Mercer County Titans Football

[ChiefSmoke]

 

Mercer County Titans 

Find A Way To Win

 

January 20, 2022 

 

 

Thank you to Mercer Co. Schools, my bosses, our players, our coaches, and the entire community for allowing me to be the head coach of the Titans these past 7 years. In the seven years before me, the Mercer County Titans had four head football coaches. I am very grateful for my seven years, getting to be the head football coach in our hometown. I am also very thankful for the tremendous work and progress that has been made, going back to 2015.  
 
When Dennis Davis hired me for this position, I absolutely believe I was the right guy for the job and at the right time. That time has passed.  Almost every coach has a clock that runs out wherever they are coaching, eventually. Often, coaches stay after their time has run out. The kids and the program suffer when that happens. I love our kids, Titan football, and our community too much to stay too long when a change will benefit our program.  

  

 A guy gets ONE chance to leave a football program in better shape than he found it. That especially matters when you are in your hometown. RIGHT NOW... we are expecting our best OL/DL over the past 8 seasons to be 2022… and then only get better each year after that. Our returning skill guys are good, but need to get faster.... Terry Yeast will make that happen.  The repeat year has been and will be very good for Titan football. In 2022, several freshmen will compete for varsity playing time and potentially be starters on Friday nights.  We have more guys in weightclass than we have ever had over the past eight years. Our S & C Coach, Jeremy Carlson, is elite and will take all of our athletes to a new level. Our coaching staff is strong. Our finances are solid.  Not only are things good now, there is a good cushion built in that will give the next head coach a chance for early success and having good teams for several years after that. I started out 0-5. That is rough and not sure the effects ever went away completely. This gives the next coach his best chance and a great opportunity to be successful right out of the gate.  

  

Jason Booher is an outstanding Superintendent for our community.  Donald Wayne Smith is one of my oldest and best friends. Spencer Tatum and I used to mark the field together back in 1986 & 1987.  I could not ask for better bosses. I am also confident that they will continue to take steps that will move Titan football from good to elite.  

  

I love coaching football and hope to return to the field someday.  Until that time, I will enjoy each day in my role at Mercer County Schools, working to keep kids safe, and helping them be successful. I love our school, our community, and especially our kids.  

  

If I never coach again, I will thank God for a lifetime of HS football and Friday nights, as well as 30 wonderful years as a head football coach.  

  

It is an honor & privilege to be the football coach in your hometown. I am forever grateful and thankful for what has been an incredible, once in a lifetime experience. 

  

Thank you and more than ever.... IT IS A GREAT DAY TO BE A TITAN!   

 

Coach Buchanan

ChiefSmoke

 

[GOREDDEVILS]

Good Luck in your future Coach.

[BEChargers]

Good luck Coach and thank you.  You've been a good friend to a couple of people I know. 

[PurplePride92]

Good luck Coach!!! 

[Tigerpride94]

Good luck Coach! You are one of the best and hope you return to the field one day!

[Harry Doyle]

Coach!! Best of luck and one helluva ride! Thank you for EVERYTHING you’ve done for football in our state and all of us coaches. 

[gchs_uk9]

Here’s what I’ll say about David Buchanan: I don’t coach football, I didn’t play football. I run the scoreboard and post on BGP. @ChiefSmoke cares so much about high school football in Kentucky that he has talked with me multiple times about what I think would benefit football in the state of Kentucky and has even promoted some of my ideas. I know I’m not the only one either. His whole heart was in leaving no stone unturned in an effort to make the game better for kids in Kentucky. There aren’t many like that. God bless you coach!

[Westernside]

Good Luck Coach, thanks for all you done for HS football.

[Seybold24]

So sad to read this, your one of a kind @ChiefSmoke good luck on future endeavors and I hope you coach again soon!!! 

[Jack of all Trades]

Coach Buchanan, I do not know you personally, but know some guys that do and each of them speak very highly of you. You remind me a lot of a former coach in NKY by the name of Mark Goetz.  Always doing things the right way and having the kids best interest at heart no matter the situation.  That is what a true leader and coach should be most proud of and from all I hear and read you have done just that.  Good luck in your future endeavors.

[Country]

Known you longer than most of these readers. Have always been proud of what you have done in the sport of football and life itself. A great role model for everyone. You will missed.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Uncanny, Coach. On Wednesday when I was searching on here for the thread you started last May about the KFCA's statement on the football playoff format and the May 5 BOC meeting, I came across a thread where you were talking about Trosper playing middle school ball. Made me sit and think for a moment about how relatively unique you and your dad are to both have been head football coaches for their sons.

Shortly after that I thought, "Wow, his son's wrapped up his high school football career and he's handed over the keys to the KFCA both...those are some big changes for Coach Buchanan."

It sounds like those changes are something you've been doing plenty of reflecting on already, ha.

Thank you for all the sweat equity you've put into improving the state of the football programs where you've coached, and for the outstanding work you've done being a leader of men and a mentor among the football coaches around the state.

I think more often than not, most athletes come away from their careers with a certain amount of admiration for their coaches. But there are certain coaches who are really revered by their players. At Cov Cath, I've heard an awful lot of guys say, "I got to play for Coach Ray." It's said with a definite kind of understood privilege that's being expressed. I've heard NKY guys say that about playing for Coach Schneider, Coach Mueller, Red Dog, Coach Hauck, and Coach Yeagle. Having spent the last decade outside of NKY, I've noticed that plenty of guys elsewhere say that kind of thing. "I played for Coach Harp"...or Coach Smith, Coach Glaser, Coach Haywood...McGlone, Hilton, Beatty, Morris, Matney, Lawson, McKee, Howard, Redman, French or Wolfe.

I have to think that years after you've chirped your whistle for the last time, there are still going to be hundreds of men around the state talking about how they got to play for Coach Buchanan.

Thanks again for all your dedication to the game - and here's hoping this isn't quite the last of seeing you on Friday night sidelines.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

 

[Voice of Reason]

If you knew absolutely nothing about Coach Buchanan, all you need to do is read the statement in the opening post and you will know what a special person he is. Well done Coach! Best wishes for continued success in whatever is next!

[CentralSports]

Who’s the front runners for this job?