Open Job: Hopkinsville

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Coach Craig Clayton has announced he is stepping down as head coach of the Tigers.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Coach Craig Clayton was head football coach at Hopkinsville from 1986-2004 and returned to coach the Tigers from 2016-2021.

In his 25 years as head coach, Hoptown had a 192-114 record, making Coach Clayton the football program's winningest coach. During his tenure the team also had 2 trips to the 3A state finals in 1997 & 1998, as well as a trip to the 4A semifinals in 2020.

[gchs_uk9]

Theoretically a very good job but where do we stand on consolidation? If that happens, would there be a new coach hired? So if you take this job, how long do you keep it? Lots of questions right now but a job that lots of folks would be desirous of. 

[WKY_Football]

25 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

Theoretically a very good job but where do we stand on consolidation? If that happens, would there be a new coach hired? So if you take this job, how long do you keep it? Lots of questions right now but a job that lots of folks would be desirous of. 

Because of the unknown I think this job goes to a first time head coach or someone looking to catch lightning in a bottle as a bounce back job. I do not think why sure-fire no doubt guys will apply with the consolidation looming. 

[Cary Grant]

Most others schools the new Building principal and athletic director will make the hire for the new school? Has either of these been hired? If not this could be a lame duck hire as the new school is a few years away so there will be no guarantee for a position when this school closes as you could have two head coaches in the running for the same job? 

[Cary Grant]

Is this who Hopkinsville will go after for the new coach?

[Bud_Kilmer]

Love?

[WKY_Football]

2 hours ago, Bud_Kilmer said:

Love?

No chance. Zero. Probably no interest from either party. 

[Region2 Hype Man]

Dustin Lopez probably deserves the job. HHS C/O 2003. Played at Memphis and Arena League. He's been Craig Clayton's assistant in Tennessee and at Hoptown the last decade. Craig has groomed him for the job. He's young, but he's a hard worker and knows the modern game of football. A lot of backstabbing and drama on that staff the last few years because there's been jockeying to be the successor.

I wanted Lopez to get the CCHS job and bring my school back to glory, but wherever he goes he's going to do great. Everyone in the coaching community around here knows he deserves the job, similar to Lovelace 15 years ago. I hope they get him right.

I heard that some HHS people are pushing to bring Marc Clark back? Well? I know that McCracken Co. would gladly love for him to go this way and there would not be hard feelings. Nice hard working guy, but not a guy that can win games. The HHS and CCHS job too are set up to be jobs that should compete for a regional title every season. Too much talent not to do it.

Clayton came back in year 1 to HHS and got them further than they did Clark's entire tenure, with a team that had lost almost all it's starters from the year before.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Things are pretty quiet with this one. I'm suspect that they may be having some people hesitating to apply because of the unknowns about what will happen once Hoptown and Christian County High School consolidate schools.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Just saw that South Hopkins Middle School is looking for a new head football coach.

Might be something....might be nothing.

[Region2 Hype Man]

The name I keep hearing is Mark Clark. Maybe I’m too old and out of it as I age, but is the Hoptown not that appealing if all they can find to take it would be Clark coming back? I know their fans and player will not be happy.

I would think they could get a winner as they once were a big time job. I mean I understand why the CCHS hire happened as my Colonels were under a cloud combined with the consolidation issue. But this Hoptown job is pretty good.

[CoachHB]

7 hours ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

Just saw that South Hopkins Middle School is looking for a new head football coach.

Might be something....might be nothing.

The head coaching job at South Hopkins MS has zero effect on the job at Hoptown.

[KingDeuce]

A different county, Hopkins County is Madisonville / Central Hopkins.

[BillNye]

6 hours ago, Region2 Hype Man said:

The name I keep hearing is Mark Clark. Maybe I’m too old and out of it as I age, but is the Hoptown not that appealing if all they can find to take it would be Clark coming back? I know their fans and player will not be happy.

I would think they could get a winner as they once were a big time job. I mean I understand why the CCHS hire happened as my Colonels were under a cloud combined with the consolidation issue. But this Hoptown job is pretty good.

Mark Clark took over a Hoptown program that was at its lowest in history in 2011 and did a good job of building it back up to respectable.  The past 5 years with Clayton returning have maintained that level.  It hasn't fallen nor has it risen.  The Hoptown job is a local to regional job at best.  They haven't really been relevant for at least 15 years.  With so many unknowns involving the consolidation there is probably limited interested at best other than local coaches. Not to mention the Tigers have played second fiddle to Logan County and/or Madisonville for most of the past 5 years and Christian County has fallen off a cliff since 2017.  Will be an interesting hire to say the least.