I went with the #1 pick in the NFL draft...

There just might be two of those.... :sssh:

I thought this was based on the HS accomplishments? Not to sound redundant, but so you'd exclude Marino from a best ever conversation about NFL QB's?? Both of these players are remarkable HS athletes, but to say that one is CLEARLY better than the other......well, IMO your just homering it up there. Just to make sure I'm clear, Shaun Alexander is NOT in the conversation as one of the best HS RB's because he didn't win a state championship? Surely you jest.........

 

I'll tit for tat your comments about the run and shoot with the fact that Brohm didn't HAVE to throw the ball every down. He had some pretty good athletes in McBroom and May running behind him, a solid oline, not to mention IMO probably one of the best HS coordinators in the country calling the shots. Football is a team game, and playing for a great program like Trinity certainly helped Brian out. IMO that's a testament to how great the T program is top to bottom. One great player cannot win state titles by himself, just ask Shaun Alexander.......

I said that you COULD NOT BE THE BEST HS PLAYER in KY EVER IF YOU DID NOT WIN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP...

Anyone have any info on Travis Atwell from Hancock

72 TDs in one season?

I'm just intrigued by this stat. Next closest in 54 TDs. How does one guy score 72 in one season. There are lots of teams that don't score 72 TDs in a year. There has to be a reason why this guy is snubbed in these kind of discussions. Can anyone tell us this players story?

As much as I never liked Hornung back in the day (he got all the girls!) I have to give Best High School football player honors to him hands down. Most people don't realize he not only played QB at Flaget he also punted, kicked field goals, pats and even played some on defense, if it was a close game.

 

In College at Notre Dame he played QB, HB, DE, punted, kicked off, kicked FGs, kicked PATs and was on the kick off return team. In fact in his final College game against USC he ran back a kick of 95 yards playing with TWO broken thumbs. He won the Heisman in 1956 (how many others from KY have won the Heisman?)

 

His ability to "do it all" continued into the NFL...Most people don't realize he held the NFL record for the most points scored by an individual player in a single season for 46yrs until LaDaian Tomlinson broke it last year. Just an FYI the Packers only played 12 games in 1960 when it set the record and he played RB.

 

176pts Paul Hornung, Green Bay, 1960 (15-td, 41-pat, 15-fg)

 

I might even venture to say he played on the best NFL team that ever existed the 1961 Packers team. He was like a greek god among men when he was in High School, he in his high School prime against any of the others mentioned in theirs, its no contest. Between Brohm and Hornung, Hornung wins because of toughness alone. He took lickings and kept on ticking. NFL Player of the year twice in '60 and '61 thats an honor Brohm won't see twice. He will be a great one but he is not Paul Hornung, although Hornung himself has said Brohm is the closest to date.

 

As much as he got bad press for the booze the women etc there were things he did the press ignored that truly told you what kind of guy he was.He sold his Heisman Trophy for a quarter of a million dollars in order to endow scholarships for Notre Dame students. He urged the board of regents to loosen academic standards so more African American athletes could be accepted into Notre Dame, he warned them their football program would suffer if they continued with academic practices designed to exlude them.

 

What say you, Couch and Brohm supporters. Could your man match this Superman? He seems to have been a sort of Dickie Lyons or Michael Bush x 2 in that he did it all, and did it all very well.

TigerPaw18, do I remember correctly that he once drop kicked a field goal in the NFL to win a game? Proponents of other players (and often it is our heart. not head,speaking) has your guy ever drop kicked a field goal, much less in the NFL? Can you even still do this in football?

No less than Vince Lombardi said of Hornung:"Paul is tremendous down near the goal line. He's the finest man I've ever seen when he gets down there."

His Notre Dame coach, Frank Leahy, said of the 6 ft. 2 in., 215 Ibs Hornung: "He runs like a mower going through grass." "And his kicking—why, when he reported to me as a freshman, he could punt 80 yds. and place-kick over the crossbar from 70 yds. out."

I think Justin Frisk was better than Alexander...

Frisk was a STUD! Alexander was the only one on my list I didn't see play. The best RB's I saw were Mike West, Nick Meadows, Justin Frisk, and Brandon Berger. Vic Anderson and Doug Beaumont are both recent studs.

How good was Tony Driver? I never saw him.

That is the problem really, this is all about think. Not about know.

 

I can say without question that Couch was more athletic than Brohm. We can argue about being smarter or whatever, but if you saw the 2 play basketball there was no doubt who the better athlete was.

I can say without question that Couch was more athletic than Brohm. We can argue about being smarter or whatever, but if you saw the 2 play basketball there was no doubt who the better athlete was.

 

Better athelete does not make the better football player in all cases. If this poll were "Who was the Best Athelete to Play Football?" then I would be willing to buy that. However performance on the court has no bearing on performance on the field. If we were going with the a thlete question then I would likely vote Michael Bush.

 

I voted for Hornung for the record.

I'm just intrigued by this stat. Next closest in 54 TDs. How does one guy score 72 in one season. There are lots of teams that don't score 72 TDs in a year. There has to be a reason why this guy is snubbed in these kind of discussions. Can anyone tell us this players story?

 

40 passing TDs along with 32 rushing TDs if I recall.

I never saw Couch play basketball, but watching him play in person convinced me that he was a better athlete than Brohm. It doesn't necessarily make him the better quarterback, but I'm not taking a side in that debate ... I'm not sure I could anyway.

I'm just intrigued by this stat. Next closest in 54 TDs. How does one guy score 72 in one season. There are lots of teams that don't score 72 TDs in a year. There has to be a reason why this guy is snubbed in these kind of discussions. Can anyone tell us this players story?

Atwell was an outstanding all-around athlete. He played quarterback and safety and had good (not great) speed and a tremendous vertical leap.

 

Of course, he put up those numbers on the Class A level, which tends to be discounted a bit. But he was a deserving Mr. Football that year.

I voted for Hornung. He could pass, run, catch the ball, punt, kick, and play defense! This versatility came in handy after his high school career was over. In fact, he held the NFL scoring record for over four decades, in a year when they played only *12* games in a season! He also won the Heisman Trophy playing for a Notre Dame team with a *losing* record! I know that this thread is all about the best high school player in KY history, but I couldn't resist throwing in those choice tidbits!

 

But I do acknowledge the feats and accomplishments of all the players on the list...they've all earned a place on this list for sure!:thumb:

What say you, Couch and Brohm supporters. Could your man match this Superman? He seems to have been a sort of Dickie Lyons or Michael Bush x 2 in that he did it all, and did it all very well.

TigerPaw18, do I remember correctly that he once drop kicked a field goal in the NFL to win a game? Proponents of other players (and often it is our heart. not head,speaking) has your guy ever drop kicked a field goal, much less in the NFL? Can you even still do this in football?

No less than Vince Lombardi said of Hornung:"Paul is tremendous down near the goal line. He's the finest man I've ever seen when he gets down there."

His Notre Dame coach, Frank Leahy, said of the 6 ft. 2 in., 215 Ibs Hornung: "He runs like a mower going through grass." "And his kicking—why, when he reported to me as a freshman, he could punt 80 yds. and place-kick over the crossbar from 70 yds. out."

 

Yes that was against "DA BEARS" in 1964 I believe...Time Magazine had an article on Hornung back in '61 titled "The Indispensable Man" its online somewhere I am sure, its about Hornung being called to active duty that is where those quotes you mentioned came from,the writer compared him to Unitas and Brown and said "Hornung does NOTHING perfect, but does EVERYTHING well: the only thing he does BETTER THAN ANYONE else in the NFL is score points!." I thought that was a very accurate description of him and how he played in the NFL, I still have a copy of that magazine to this day.

When comparing Brohm to Couch. If the argument is "Could Couch have beaten Male with Trinity's team instead of Brohm?" which is a good point. In fairness you have to ask could Brohm have gone to Leslie and beaten Highlands or Cov. Cath basically by himself. I'm not sure on Couch beating Male or not, honestly I think that is more likely because if Trinity played Male again I really doubt they would have given up 56 pts again. But I see Brohm getting hit so quick in the backfield by Highlands or Cov. Cath before he could even get rid of the ball with Leslie County blockers.

 

If you are gonna put Couch at Trinity, you better put Brohm at Leslie.

Better athelete does not make the better football player in all cases. If this poll were "Who was the Best Athelete to Play Football?" then I would be willing to buy that. However performance on the court has no bearing on performance on the field. If we were going with the a thlete question then I would likely vote Michael Bush.

 

I voted for Hornung for the record.

 

I was simply saying that Couch was better suited than Brohm at Leslie Co. because he was more athletic and was constantly being blitzed and had to get out of trouble quite often. I think both are outstanding QBs, but it is impossible really to say who was better in high school because both were in vastly different situations.