  The two sides of the game were completely separate. They held separate meetings, separate practices, players didn’t even really know the “other” coach during those years.  

 

44 minutes ago, gbballfan21 said:

I seriously don't get this -- especially after the Ginger Webb ordeal. Did she really not have an impact? 

How has the talent level been the same as it was during the run? Was there really no impact on fewer tuition students? Was that just a story that held no truth? I have to wonder--was the Highlands faithful okay with fewer tuition students? Did some of those 3rd/4th generation families want those kids gone so Fort Thomas kids could play a larger role? (And if so--are you really going to say that it was all the Coach and not a lack of talent?) Did those Again, from an outsiders perspective the kids in the program during the run looked like they came off an "ideal athlete assembly line". 

There is no way that the talent the past few years has been anywhere near as quick, fast and athletic as the not so distant past? 

I just struggle with the fact that, what I see with my eyes now, is as good as it was a few years back. 

These same kids excel in the feeder program and continue the success at the Frosh level kicking off their high school careers winning.

And then something mysterious happens between Frosh and Soph years, Idk.

I too am so perplexed at everyone saying the talent isn’t there. It’s not that the Highlands kids are slow, weak or untalented, it is because Dale taught everyone in Kentucky what the recipe was to being successful and coaches copied it and teams have caught up.

Those programs have adopted, implemented and excelled and Highlands didn’t necessarily fall behind but rather lost their edge and didn’t stay ahead of the competition and fell into a lull.

Interesting how someone said Roger Walz implemented Highlands ideology at Beechwood and the Beechies never looked back.

[Sweeperboy]

28 minutes ago, BirdDaddy said:

While we are being honest here, did Dale and Brian like one another during this cult-like period, as you claim? I know many ex-players that have said Dale and Brian use to go at each other’s throats all the time. Is that true? The masses would like to know 7 years later. It would explain a lot on why Brian took the keys to the paid-off Mercedes and traded it in for a Ford Focus and put proceeds in his pocket to be cashed in over the course of 7 years.

Wow!!! This, is very interesting to say the least. 

[TEDFROMVILLAHILLS]

Ok, so what did I miss?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

2 minutes ago, TEDFROMVILLAHILLS said:

Ok, so what did I miss?

Just a post or two 😅

[Bluesport]

4 hours ago, BlueKernels said:

Agree here on Eviston. Only high school job I could see him moving to would be one of the big GCL contenders. More likely though the next move would be to the college ranks for him. 

Only chance he leaves CCH for a HS job, and right now not a high probability.

[Bluesport]

I would give Lynn Ray a call since we are just lobbing names in the air.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Jay Fallin at Owensboro would probably be one of the few coaches in Kentucky I'd consider for the job who doesn't have a state title to their name.