They pick the guy who defense gave up over 38 ppg last year to lead the program? Interesting...

They pick the guy who defense gave up over 38 ppg last year to lead the program? Interesting...

 

He was also the former head coach at North Laurel prior to Greg Duncum's taking over the program several years ago. He did not have a good record at North, but maybe he has learned after being back at Rock under Larkey after he left North for a few years. I like Larry. He is a good guy and an excellent strength and conditioning coach. I am just really surprised by this hire. My source told me less than a week ago that this was who he believed would be the next coach and I told him I didn't think it would happen. Looks like I was wrong.

 

Good luck to Coach Welch. I hope he turns things around at South.

He was also the former head coach at North Laurel prior to Greg Duncum's taking over the program several years ago. He did not have a good record at North, but maybe he has learned after being back at Rock under Larkey after he left North for a few years. I like Larry. He is a good guy and an excellent strength and conditioning coach. I am just really surprised by this hire. My source told me less than a week ago that this was who he believed would be the next coach and I told him I didn't think it would happen. Looks like I was wrong.

 

Good luck to Coach Welch. I hope he turns things around at South.

 

IMO I think that SL isn't very interested in their football program. I can't believe they hired Welch we he couldn't even do it at NL. SL will go not go forward with this move.

Let the South Laurel basketball job come open and you'll see how creative they are in Laurel Co.

 

They give lip service to football in Laurel Co. and that is about it.

 

Goodluck to Coach Welch and S. Laurel.

He was also the former head coach at North Laurel prior to Greg Duncum's taking over the program several years ago. He did not have a good record at North, but maybe he has learned after being back at Rock under Larkey after he left North for a few years. I like Larry. He is a good guy and an excellent strength and conditioning coach. I am just really surprised by this hire. My source told me less than a week ago that this was who he believed would be the next coach and I told him I didn't think it would happen. Looks like I was wrong.

 

Good luck to Coach Welch. I hope he turns things around at South.

 

I was just curious to how many coaches have had a winning record at North Laurel? This is by no means a shot at them either...... I know alot more North parents than I do South, and I grew up and went to school in what is the North district now and have alot of friends that have kids there. I was talking to a friend last night and we were just wondering with all of the coaches they have had . Also I heard that the lack of teaching jobs in the county played a big part in this hire. Former coach Chappel is currently still teaching at South Laurel and from what I was told has given no indication of leaving that position anytime soon. Coach Welch is already teaching at South Laurel.

This is a great hire. You can't look at what he did at North. He had no talent and played the hardest schedule in the state. He didn't just learn how to coach after being at Rockcastle. I know for a fact he taught some people at Rockcastle a few things. He was a grad assistant at EKU under Jack Isom, and DC for Glen Polly at Laurel Co. If I am not mistaken they were ranked number one in the state at one time. Don't judge a great coach because of one year as DC at South. He didn't start coaching until late summer. It takes some time to analyze your talent.

 

If everyone thinks this is such a bad hire, would you like to place a bet on the North vs. South game next year?

I was just curious to how many coaches have had a winning record at North Laurel? This is by no means a shot at them either...... I know alot more North parents than I do South, and I grew up and went to school in what is the North district now and have alot of friends that have kids there. I was talking to a friend last night and we were just wondering with all of the coaches they have had . Also I heard that the lack of teaching jobs in the county played a big part in this hire. Former coach Chappel is currently still teaching at South Laurel and from what I was told has given no indication of leaving that position anytime soon. Coach Welch is already teaching at South Laurel.

 

Since he took the Campbellsville job, he will have to leave that teaching position open.

Since he took the Campbellsville job, he will have to leave that teaching position open.

 

 

Then I assume this is a rule for head coaches only?

This is a great hire. You can't look at what he did at North. He had no talent and played the hardest schedule in the state. He didn't just learn how to coach after being at Rockcastle. I know for a fact he taught some people at Rockcastle a few things. He was a grad assistant at EKU under Jack Isom, and DC for Glen Polly at Laurel Co. If I am not mistaken they were ranked number one in the state at one time. Don't judge a great coach because of one year as DC at South. He didn't start coaching until late summer. It takes some time to analyze your talent.

 

If everyone thinks this is such a bad hire, would you like to place a bet on the North vs. South game next year?

 

I don't think it a matter of the North/South game, but a question of hiring someone that has been a head coach before with no success and how anything has changed that would make anyone think he'll be able to lead South's program to the same success they had when Coach Irwin was there.

Then I assume this is a rule for head coaches only?

 

Forgive me, but not sure I understand.:confused:

This is a great hire. You can't look at what he did at North. He had no talent and played the hardest schedule in the state. He didn't just learn how to coach after being at Rockcastle. I know for a fact he taught some people at Rockcastle a few things. He was a grad assistant at EKU under Jack Isom, and DC for Glen Polly at Laurel Co. If I am not mistaken they were ranked number one in the state at one time. Don't judge a great coach because of one year as DC at South. He didn't start coaching until late summer. It takes some time to analyze your talent.

 

If everyone thinks this is such a bad hire, would you like to place a bet on the North vs. South game next year?

 

No talent? Umm, I don't agree with that statement.

This is a great hire. You can't look at what he did at North. He had no talent and played the hardest schedule in the state. He didn't just learn how to coach after being at Rockcastle. I know for a fact he taught some people at Rockcastle a few things. He was a grad assistant at EKU under Jack Isom, and DC for Glen Polly at Laurel Co. If I am not mistaken they were ranked number one in the state at one time. Don't judge a great coach because of one year as DC at South. He didn't start coaching until late summer. It takes some time to analyze your talent.

 

If everyone thinks this is such a bad hire, would you like to place a bet on the North vs. South game next year?

 

:confused:

 

Larry is a great guy and a top notch strength and conditioning coach, no doubt. I agree that just looking at one season as the DC at South Laurel is not fair. But you have to look at his record as a head coach to get an idea and in all fairness, it was not good. His winning percentage as a head coach was worse than Abbott had at NL. He actually had a ton of talent at North Laurel. In fact, his best season at NL was 3-8 in 1998 when they were LOADED with talent. That is the same excuse that Charlie Bell used when he left Laurel County after the 1982 season, but within a few years, Glenn Polly was winning at Laurel County. They did not play the toughest schedule in the state, but it was tougher than the next few seasons as Duncum had to cut the schedule a little bit early to help get his 19 kids left some confidence. Welch's last 3 seasons at North he was 5-26, and if not for Perry Central being in their district, they would not have won a game his final 2 seasons. The program was down to 19 players when he left, but when he took over, they were only 2 years removed from a district title. Duncum rebuilt the program and within 3 years they had winning records in consecutive seasons (the only coach at NL to ever do this). Welch had talent at North Laurel: Ronnie Combs, Delmas Philpot, Hubble Williams, H Clay Hodges, Conrad Cessna, Jonathon Sizemore (before he moved to Corbin) and numerous others in his tenure there, so blaming a lack of talent just doesn't work. And to Larry's credit, I never once heard him say that they didn't win at NL under him because of a lack of talent. He was too much of a stand up guy to blame it on the kids.

 

I hope you are right and I am dead wrong and Welch does a tremendous job at South Laurel. I was a Laurel County Cardinal and really want both football programs in London to succeed. I wish him all the best. I have close friends who have kids on that team, and I want them to win. I am just not sure this was the right move.

 

If I was a betting man, I would absolutely bet on North Laurel this fall. But in all honestly, I felt that way before any of these coaching changes took place, knowing what who each team lost and who they each have coming back.

I was just curious to how many coaches have had a winning record at North Laurel? This is by no means a shot at them either...... I know alot more North parents than I do South, and I grew up and went to school in what is the North district now and have alot of friends that have kids there. I was talking to a friend last night and we were just wondering with all of the coaches they have had . Also I heard that the lack of teaching jobs in the county played a big part in this hire. Former coach Chappel is currently still teaching at South Laurel and from what I was told has given no indication of leaving that position anytime soon. Coach Welch is already teaching at South Laurel.

 

Mills or Harville possibly, but those were the two coaches before Welch. One of them won a district title in 1994. Duncum has the most wins of any coach, but actually had a losing overall record. When he took over the Jaguars, they were coming off back to back 1-9 seasons under Welch, and he was only left with 19 players at a 4A school. However, his last 2 seasons were the only consecutive winning seasons in NL history.

 

I heard that there were some paperwork issues with the candidate from GA which cause that one to fall through.

Edited May 15, 200917 yr by MountainThunder

:confused:

 

Larry is a great guy and a top notch strength and conditioning coach, no doubt. I agree that just looking at one season as the DC at South Laurel is not fair. But you have to look at his record as a head coach to get an idea and in all fairness, it was not good. His winning percentage as a head coach was worse than Abbott had at NL. He actually had a ton of talent at North Laurel. In fact, his best season at NL was 3-8 in 1998 when they were LOADED with talent. That is the same excuse that Charlie Bell used when he left Laurel County after the 1982 season, but within a few years, Glenn Polly was winning at Laurel County. They did not play the toughest schedule in the state, but it was tougher than the next few seasons as Duncum had to cut the schedule a little bit early to help get his 19 kids left some confidence. Welch's last 3 seasons at North he was 5-26, and if not for Perry Central being in their district, they would not have won a game his final 2 seasons. The program was down to 19 players when he left, but when he took over, they were only 2 years removed from a district title. Duncum rebuilt the program and within 3 years they had winning records in consecutive seasons (the only coach at NL to ever do this). Welch had talent at North Laurel: Ronnie Combs, Delmas Philpot, Hubble Williams, H Clay Hodges, Conrad Cessna, Jonathon Sizemore (before he moved to Corbin) and numerous others in his tenure there, so blaming a lack of talent just doesn't work. And to Larry's credit, I never once heard him say that they didn't win at NL under him because of a lack of talent. He was too much of a stand up guy to blame it on the kids.

 

I hope you are right and I am dead wrong and Welch does a tremendous job at South Laurel. I was a Laurel County Cardinal and really want both football programs in London to succeed. I wish him all the best. I have close friends who have kids on that team, and I want them to win. I am just not sure this was the right move.

 

If I was a betting man, I would absolutely bet on North Laurel this fall. But in all honestly, I felt that way before any of these coaching changes took place, knowing what who each team lost and who they each have coming back.

 

That is some top notch college talent in the bold. Wasn't Ronnie Combs kicked off the team?

That is some top notch college talent in the bold. Wasn't Ronnie Combs kicked off the team?

 

I believe he was kicked off the team. But, yes, that was some talent. I know that Delmas went to D1 Charleston Southern on scholarship. Conrad Cessna may still be the school's all time leading reciever , but chose baseball at G'town instead. Most know what Sizemore did at Corbin, ... ask any Redhound fan if he wasn't talented. H Clay Hodges was tough. Yes, they had talent. I didn't say D1 caliber talent, but how many teams have multiple D1 talent year in and year out? If so, name them please.

 

The fact is that he had talented athletes at North. What they do as a team is primarily the responsibility of the coaching staff. Les could probably name even more of the talent that was at North during the span than I could.

 

Like I said, lack of talent was the same excuse that Charlie Bell used when he was let go after the 1982 Laurel County season when they went 1-9. Then within a few years, Polly was winning at Laurel County. Same happened at North, then within a few years, Duncum started winning. I am not buying the lack of talent. Welch had as many D1 signees as Duncum and the coaches before him, .... 1. (Mills or Harville had Brian Durham, .. Welch had Philpot, ... Duncum had Chris Cessna). You are using an excuse that isn't accurate, when Welch never once (to my knowledge) made that argument. I just hope his 2nd go round as a head coach goes MUCH better than his first. It would make me very happy to be dead wrong.