FROM CINCINNATI.COM:

 

Q: What do you see as the greatest strength in this year's team ?

A: The greatest strength is the players and how hard they're working. We have a lot of guys who can play high school football at a high level. As a result of that, we're playing everybody only on offense or defense this year. That's the first time we've done that.

 

Q: What about the younger Collinsworth, what position do you see him playing this year and beyond?

A: Jac (that's the correct spelling) is a wide receiver. He's going to be a great player.

 

Q: You mentioned the game against Withrow. What is it like playing teams that are coached by guys that played for you or have coached on your staff?

A: I do not like it at all. I root for Withrow all the time. Before we played, we would get together for 7-on-7. Doc and I would regularly meet and talk about things. Now we're playing each other and it's different. I'm looking forward to our two-year contract to be over so we can join forces and try to beat the other teams on our schedule.

 

Q: What you think about Brian Weinrick?

A: Brian is one of the best football coaches that I've ever known. He's a great husband and father and educator. I really feel blessed to be associated with him.

 

Q: (From former Highlands H.C. Bill Herrmann) Hey Dale! Having been there, I am aware of the time requirements for your job. About how many hrs a week d0 you and your staff put in?

A: I hate to really add it up, how many total hours we put in. Now that the season's started, we're here generally from 7:30 a.m. each day and we're here late Friday and most of the day Saturday and some Sundays after church.

I really appreciate the great role model that you were to me coach. Thanks.

 

Q: How did you feel your team faired in the Trinity scrimmage? The had some athletes on their team, must have been tough for the first live action of the year.

A: It was a great experience for our team, playing a quality team like Trinity. It was a practice geared toward getting better. It was probably the single day all year that we go the most improvement in one day.

 

Q: Generally is the team this year prominently young or older?

A: Older. Most of the guys playing offense, defense and special teams will be juniors and seniors. But, we do feel like we have one of the best freshmen and sophomore classes that we've ever had.

 

Q: You're the best team in Kentucky year in and year out. To help your national ranking, how come you will not schedule a good Cincinnati team like Elder, St. X or Colerain at least every other year?

A: We really try to schedule great Cincinnati teams every year. We're playing Withrow this year. Last year we played St. X and Withrow. The year before we played Colerain. The year before that we played Trotwood Madison. We've played Elder in 2005 and 2006. We only have so much room in our schedule to play the great Ohio teams. We have a lot of respect for them. It makes us better by playing those great teams. We look forward to scheduling more in the future.

 

Q: At what point do you or your staff start looking at players in the Ft. Thomas Junior League?

A: We have two youth camps in the summer -- one for students in the second, third and fourth grade, and another for students in fifth through eighth grade. We are constantly trying to promote the young people of Ft. Thomas to be involved in sports and be healthy and excel.

 

Q: How is Austin Trapp playing this Summer, he looked liked he lost alot of baby fat and put on some muscle?

A: Austin is one of our five offensive linemen. He's worked tremendously hard and is playing great and has one of the all-time best football names in history.

 

Q: Looking forward to the start of the season on Friday. What are your thoughts on the changes going in to place next year? Do you think 4A will be more competitive than 5A has been to this point?

A: Absolutely. We'll still have CovCath in our district. And we'll add Holmes and probably Cooper. Across the state, there should be LexCath, Bell County, Boyle County and Johnson Central. We really think 4A next year with the new alignment will be a more competitive class than 5A has been.

 

Q: Do you believe Kentucky football is tougher than Ohio football?

A: I have tremendous respect for any teenager who decides to come out for high school football. It is a tough thing to do, to put on a helmet when its 90 degrees and practice all the way through til when there's snow on the ground. -- whether you're in Kentucky in Ohio.

 

Q: What motivates the players to work as hard as they do day in and day out ?

A: That's a great question. Sometimes I'm absolutely amazed that the guys keep coming back and working as hard as they do. On our second day of weights this year, I looked at them and said, "What the heck are you guys doing coming back? You know what we did yesterday and we're going to do the same thing today." They just laughed. They have such great motivation and I don't know where it comes from. But I really appreciate it.

 

Q: Please comment on the abilities of the starting linebackers

A: Our linebacking corps is the strength of the team. We have a fast, athletic, tough and coachable group that we're excited to unleash.

 

Q: Do you see any changes coming around in NKY football as the middle school programs develop further? Obviously the Ft. Thomas league has had a huge impact on the Highlands program over the years...

A: I don't know a lot about other teams' junior high programs. But you're exactly right. Ours has had a tremendous impact on our program. The key to our youth program is that it's an instructional league geared to the players' development and guys wind up liking football and sticking with it.

 

Q: With the addition of Jared Lorenzen to your staff as QB coach, and your past history of producing quality QB's, do you see Highlands as being a leader in the development of future prospective college QB's

A: Jared has made an tremendous impact on our entire team. He's obviously been a phenomenal football player. But by far, his greatest strengths are his positive personality and how much he cares about other people.

 

Q: With today's emphasis on concussions, how is this being handled at HHS?

A: The increased medical knowledge of the long-team effects of concussions had been tremendously valuable information to all of us. Our trainer and doctors have new guidelines to use when someone has a possible concussion or a concussion. We've been following them.

 

Q: Would you like to see an all KY vs OH crosstown/river showdown?

A: Not particularly. Those games are great fun. But I think all of us like to schedule our games in our home high school stadiums where are community members have a short drive or walk to the stadium.

 

Q: Do you have any game(s) in particular that you're looking forward to this year more than others?

A: Manual, because it's the next one. We really gear toward who the next team is and we get ready for that team.

 

Q: Why do you schedule teams like Beechwood (very small school) and Ryle twice when you could fill those slots with X, Elder, Moe or Colerain. Why do you limit your schedule to only 1 good team a year?

A: It is actually hard for Kentucky and Ohio teams to schedule because often our seasons start at different times in different years. Our Week 2 one year might be the same as Ohio's, but the next year our Week 2 might be their Week 3. It's not as easy as you think to make that schedule work. Plus, both of us have league and/or district games that we have to schedule.

 

Q: How much of an advantage do Catholic Schools have? Do you think they should be in a separate division?

A: Catholic schools should definitely not be in a separate division. They're schools just like public schools.

 

Q: Last year the team ended up ranked in several national Top 25 polls. I don't believe any of the pre-season polls have you ranked to start the year. Do you think this years team will be nationally ranked at the end of the year?

A: I think we might start the year ranked in USA Today's Top 25. I know it might sound a little ridiculous for a shcool from Kentucky with 400 boys to try to be national champs, but that's our goal. And we expect to be there at the end of the season.

 

Q: Any thoughts on the Highlands/CovCath rivalry now that CCH has a coaching staff that their whole community seems to support and a program that appears to be moving back to form?

A: The Highlands-CovCath rivalry is great. I have great respect for Coach Wirth and what he's doing at CovCath. And I think it will continue to be a great rivalry.

 

Q: Catholic schools can and do have players from as many as four or five COUNTIES on their rosters? Public schools players must live within the district? Isnt this an unfair advantage? Esp in OH

A: In any situation, you can complain about somebody having an advantage over you. By the same token, you could say that public schools are free and that gives them an advantage. I think the main point is to take the studetns that you have and do the best to educate them. That's the role of any school.

 

Q: Who do you think is the upcoming team in NKY?

A: Simon Kenton. We did a seven on seven against them and I was really impressed at how hard they worked and how well their coaches coached them.

 

Q: Pat Towles is going to have a huge season. How many college coaches are beating down his door?

A: He's definitely going to have a huge season. I don't know how many coaches are involved, but he'll be recruited by schools like Notre Dame and Florida. He's just a junior still.

 

Q: Coach, Ryle and Cov Cath play this friday in the skyline crosstown showdown. You play both teams this year, who do like in this match-up and who do you think is going to be your toughest challenge between the two?

A: I like both teams, but I'd sure hate to tick off the players on either team by saying I like one team more. I think it'll be a great matchup. We look forward to playing both of them.

 

Q: What Cincinnati school does Highlands remind you of the most?

A: A couple. Withrow, because their players are so passionate about playing football. I think ours are too. St. X, because it is a great academic school and I would hope that our guys would demonstrate the same character if we lost a big game the way they demonstrated great character when we beat them.

 

Q: What coach inspired you? Anyone from around the area?

A: My biggest inspiration by far was my mother. My parents were divorced when I was young. She went back to college and became a teacher. She got cancer and battled through all that. She was such a great role model to me in every aspect of her life.

 

Q: Who do you feel is Highlands biggest rival?

A: CovCath is year-in and year-out our biggest rival. They're a district opponent. They're who we have to beat to be state champions. We also think Johnson Central is becoming a big rival of ours too.

What Catholic schools have players from 4 or 5 counties?

What Catholic schools have players from 4 or 5 counties?

 

One of a few stupid questions.

What Catholic schools have players from 4 or 5 counties?

That question was purely to stir the pot. Are you sure it has never occured?

What Catholic schools have players from 4 or 5 counties?

 

I was thinking about it, and although Cov Cath did have students from 4 counties while I attended (there were two students from Hamilton County), there were only athletes coming from 3 counties: Boone, Kenton and Campbell.

How about where he said that this is the first year ever that Highlands will NOT have any starters playing both offense and defense? I can't believe that but I guess so.

 

-CF

That question was purely to stir the pot. Are you sure it has never occured?

 

In NKY? That would mean NC/CCH/Brossart/HC are getting kids from Mason/Bracken/Pendleton/Grant/Owen in addition to all 3 of the NKY counties.

 

I'd say no.

I was thinking about it, and although Cov Cath did have students from 4 counties while I attended (there were two students from Hamilton County), there were only athletes coming from 3 counties: Boone, Kenton and Campbell.

 

I don't think there were more than 3 when I graduated.

I thought Dale's comments about disliking it when he coaches against former players/assistant coaches and about Johnson Central being a big up-coming rival were the most interesting.

 

I really like seeing a quality program like JC getting recognized for their accomplishments and I'm hoping to really see them turn into something big here in the not-so-distant future.

I was disappointed no one asked about team speed.

I was disappointed no one asked about team speed.

 

Oh, are the Bluebirds supposed to be fast this year or something? :lol:

I was disappointed no one asked about team speed.

 

:laugh:

 

Nice one...

I was disappointed no one asked about team speed.

 

And athleticism.

I thought Dale's comments...about Johnson Central being a big up-coming rival were the most interesting.

I thought this was the most interesting comment too. Also thought it was interesting to hear him say his mother was his biggest inspiration -- over any coach.

I thought this was the most interesting comment too. Also thought it was interesting to hear him say his mother was his biggest inspiration -- over any coach.

 

Dale is really good in interviews at saying the right thing.

 

Give me Tom Stellman any day.