Jeremy Harness has taken the open head coaching position at his alma mater, John Hardin.

 

25 minutes ago, DragonFire said:

Jeremy Harness has taken the open head coaching position at his alma mater, John Hardin.

 

Which Job in BG is more attractive, WC or WE? I know historically WC has a better tradition, especially before South Warren. To me, both seem at low points and both in tough districts. 

Just now, AppalachianTactician said:

Which Job in BG is more attractive, WC or WE? I know historically WC has a better tradition, especially before South Warren. To me, both seem at low points and both in tough districts. 

East.  It's not even a question, it's East.  The Raiders are a single season removed from a winning record, two from a playoff victory.  Warren Central hasn't had a winning record since 2014 or a playoff victory since 2013.  When your seniors can remember a winning record and a playoff victory while seniors at the other school were just starting elementary school when the same was true of their program, there's simply no comparison.

I'm tired, so very, very tired. 

But what I'm tired of most is the decision maker's at the school clearly not understanding how to hire people that will stay.  I wanted Tyreon Clark last hiring cycle.  He had put in the time at Moss, understood the assignment, connected with the kids.  Was he more "qualified" than Harness? No.  But while I appreciate what Harness did while he was there and I do think they improved, to be frank, I heard he was always looking for the door, and he very much found it about as fast as all the coaches have for the last decade+ at Central.  The Dragons have not had a class come through the school that saw the same coach from when they were freshman as when they were seniors since the class of 2014.  Clark would still be there, I STRONGLY believe.  And THAT is what Central needs - a coach who can connect with the kids and who will commit to staying and BUILDING.  It's a tough job, no question about it.  I'm not trying to shade the people who have come there and decided another opportunity was better for them, as that's what we all have to do.  But it is incumbent upon the decision makers at Warren Central to find someone who will stick around and build with them, because frankly all they're doing is spinning their wheels.  1 to 2 or even 3 year coaches are not going to get it done, and I have TWELVE YEARS of proof.  (Of course, it also helps if you don't make the egregious mistake of firing a coach after a single year as the brilliant minds decided to do twice in a row to start this slide).  

Maybe the new coach can get them to be aggressive with their schedule as well.  Teams they can beat are out there, they just so seldom seem to get them on the schedule.  Basically build a Kentucky Wildcat football schedule - find teams you can beat out of district, and string together some 5-5 seasons.  

Are all the warren county schools on the same pay scale for coaches or is that school by school?

Fairly certain it is the same pay scale for coaches for all county schools.  If it's still the way I recall, there's a set stipend to be divided between the HC and any assistants.  So the HC could take the whole thing, in theory.  But the stipend itself is supposed to be uniform.

@DragonFire Harness definitely was more qualified but exactly like you said Clark wanted to be there, totally different than someone trying to boost their name. It’s as if the school district isn’t able to connect the dots in the hiring process, shameful to our community really. No one was hit harder than Central during the expansion in the district, though I do have to argue East isn’t that much better of a job. Sure the Raiders have beat them every year for a decade until this past year but whatever Coach Griffith had rolling for the WE has been completely washed away, couple that with the talent leaving the school, it’s going to be rough out Louisville rd these next couple of years.

2 hours ago, TheBallCoach said:

@DragonFire Harness definitely was more qualified but exactly like you said Clark wanted to be there, totally different than someone trying to boost their name. It’s as if the school district isn’t able to connect the dots in the hiring process, shameful to our community really. No one was hit harder than Central during the expansion in the district, though I do have to argue East isn’t that much better of a job. Sure the Raiders have beat them every year for a decade until this past year but whatever Coach Griffith had rolling for the WE has been completely washed away, couple that with the talent leaving the school, it’s going to be rough out Louisville rd these next couple of years.

I don't fully disagree, and it could just be that each of us is being more pessimistic about our program, but I have to admit that I did chuckle when I read the bolded after the statement that it's not that much better of a job.  A decade is a loooooooong time.  We will have to see next year if 2025 is the fluke or if it is the beginning of a trend for Central.  But at the moment, it is hard to see that as two programs that are very close to each other at all.  

Call Mike Benton NOW!

1 hour ago, DragonFire said:

I don't fully disagree, and it could just be that each of us is being more pessimistic about our program, but I have to admit that I did chuckle when I read the bolded after the statement that it's not that much better of a job.  A decade is a loooooooong time.  We will have to see next year if 2025 is the fluke or if it is the beginning of a trend for Central.  But at the moment, it is hard to see that as two programs that are very close to each other at all.  

Rightfully so, imagine going back in time and telling a player on the ‘10 Dragons that Warren East would have a better football team for the next 15 years. Would’ve got the strangest looks, crazy how quickly things can change.

Any names being thrown around?

Anything on this? Is this the type of place a younger coach can cut their teeth and be given room to grow? Mistakes to be made probably but if someone wants to stay around for years would the admin be willing to work with him?

They’ve tried young, experienced, etc. No one stays. That’s the problem. 

Why is it no one stays?

Bad culture in the school, lack of talent,  admin, lack of community support? 
 

A couple of them, I believe it is a matter of them having no idea what they’re getting into. May have viewed it as a stepping stone as well. It’s a challenging job that will take above normal effort to “fix”. A depleted talent pool often depletes further before kids even make it to the school. Part of a proper job is to make connections with families in the feeder system before middle school to try to get them to buy in before their eye wanders. That’s tough - there are two state title caliber programs in their own county borders, and another team (Greenwood) who has achieved remarkable consistency in winning, if not playoff success. Even Warren East gets shine that attracts players. Central cannot afford to have kids leave before middle school, during middle school, before the head coach really gets time with them in the building. Central needs a coach that understands that. (Not a direct shot at anyone in particular btw, but suffice it to say they’ve had multiple who did not understand that assignment and could not make inroads.)

I don’t know that I would say the admin is part of a problem other than perhaps having made the wrong hires in some of these cycles.  That goes back to Feggins, who was the wrong hire at a time they could not afford to do so. But I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say they’re not getting proper support from admins.  I do think they all absolutely stink at getting a proper schedule for the program, which is the fault of several people who have been in the building, but that’s as far as I’d go. 

There are legitimate options they have had that will stay and build the program. They are not always the most “qualified”. I believe greater weight needs to be given to that as a qualification. There’s a fantasy football saying that the best ability is availability. It doesn’t matter if Curt Cignetti himself took the job if he doesn’t stay longer than two years.