Harry Doyle

They are the 3rd biggest public school according to last year's enrollment numbers- over 2100 total and over 1100 boys.

Right. Same here.

Some former college teammates of his are from/played and or live in Winchester. Some older Danville guys there as well. Probably where that has came from. I’m surprised they haven’t hired yet, though.

He isn’t.

The big PT booster is also the grandfather of their young QB.

This isn't exactly going out on a limb here, but I just have a feeling that everything within reason is being revisited to try and get Wolfe.... If that happens or not? I don't know.

And you were spot on. Coach McNamee had a very successful “1.0” stint at Pikeville in the early 2000’s after John Paul Chapman. Then went to Pike Central for those few years, and that just FURTHER goes to showthe struggle between good/great programs and the middle of the pack type(s).

You very well might be right! My apologies if I messed up (which is more likely than not haha). Kinda puts things in perspective, though doesn’t it?

Some coaching background knowledge. These are some notable head coaches in our state, current/former...where they are most known for and some background at their previous stops before taking/getting BETTER jobs. Robbie Lucas- Somerset 09-Current Head coach at Lincoln County in 02 & 03, compiling a 4-16 record. He goes back to Somerset as an assistant, takes over for Jay Cobb before the '09 season. Won it all in 2019 and constantly has his Briar Jumpers in the mix, and ALSO had an O'fer season is maybe 13 or 14? So you're talking three years at two different schools where his teams went 4-27, despite all the success he/they've had. Ty Scroggins- former Head Coach, Lou. Central., 07-16 Head coach at Doss 03-06, 18-24 record, only one winning record, no playoff wins. Central had always been a good program, but he took a corvette and turned into a supped up Maserati. Chris McNamee- Pikeville ('10- Current), Two State Titles & 1 Runner Up Head coach at Pike County Central 05-08, 16-26 record, never had a winning record, no playoff wins. Goes back to Pikeville as an assistant in '09, gets the HC job there in 10 and the rest is history. Doug Preston- John Hardin (formerly of Franklin-Simpson from 12-19) Head coach at Paris (97), Rowan County (03-05), Lou. Western (06-07), Bullitt East (08-10). Has a combined record of roughly 10 games below .500 at those stops (was the 4A State Runners Up at Bullitt East in 08) before getting the Franklin-Simpson job in '12. Goes 3-9 in 2012, then proceeds to make THREE STRAIGHT TRIPS to the 4A finals his last 6 years, winning back to back titles in 17 & 18. John Edge- Apollo (formerly of Owensboro Catholic 134-66 and 3 State Runner Ups) He also went to South Spencer (IN) for the 18 & 19 seasons & went 3-17. Sam Harp- former Head Coach, Danville ('88-'11), winner of 7 State Titles Before coming to Danville in '88 (replacing Tom Duffy who left for Highlands), Coach Harp had been FIRED at Calloway County, then heads to Anderson County as their HC where they win the Region Title in '87. Kevin Wallace- St. X (Formerly of Bowling Green '96-'17), winner of 5 State titles. From early/mid 80's- same of the 90's, he's the head coach at Warren East High School for 10 years. NEVER had a winning record, NEVER won a playoff game.

Spot on. Which is completely bogus. Add Doug Preston to that same boat. Which blows my mind, because in the GCL “area” you have household names like Colerain who run the flexbone as good as anybody, and win BIG doing so. Kettering Archbishop Alter around Dayton bases out of the Wishbone (but, will get in the “spread”) and there aren’t but a handful or two of teams in KY that want any part of that smoke (I think they are smaller private school as well).

Doug Preston left Franklin-Simpson for John Hardin last year, but his son enrolled at UofL- oldest child graduated from WKU and moved around Lexington, plus having other family in central KY.

Right you are. That he did, but he also is “double dipping”- he is getting KTRS full pension + what he’s making at X. If he could’ve made at BG what he’s making now COMBINED, he’d have never left. Serious financial move on his end. That was/is the exception.

I still stand by this, and you’d have to go back some 25-30 years IMO to prove otherwise. But (few) coaches leave state title winning/always in play jobs for those same jobs. Highlands very well may snag one, and if they do- I’ll eat crow. But I’ll have to see it to believe it.

I can’t speak on personal dealings w a bigger “county” school like Campbell County, but I know for a fact that for sooooooooo many of your more rural/small town (talking less than 3-4K in the county seat) schools (let’s say 1A-4A), soooo many of your programs the majority of the years are literally hanging on by a thread when it comes to depth/overall talent. ...and, that “thread” usually is hanging into the wings of a handful or so of skill guys that can make or break your season. I’ve seen teams win Region Titles, that had they lost 1-2 guys wouldn’t have even made it close to .500 and I’ve seen teams that would’ve been a VERY OVERACHIEVING at best .500 team lose a couple guys at key spots and go 0’fer. Conversely, I’ve see those teams not lose anybody- despite having those handful of kids NEVER come off the field Bc you just can’t afford for them to and you somehow manage to make that .500 mark (+\- 1 game). ...and, the “Culture” be every bit as good (and, in some cases BETTER) on those worse years.

Doesn’t impact genetics - You can have all the success you want in the world, but there is only so much “culture”, “excitement”, and all the fashionable - feel good buzz words that are fun for all of us to throw around. In the end, you have to take what walks through the doors of that school. The cards YOU’RE dealt.

They are absolutely all over the place, and I’d argue it’s worse at the middle of the pack or below schools, because of not having the resources YET having completely unrealistic expectations.

Agreed. If you are in your 30’/40’s, you are a “young HC” IMO. For some reason in high school, at least as it seems in this state, it gets a little twisted. We could make a laundry list of coaches in college and NFL in their 50’s, 60’s and all is right in the world w that. Here in KY, though, for high school jobs? ...what’s those meme’s going around now w the younger woman and her grandmother on a walker? “It’s ok grandma- let’s get you to bed.”

Thank ya. Mack Brown (yes, that Mack Brown)..three of his first 5 years as a college head coach were something like O’fer or 1 win seasons (about to go check, but off the top of my head I think that’s right). ..just looked (edited this post from the original), but 3 of his first 7 years as a HC (at THREE Different schools, mind you) were 1-10 seasons. Had a losing record while at App St/Tulane, then added two other 1-10 records at UNC right out of the gate.

What coaches do you see getting recycled? Bc the vast majority of these jobs are guys NOT playing leapfrog & if they are, they’ve usually had a certain level(s) of success. More coaches are getting out of it altogether than in it- and, probably at a higher rate than ever before.

Few and far between, though. Especially these days. Doug Preston left F-S last year for John Hardin, but a large part of that had to do with moving closer to family (children and parents/siblings, etc).

Without a doubt. Just so many factors to packing up and moving your family, especially in this state where there is usually little to no financial benefit(s) like there is in TX, AL, GA, SC, etc. You factor in the above along w/ the fact that people don’t leave state championship caliber jobs for other state championship caliber jobs? Very few, if any state title winning coaches in this state had any at their previous stop(s) . They didn’t leave one for the other. - Ty Scroggins didnt - Sam Harp didn’t - Kevin Wallace didn’t As a matter of fact, you take the almost 20 years of combined previous head coaching stops amongst those three and there was only ONE Region Title amongst them (Sam Harp- Anderson Co ‘87) Now, Duffy left one for another, obviously. However I’m guessing it was also a substantial pay raise just going off the pay scales of Danville/FTH currently.

FWIW... Going off his total years experience teaching on the Jefferson County pay scale, I know for a FACT he is making in the neighborhood of 83-85K then the coaching stipend for his years/“level” per JeffCo is another almost 8. So he is into the 90K+ range right now altogether. I don’t know his teaching schedule, but I’ve heard on very reliable source(s) that he has a great situation.

Agreed. Only thing I’d add to that is if you were also set up at a place to be successful year in year out- w the above? Why would you leave where you are for Highlands? For what exactly? Not being smart, but I’d genuinely like to know. That’s been my stance since it opened...the first time.

I don't disagree, but that's not going to happen. Way back in this thread, or maybe amongst friends on here in a text I made the comment of "I have a feeling that who Highlands expects to get and who they actually get are going to be two very different things." I still stand by that. As myself, @barrel and others attested to in the other threads going on about FTH...Good coaches at high profile programs (state title winning) don't leave for other high profile jobs (unless the money situation/overall working environment is just better).

Just an “elitist” type mentality more than anything. Not that I’ve ever experienced that, but going off others I know who I know (friends, family and colleagues) who are from that area, worked up in and around there, even interviewed for jobs, etc...a feeling of “yeah. I don’t fit in up there” “I’m not the kind of person they are looking for” “Everybody down here is so much more ‘down home’ & welcoming”. For the record , again, I’ve NEVER experienced that.