Current Longest-Tenured Football Coaches In Kentucky

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

I got to thinking about football coaches in Northern Kentucky and which have been at their current jobs the longest, and then that made me start wondering who's been the longest-tenured guy in the state. I'm talking longest-tenured at their CURRENT head coaching gig.

In NKY, I think it might be Coach Randy Borchers at Cooper? Who else has been at their current spots the longest around Kentucky?

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

Joe Morris at Mayfield keeps sticking in the back of my mind as the potential longest, without checking.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

School - Coach - First Season

Beechwood - Jay Volker - 2023

Bellevue - Chad Montgomery- 2023

Bishop Brossart - Paul Wiggins - 2014

Boone County - Bryson Warner - 2019

Campbell County - Brian Weinrich - 2022

Conner - Jim Trosper - 2007

Cooper - Randy Borchers - 2008

Covington Catholic - Eddie Eviston - 2015

Covington Holy Cross - Bruce Kozerski - 2004

Dayton - Jesse Herbst - 2019

Dixie Heights - Pat Burke - 2022

Highlands - Bob Sphire - 2021

Holmes - Ben Nevels - 2013

Lloyd Memorial - Kyle Niederman - 2019

Ludlow - Greg Taphouse - 2017

Newport - Ryan Hahn - 2022

Newport Central Catholic - Steve Lickert - 2018

Ryle - Mike Engler - 2014

Scott - Jake Owens - 2023

Simon Kenton - Roy Lucas, Jr - 2022

Walton-Verona - Jeff Barth - 2009

[rjs4470]

18 minutes ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I got to thinking about football coaches in Northern Kentucky and which have been at their current jobs the longest, and then that made me start wondering who's been the longest-tenured guy in the state. I'm talking longest-tenured at their CURRENT head coaching gig.

In NKY, I think it might be Coach Randy Borchers at Cooper? Who else has been at their current spots the longest around Kentucky?

Cooper opened in 2008, right? If so, I think Trosper at Conner has a year on Borchers……he started at Conner in 2007. Barth from Walton is close…he started in 2009.

Haywood from Belfry has to be up there close to or at the top statewide. I’m pretty sure he’s been there over 30 years.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

5 minutes ago, rjs4470 said:

Cooper opened in 2008, right? If so, I think Trosper at Conner has a year on Borchers……he started at Conner in 2007. Barth from Walton is close…he started in 2009.

Haywood from Belfry has to be up there close to or at the top statewide. I’m pretty sure he’s been there over 30 years.

I did a little scrolling on the KHSAA Scoreboard. Looks like Coach Koz is longest tenured in NKY.

And that's totally right...Coach Haywood probably takes the cake in the state.

[gchs_uk9]

38 minutes ago, rjs4470 said:

Haywood from Belfry has to be up there close to or at the top statewide. I’m pretty sure he’s been there over 30 years.

Haywood went to Belfry in 1984, so this upcoming season with be his 40th with the Pirates. Tack on, I believe, another nine seasons at Prestonsburg before that and he's almost at fifty years as a head coach.

[LCDAWGS19]

Haywood- 47 years

Dudley Hilton- 43 years

Larry French - 44 years

[rjs4470]

18 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

Haywood went to Belfry in 1984, so this upcoming season with be his 40th with the Pirates. Tack on, I believe, another nine seasons at Prestonsburg before that and he's almost at fifty years as a head coach.

That’s hard to wrap my head around. I started my freshman year of high school in 1984. 

[Calico Jack]

9 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

Haywood went to Belfry in 1984, so this upcoming season with be his 40th with the Pirates. Tack on, I believe, another nine seasons at Prestonsburg before that and he's almost at fifty years as a head coach.

It's one of those things you realize, but still find it astonishing. Forty seasons at one school will never be seen again, or if it is, most of us won't be around to see it, at least not to see the start or early stages at one school.

The only other two I can think of that are next in line at one school are Joe Morris at Mayfield (took over in 98 I believe) and Johnny Hines at Pulaski County (99).

[gchs_uk9]

20 minutes ago, LCDAWGS19 said:

Haywood- 47 years

Dudley Hilton- 43 years

Larry French - 44 years

Is Hilton's a grand total? I know he spent a little time in the college ranks, which broke up his high school time.

[gchs_uk9]

Just now, Calico Jack said:

It's one of those things you realize, but still find it astonishing. Forty seasons at one school will never be seen again, or if it is, most of us won't be around to see it, at least not to see the start or early stages at one school.

I don't know Haywood at all but I have some very good friends from Belfry. They all say he just eats and sleeps football; doesn't really have any outside hobbies that he's ready to retire for. Of course he's also got great assistants who have been with him for a long time, so there is consistency in the program. I know he was injured late last season and hopefully he's all healed. From conversations with them, I expect him to stick around at least a few more years.

[9068]

58 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

I don't know Haywood at all but I have some very good friends from Belfry. They all say he just eats and sleeps football; doesn't really have any outside hobbies that he's ready to retire for. Of course he's also got great assistants who have been with him for a long time, so there is consistency in the program. I know he was injured late last season and hopefully he's all healed. From conversations with them, I expect him to stick around at least a few more years.

At one time Coach Haywood was the choir director at his place of worship or so I've been told.

[LCDAWGS19]

1 hour ago, gchs_uk9 said:

Is Hilton's a grand total? I know he spent a little time in the college ranks, which broke up his high school time.

That came from the KHSAA all-time win list. 

[BEChargers]

As far as Bullitt County schools go, Coach Clark, Coach Sams, and Coach Kendrick have all been at their respective schools 1 season. 

[Westernside]

Western Kentucky Teams

Ballard Memorial- Letoun Bledsoe 2 years

Caldwell Co.- Will Barnes 4 years

Calloway Co.- Chris Champion 5 years

Christian Co.- Blake Ladson 1 year

Crittenden Co.- Gaige Courtney 2 years

Ft. Campbell- Henry Mitchell 1 year

Fulton Co.- James Bridges 5 years

Graves Co.- Nick Kemp 4 years

Henderson Co.- Josh Boston 7 years

Hopkins Co. Central- Chris Manning 4 years

Hoptown- Marc Clark 1 year

Logan Co.- Todd Adler 7 years

MNH- Chris Price Sr. 2 years

Mayfield- Joe Morris 24 years

McCracken co.- Jonathan Smith 1 year

Murray- Darrin Bowling 2 years

PT- Sean Thompson 2 years

Russellville- Mikie Benton 5 years

Todd Co.- Josh Robbins 4 years

Union Co.- Derek Johns 7 years

Trigg Co.- Chris Ezell 2 years

 

According to KHSAA