Here are lineman of the year finalists, I believe this is the first year they're doing this. 

 

1. Kris Mandy - Kentucky Country Day

2. Bo Wolford - Belfry

3. Max Merz - Highlands

4. Malik Butler - South Warren

5. Jahbarri Frost - Trinity

6. Andrew Houk - Green County

7. Bryten Close - Taylor County

8. Darryl Yancey - Boyle County

9. Ben Myers - Paducah Tilghman

37 minutes ago, DearToday said:

Here are lineman of the year finalists, I believe this is the first year they're doing this. 

 

1. Kris Mandy KCD

2. Bo Wolford Belfry

3. Max Merz Highlands

4. Malik Butler South Warren

5. Jahbarri Frost Trinity

6. Andrew Houk Green County

7. Bryten Close Taylor County

8. Darryl Yancey Boyle County

9. Ben Myers Paducah Tilghman 

Awesome to see a LOY award.  Show some love to the big guys!

Is this a senior award?? 

Voted by coaches or media? 

Missed at least 1 really good linemen! One from NewCath.

So there are at least 9 lineman in Kentucky better than Nate Shields? 

23 hours ago, FB Head said:

Is this a senior award?? 

23 hours ago, BLUEHOUND said:

Voted by coaches or media? 

This is a new award from the Kentucky Football Coaches Association (I re-titled the thread to explain that a little better).

The KFCA has been a little ambiguous about their selection process for their Mr. Football finalists and as such their Linemen of the Year award seems to be following suit. When they select their district players of the year and linemen of the year they have not capped that off as seniors-only, but I believe the statewide linemen of the year award is a senior-only award, and is intended to supplement the Mr. Football award, which has historically not done a great job of highlighting linemen around the state.

For reference, here are this year's winners of the district-wide linemen of the year awards and the class-wide linemen of the year awards. There is a separate thread for these lists, HERE.

2025 KFCA DISTRICTWIDE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR

A
1st District: Drake Thorpe, Fulton County
2nd District: Kris Mandy, Kentucky Country Day
3rd District: Will Sandfoss, Newport Central Catholic
4th District: Beckett Meersman, Bishop Brossart
5th District: Wyatt Moore, Sayre
6th District: Jacob Litteral, Raceland
7th District: Christian Davis, Middlesboro
8th District: Caden Thacker, Pikeville

AA
1st District: Ashton Rodgers, Mayfield
2nd District: Caden Conkright, Owensboro Catholic
3rd District: Andrew Houk, Green County
4th District: Sasha Wade, Danville
5th: Lucas Tillery, Owen County
6th District: Waylon Abner, Breathitt County
7th District: Preston Shepherd, Knott County Central
8th District: Bo Wolford, Belfry

AAA
1st District: Ryan Walls, Murray
2nd District: Matt Stephens, LaRue County
3rd District: Kellan Hall, Christian Academy of Louisville
4th District: Mark Hosinski, Lexington Catholic
5th District: King Lee, Bourbon County
6th District: Zack Brown, Russell
7th District: Spencer Phipps, Bell County
8th District: Ty Brooks, Lawrence County

AAAA
1st District: Ben Myers, Paducah Tilghman
2nd District: Bryten Close, Taylor County
3rd District: Josh Vaughan, Valley
4th District: Richard Gilbert, Spencer County
5th District: Max Merz, Highlands
6th District: Drew Ferguson, Johnson Central
7th District: Trashaun Bryant, Wayne County
8th District: Malachi Brown, Corbin CLASS

AAAAA
1st District: JW Muster, Owensboro
2nd District: Zach Jordan, Bowling Green
3rd District: Jeremiah Jackson, Iroquois
4th District: Chaz Tutt, Fairdale
5th District: Noah Reichel, Cooper
6th District: Justyn Perez, Woodford County
7th District: Isaiah Wilkinson, West Jessamine
8th District: Brady Hull, Pulaski County

AAAAAA
1st District: Foster Jackson, Hopkinsville
2nd District: Malik Butler, South Warren
3rd District: Josiah Hope, North Hardin
4th District: Christian White, Male
5th District: Nate Shields, Trinity
6th District: Bo Gay, Ryle
7th District: Josiah Hernandez, Paul Laurence Dunbar
8th District: Camden Burke, Madison Central


2025 KFCA CLASS-WIDE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR

1A - Kris Mandy, OT/DE (Kentucky Country Day)
2A - Bo Wolford, OT/DL (Belfry)
3A - Kellan Hall, OT/DL (Christian Academy of Louisville)
4A - Max Merz, OT/DL (Highlands)
5A - Brady Hull, OT/DL (Pulaski County)
6A - Malik Butler, OT/DL (South Warren)

1 minute ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

2025 KFCA CLASS-WIDE LINEMEN OF THE YEAR

1A - Kris Mandy, OT/DE (Kentucky Country Day)
2A - Bo Wolford, OT/DL (Belfry)
3A - Kellan Hall, OT/DL (Christian Academy of Louisville)
4A - Max Merz, OT/DL (Highlands)
5A - Brady Hull, OT/DL (Pulaski County)
6A - Malik Butler, OT/DL (South Warren)

Kellan Hall is only a sophomore and Brady Hull is only a junior, which would explain their absence from the finalists list for the statewide Linemen of the Year award, but the KFCA hasn't give any indication of how they picked Jahbarri Frost, Andrew Houk, Bryten Close, Darryl Yancey, and Ben Myers as the additional 5 finalists for the senior-only statewide award.

Ask Malik Butler who the better lineman is... smh

On 12/11/2025 at 3:50 PM, #RockNation said:

Ask Malik Butler who the better lineman is... smh

I know a lot of the KFCA business is conducted via the coaches listserv. Some of it is done via email as well, but the listserv is certainly where a very large share of talking takes place between coaches, as well as a lot of advocating for players among the coaches.

One thing I can tell you is that I can count on one or two fingers the number of times that I've ever seen any coaches from Trinity pipe up in any conversations on the listserv. Trinity certainly isn't the only football program with coaches that don't get involved in the conversation there very often, Cov Cath is another one, honestly. But frankly speaking, I think there's a VERY good chance that the fact that Nate Shields isn't showing up in the KFCA's Lineman of the Year finalists is because there were never any coaches from Trinity who submitted his name for consideration.

On 12/11/2025 at 4:03 PM, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I know a lot of the KFCA business is conducted via the coaches listserv. Some of it is done via email as well, but the listserv is certainly where a very large share of talking takes place between coaches, as well as a lot of advocating for players among the coaches.

One thing I can tell you is that I can count on one or two fingers the number of times that I've ever seen any coaches from Trinity pipe up in any conversations on the listserv. Trinity certainly isn't the only football program with coaches that don't get involved in the conversation there very often, Cov Cath is another one, honestly. But frankly speaking, I think there's a VERY good chance that the fact that Nate Shields isn't showing up in the KFCA's Lineman of the Year finalists is because there were never any coaches from Trinity who submitted his name for consideration.

Case in point....here's what Coach Haddix posted yesterday in the listserv:



These 2 young men are First year starters. They came up playing Scout team and have made themselves players. Both are Record Holders at Boyle Co now! 

Both aren’t the biggest guys but play the game the right way. JiDyn Smith-Hisel is probably 5’6, 155lbs and played his best against the BEST teams. Darryl Yancey lll plays DE and is 5’9, 210lbs and one of the most coachable kids we have ever had in our program.

Please Consider them when voting.

1 minute ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

One thing I can tell you is that I can count on one or two fingers the number of times that I've ever seen any coaches from Trinity pipe up in any conversations on the listserv. Trinity certainly isn't the only football program with coaches that don't get involved in the conversation there very often, Cov Cath is another one, honestly. But franklin speaking, I think there's a VERY good chance that the fact that Nate Shields isn't showing up in the KFCA's Lineman of the Year finalists is because there were never any coaches from Trinity who submitted his name for consideration.

I just ran a search through the listserv and confirmed that there was never any mention of "Shields," "Nate Shields," or "Nathan Shields" in any post....so I strongly suspect his name was never submitted by Trinity as a finalist for the award.

Bo Wolford, winner!

On 12/11/2025 at 4:07 PM, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I just ran a search through the listserv and confirmed that there was never any mention of "Shields," "Nate Shields," or "Nathan Shields" in any post....so I strongly suspect his name was never submitted by Trinity as a finalist for the award.

Interesting with Jahbarri Frost being nominated. Where does Shields appear to be attending college? Does Frost have a "better" name brand college he is attending?