There have been some talks that Apollo Assistant Coach Tyler Brown could be a candidate for this position. While it would certainly be a significant loss for Apollo’s coaching staff, it could prove to be a strong hire if Owensboro chooses to pursue him.

Love hearing news of any kind about schools that were dominant back in my younger days when the State Tournament was at Freedom Hall and you got a program to look at and collect, lol. Christian County,Owensboro, Male, Central and Ashland always seemed to be in the running back in the day.

15 hours ago, jester270 said:

There have been some talks that Apollo Assistant Coach Tyler Brown could be a candidate for this position. While it would certainly be a significant loss for Apollo’s coaching staff, it could prove to be a strong hire if Owensboro chooses to pursue him.

While I believe Tyler Brown would relate well to the kids, and parents, in the OPS system I just don’t see an unproven coach getting this job. But whoever the next head coach is should try and get Brown on staff. He knows basketball and his oldest son, who I believe is in 6th grade, is going to be really good.

I have zero inside knowledge on this, but I keep hearing Tim Haworth is a name to watch.  I have no idea if he would leave Male but his name has been floating around Owensboro the past few years.  Would be a grand slam for the Devils.

I've heard former Apollo Eagles Hayden Shelton and Tyler Brown would be interested.  I know Coach Steve Barker would have interest as well.  I have been told that AD Harper is going to give an update on the Coach search at the end of the Red Devil rundown Thursday night at 6 central on WVJS.

3 hours ago, ApolloFan98 said:

I have zero inside knowledge on this, but I keep hearing Tim Haworth is a name to watch.  I have no idea if he would leave Male but his name has been floating around Owensboro the past few years.  Would be a grand slam for the Devils.

I've heard former Apollo Eagles Hayden Shelton and Tyler Brown would be interested.  I know Coach Steve Barker would have interest as well.  I have been told that AD Harper is going to give an update on the Coach search at the end of the Red Devil rundown Thursday night at 6 central on WVJS.

I could see Haworth coming to Owensboro to get closer to “home” whether he claims home to be Hopkinsville or his hometown in Mayfield. Shelton would be a disaster hire. Brown knows his stuff and was in the running for the Apollo job a few years back before the current guy was hired.

 

Barker would be an interesting hire. I don’t know where he is these days, but he would come into the 9th district with a huge chip on his shoulder after the way he was treated at Apollo. Would love to see him flourish and take it to those jerks. 

3 hours ago, ApolloFan98 said:

I have zero inside knowledge on this, but I keep hearing Tim Haworth is a name to watch.  I have no idea if he would leave Male but his name has been floating around Owensboro the past few years.  Would be a grand slam for the Devils.

I've heard former Apollo Eagles Hayden Shelton and Tyler Brown would be interested.  I know Coach Steve Barker would have interest as well.  I have been told that AD Harper is going to give an update on the Coach search at the end of the Red Devil rundown Thursday night at 6 central on WVJS.

Barker didn’t do what I thought he would at Apollo. Even the year he did go to the Sweet 16 they struggled through the regular season. And that was with him having, what I believe, was the best talent in the 3rd Region. 

1 hour ago, Ordell said:

Barker didn’t do what I thought he would at Apollo. Even the year he did go to the Sweet 16 they struggled through the regular season. And that was with him having, what I believe, was the best talent in the 3rd Region. 

I'm going to disagree with the Barker take.  He was upset a few times with great talent (Meade in 2015 preventing the OHS regional title rematch and 2017 against DC in the first round), but that 2018 team did not really come together until late in the season with Shelton and Graham.  If you look at the talent that played under him at Apollo, several kids went on to thrive at the next level and many are coaching other places.  He left a great mark in a short run at Apollo.  He was royalty for Apollo, but they ran him out of there.  If you ask me, that is still a big black eye on the program.  With the right staff under him, he would be a great hire for any program.  The old school guys just don't get love anymore.

5 hours ago, ApolloFan98 said:

I'm going to disagree with the Barker take.  He was upset a few times with great talent (Meade in 2015 preventing the OHS regional title rematch and 2017 against DC in the first round), but that 2018 team did not really come together until late in the season with Shelton and Graham.  If you look at the talent that played under him at Apollo, several kids went on to thrive at the next level and many are coaching other places.  He left a great mark in a short run at Apollo.  He was royalty for Apollo, but they ran him out of there.  If you ask me, that is still a big black eye on the program.  With the right staff under him, he would be a great hire for any program.  The old school guys just don't get love anymore.

2014/2015 Apollo was like 18-13. That was with Ben Moss, JR, Eli Wright, & Trace Young. In 2017 they were 22-7 when they got upset by Daviess County. The following year they went to the Sweet 16 with James Graham, Alex Gray, & Hayden Shelton with a 16-16 record. Barker is an all time great Eagle, and was a solid college coach, but he struggled on Tamarack Road. If my math is correct Barker’s record was 73-104. 

4 minutes ago, Ordell said:

2014/2015 Apollo was like 18-13. That was with Ben Moss, JR, Eli Wright, & Trace Young. In 2017 they were 22-7 when they got upset by Daviess County. The following year they went to the Sweet 16 with James Graham, Alex Gray, & Hayden Shelton with a 16-16 record. Barker is an all time great Eagle, and was a solid college coach, but he struggled on Tamarack Road. If my math is correct Barker’s record was 73-104. 

Moss was the only “sort of” team player on that 2014-2015 team. Eli was out to get his, and Trace, as I recall, played for five high schools in four years. He was absolutely toxic. None of them “bought in.” That 2016-2017 team was robbed at the buzzer in the district tournament. Had Graham not decided to start playing his role, the 2018 team gets put out in district. Steve struggled after that, but the people at Apollo seemed to forget that he graduated six seniors from that 2018 team. While I can’t remember the next guy’s name, he was a disaster hire. 

On 3/18/2026 at 5:54 AM, Ordell said:

While I believe Tyler Brown would relate well to the kids, and parents, in the OPS system I just don’t see an unproven coach getting this job. But whoever the next head coach is should try and get Brown on staff. He knows basketball and his oldest son, who I believe is in 6th grade, is going to be really good.

It seems like Owensboro had a numbers issue this past year. If you want to get your best athletes to play basketball, Tyler Brown is the man. Several kids transferred out of Apollo I believe when he did not get the last head coaching job. I think he would get the program headed in the right direction. Plus, he averaged 18 ppg playing at Illinois State. The guy really knows ball....

1 hour ago, jester270 said:

It seems like Owensboro had a numbers issue this past year. If you want to get your best athletes to play basketball, Tyler Brown is the man. Several kids transferred out of Apollo I believe when he did not get the last head coaching job. I think he would get the program headed in the right direction. Plus, he averaged 18 ppg playing at Illinois State. The guy really knows ball....

Listen I wouldn’t be upset if Brown got the job. He’s one of the best basketball players to ever come out of Owensboro/Daviess County. He trains tons of kids and he’s out in the community. I just don’t think OHS is going with an unproven coach unless their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd options say “no”. At that point you do what you have too. But I think there will be proven coaches, and by that I mean regional title winning coaches, that will apply for this job.

23 minutes ago, Ordell said:

Listen I wouldn’t be upset if Brown got the job. He’s one of the best basketball players to ever come out of Owensboro/Daviess County. He trains tons of kids and he’s out in the community. I just don’t think OHS is going with an unproven coach unless their 1st, 2nd, or 3rd options say “no”. At that point you do what you have too. But I think there will be proven coaches, and by that I mean regional title winning coaches, that will apply for this job.

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Rod Drake an assistant before he got hired? I believe that he hadn't been a head coach anywhere other than OHS. I do know he was an integral part of the community and was awesome at the Boys and Girls club where he served as their director. Like Drake, Tyler Brown has amazing ties to the community. He trains so many kids in our area. I think that someone who can relate to parents and kids should be a deciding factor on who becomes the next head coach at OHS, IMO. OHS has too much talent walking around that school with kids who are not coming out for basketball. 

23 hours ago, ApolloFan98 said:

I have zero inside knowledge on this, but I keep hearing Tim Haworth is a name to watch.  I have no idea if he would leave Male but his name has been floating around Owensboro the past few years.  Would be a grand slam for the Devils.

If you go back and read some of the quotes regarding Chris Wolfe leaving as Male's football coach, the same issues could be there for Haworth in basketball.

18 hours ago, ApolloFan98 said:

I'm going to disagree with the Barker take.  He was upset a few times with great talent (Meade in 2015 preventing the OHS regional title rematch and 2017 against DC in the first round), but that 2018 team did not really come together until late in the season with Shelton and Graham.  If you look at the talent that played under him at Apollo, several kids went on to thrive at the next level and many are coaching other places.  He left a great mark in a short run at Apollo.  He was royalty for Apollo, but they ran him out of there.  If you ask me, that is still a big black eye on the program.  With the right staff under him, he would be a great hire for any program.  The old school guys just don't get love anymore.

He only won 8 games his last two seasons as HC at Apollo. What is your definition of royalty? 

3 hours ago, jester270 said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn't Rod Drake an assistant before he got hired? I believe that he hadn't been a head coach anywhere other than OHS. I do know he was an integral part of the community and was awesome at the Boys and Girls club where he served as their director. Like Drake, Tyler Brown has amazing ties to the community. He trains so many kids in our area. I think that someone who can relate to parents and kids should be a deciding factor on who becomes the next head coach at OHS, IMO. OHS has too much talent walking around that school with kids who are not coming out for basketball. 

Yes. Rod Drake had been an assistant coach at OHS for several years before getting the head coaching job. (He had also starred at OHS which never hurts when you’re talking about getting a head coaching job at your alma mater.) But, IMO, the big difference in then and now is OHS was coming off of back to back Sweet 16 appearances when Coach Breeden left and Coach Drake took over. The program was flying high. The Red Devils have won 16 games combined the last 2 seasons. Only 4 wins this year!! This is the lowest point ever in the basketball program. I just don’t think they’re hiring an assistant coach to right this ship. The AD has got to get this hire right. So just as an hypothetical situation….let’s say Tim Hayworth from Hopkinsville/Male wants the job. Do you give it to a guy who has 6-7 regional titles on his resume or do you give it to an unproven assistant coach? And as it relates specifically to Tyler Brown….the bigger question for me is why didn’t Apollo give him a shot at the job when it was open??