I met Coach Larry French when he came to our house in Danville on Carrigan Drive, spring of 1974(I was 8 years old). He was driving a white corvette. My Dad had just taken the job at Mercer County and he hired Coach French as an assistant. They had the two first winning seasons in school history in 1974 & 1975. I was on the front row when Coach French pursued Miss Christopher at Mercer Elementary in the cafeteria. I was switching out the milk crates... probably 6th grade. Now they have a wonderful family and are enjoying those grand children. I am thankful he was my HS football coach. Fall of 1982 was tough. But, it was also great. A big reason it was great was because of my coach.

I have a great son in law, Josiah Robbins. Josiah played QB at Boyle and had two head coaches.... Larry French & then Chuck Smith. That was excellent prep to marry my daughter Emma, and raise Josie Ruth, our granddaughter. 

This is from my book. Love my old coach. 

“Did you feel the earth start shaking under your feet?”  I responded,  “No. sir.”  Coach French continued, “then, I don’t want you to run the ball.”  

My HS football coach was Larry French. Coach is a great person and tremendous football coach.  From the time I was 9 years old to the present, he has been a mentor and wonderful person in my life. 
And, he could never let me forget how slow I was.  He still tells people I was the slowest QB he ever had.  The quote above was from one day in practice on a called pass play. I took off running and thought I had done the right thing.   Coach French was always after me.  In the fall of 2007, I called Coach before a game because I had heard he wasn’t feeling well. He was talking about me being a good player over the phone- I knew he was sick because he never said anything good about me!  

 

My dad went to Mercer County HS in 1974.  He hired Coach French to be his assistant.  I can still remember Coach driving up to our house in Danville in his white corvette when he took the job.  When my dad got out of coaching and teaching, Coach French became our head coach at Mercer County. I played for him all four years in HS. He later became the head football coach at Meade County, Lincoln County, and is currently the head football coach at Boyle County HS where he has lead 2 teams to state titles. 

 

After 38 years, I have learned enough from Coach French to fill a book, much less a column.   Toward the end of my senior season, on a night that we finally got a win in Berea, I took a sack that was so bad they said the down was, “4^th and Richmond.”  After the game, Coach French told me that I had played very well except for taking that sack. That night when I got home and talked to my dad, his game analysis was that I had played well and that the BEST play of the night was when I took a sack instead of throwing the ball and taking a chance on an interception.  Two guys that thought alike and coached together giving me exact opposite feedback.  But, two guys that would do anything in the world to help me.

 

My best lesson from Coach French was the way he handled my senior season. 9 games into the season, we were 1-8.  And, we were not playing well at all. A lot of coaches in that situation begin to prepare for the following season. The seniors get phased out. But, not Coach French. He didn’t give up on us. He stayed positive. He continued to coach us. He continued to play the seniors.  We won those last two games.  Those last two wins were great. It really helped the seniors feel better about our last season. It built momentum going into the next season which was much more successful and was the start of a six year run that would see the most success enjoyed in the history of Mercer County football.  

 

After 20 years of being a head coach myself, I have been in several situations where we were struggling at the end of the season. I always remain loyal to my seniors just as Coach French did for us. I know how bad it hurts when things are not turning out like you hoped they would.  Having your head coach bail on you when things are the toughest would be hard to take. To be clear, I am not saying play a senior if an underclassmen is better, not at all.  But, if the senior is a better player, and is giving a good effort, he still plays.  Some coaches say it is time to play the younger kids regardless if they are better or not.  Not me.

 

My senior year was a tough one. But, because of Coach French, it was a great experience when it was all said and done. As a head coach today, no matter how tough things can get during a season, it helps me to know that my kids can some day look back on that last season and find positives and things that make their high school football experience one of the best times of their life.

 

After HS I was fortunate to be an assistant for Coach French. The other assistants on our staff were Chuck Smith who later lead Boyle County to 5 state titles and Jack Robertson, a great player from Harrodsburg and who would later become the head coach at Mercer County.   In 1986 Mercer County won its first district and region championships in school history when we were there together on that staff.  

1986 Mercer Staff

 

Coach French was a groomsmen when Stephanie and I got married.  He is one of John Combs’ biggest fans and someone that is always checking on me, my dad, and our family.  We talk on the phone frequently. He still says I am slow but that is ok with me.  If I could have the opportunity to put on that red helmet one more time and step on the field for my old coach, I would take it.

 

Larry was a winner and won everywhere he went.   

Boyle won 5 State titles under Chuck Smith and he retired.  Most said that was the end to the Boyle dynasty and after a losing season Coach French was hired in 2008 and brought Boyle back to top in his first season with a 17-15 semi-final loss on Log mountain to eventual State Champion Bell County.  Boyle ended at 13-1.  The following 2 seasons  2009 and 2010 Boyle went 30-0 with 2 State Titles. His first 3 seasons Coach French coached Boyle to a 43-1 record.   

Larry French was a true role model that any parent would love to have coach their sons!    

Team Issue is providing these Larry French Memorial Footballs for Week 1. The teams listed were either one of his old schools, or one of his players is the head football coach.

Thank you to Team Issue for honoring my old Coach, Larry French.

Bullitt East honoring Larry French this past Sat. vs Bowling Green.