16 minutes ago, Ordell said:

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?? 

There are really two conversations here—what OHS needs right now and what type of hire sets them up long term. Tyler Brown absolutely should have gotten a serious look at Apollo, and anyone around that program knows the respect and relationships he brings. Passing on him as the HC was a mistake, IMO. Those same qualities would matter immediately at OHS. He has deep roots in Owensboro, understands the community, and could rebuild culture and trust from day one. On the other hand, a coach like Hayworth is a proven winner with multiple regional titles, which is hard to ignore. But how realistic is that hire? The Louisville area has the best basketball in the state, more talent, and a clearer path to winning. There’s no guarantee he takes the job, and even if he did, how long would he stay? OHS isn’t just trying to win next season—it’s trying to fix a program at its lowest point. That takes culture, relationships, and long-term investment. If Hayworth wants the job, you listen. But if that’s uncertain, passing on someone like Tyler Brown, who can bring you stability and local investment, could end up being the bigger risk.

Thanks jester, good stuff!

1 hour ago, jester270 said:

There are really two conversations here—what OHS needs right now and what type of hire sets them up long term. Tyler Brown absolutely should have gotten a serious look at Apollo, and anyone around that program knows the respect and relationships he brings. Passing on him as the HC was a mistake, IMO. Those same qualities would matter immediately at OHS. He has deep roots in Owensboro, understands the community, and could rebuild culture and trust from day one. On the other hand, a coach like Hayworth is a proven winner with multiple regional titles, which is hard to ignore. But how realistic is that hire? The Louisville area has the best basketball in the state, more talent, and a clearer path to winning. There’s no guarantee he takes the job, and even if he did, how long would he stay? OHS isn’t just trying to win next season—it’s trying to fix a program at its lowest point. That takes culture, relationships, and long-term investment. If Hayworth wants the job, you listen. But if that’s uncertain, passing on someone like Tyler Brown, who can bring you stability and local investment, could end up being the bigger risk.

Jester,

Love your post and you obviously have much more knowledge than I do of the Owensboro area than I do.

I will say this though, Coach Haworth has done an outstanding job at Male BUT the 7th region is the toughest deepest in the state. He also lost a couple players that would have made his squad the favorites over StX this year.

If he goes to the Boro, I’d expect them to be back in short order. He is on the short list of TOP coaches in the state!

3 hours ago, jester270 said:

There are really two conversations here—what OHS needs right now and what type of hire sets them up long term. Tyler Brown absolutely should have gotten a serious look at Apollo, and anyone around that program knows the respect and relationships he brings. Passing on him as the HC was a mistake, IMO. Those same qualities would matter immediately at OHS. He has deep roots in Owensboro, understands the community, and could rebuild culture and trust from day one. On the other hand, a coach like Hayworth is a proven winner with multiple regional titles, which is hard to ignore. But how realistic is that hire? The Louisville area has the best basketball in the state, more talent, and a clearer path to winning. There’s no guarantee he takes the job, and even if he did, how long would he stay? OHS isn’t just trying to win next season—it’s trying to fix a program at its lowest point. That takes culture, relationships, and long-term investment. If Hayworth wants the job, you listen. But if that’s uncertain, passing on someone like Tyler Brown, who can bring you stability and local investment, could end up being the bigger risk.

Well I don’t believe Owensboro Red Devil basketball, from 6th-12th grade, is broken. The issue, IMO, was that the current Seniors, and Juniors, didn’t come out for basketball. (And of course we had some talent that transferred out.) But if you look at the current Sophomore’s, and Freshman, their numbers were what they should be. Actually they were probably the majority of the varsity roster this year. The middle school program is running at a high level as usual. OHS just needs someone proven that can come in with an exciting brand of ball.  When I say proven I mean someone that has shown they can relate to kids and parents and win games at a high clip. As far as Hayworth goes I have no idea if he has any interest in the job. I just used him as an example because someone brought him up. But Louisville/JCPS is a totally different animal than anywhere in KY. While there is more talent then anywhere in KY the coaches in the 6th and 7th Regions are fighting to maintain their rosters year after year. Folks that think kids are constantly transferring in Owensboro have no idea. I could see a coach wanting to leave that hustle and bustle. OHS has historically had a strong group of kids come through the program every 2-3 years. There’s a reason the Red Devils have been to the Sweet 16 forty plus times. With the right hire they’ll be back in 1-2 years IMO.

17 hours ago, Falcon Pride said:

Jester,

Love your post and you obviously have much more knowledge than I do of the Owensboro area than I do.

I will say this though, Coach Haworth has done an outstanding job at Male BUT the 7th region is the toughest deepest in the state. He also lost a couple players that would have made his squad the favorites over StX this year.

If he goes to the Boro, I’d expect them to be back in short order. He is on the short list of TOP coaches in the state!

Haworth would bring immediate credibility and is clearly one of the top coaches you could hire—it makes a lot of sense on the surface. A resume like his raises expectations instantly and could stabilize things quickly. But I think the bigger question for Owensboro isn’t just impact, it’s longevity. This program isn’t just looking for a short-term boost; it needs sustained leadership, culture building, and consistency over time. If Haworth is truly committed to staying, investing in the community, and building something long-term, then he’s absolutely the right choice. But if there’s any doubt about how long he’d be there, that has to be weighed just as heavily as his success, because the next hire can’t afford to be temporary. Owensboro should consistently be a top team in the 3rd region.

I don't see Haworth leaving Male. Yes, it's hard to get out of that region but if you do you have a chance to win it all. 

With regards to Haworth leaving Louisville and coming to Owensboro, there is one caveat that I think is missing. Haworth's wife is an OHS girl. It would be a chance to her to come home, and remember, "if momma ain't happy, ain't no body happy!" That could be a reason to leave Male and Jefferson County. 

Tune into tonight to the Red Devil Rundown on 92.9/93.3 WVJS or watch the livestream on any of the 102.7 The Game social media pages as they spend the show honoring Rod Drake and have an update on the coaching search with AD Harper tonight in the final segment!

Where is the process at with this job? I know Central Hardin Head Coach Tavon Johnson applied. He coached Jonathon Moss and DeAaron Watkins this summer.

If you would think back to last year, when OHS was looking for a football coach, there was very little that leaked out about that. Todd Harper the AD, does a great job of keeping everything pretty closed, and not much leaks out from OHS. I do know they are interviewing some tomorrow 4/21/26. But who I have no idea.

Any update with when they make a decision? 

10 hours ago, jester270 said:

Any update with when they make a decision? 

This was posted earlier this evening….Greg Franklin is from Central City, KY. Played collegiately at Austin Peay. Has been successfully coaching at the Juco level for many years.