ChiefSmoke

This week's (TH, 9/3 at 7:30 pm EST) Tough Topic : Is the spread offense making quarterbacks less prepared for college? I reached out to one of the finest coaches in the nation, Andrew Coverdale, former Trinity OC who is now on staff at the University of Kentucky, helping his old QB, Will Stein. His answer: 'Spread' has become such a catch-all term that it's hard to always know what it means. It's more about what a HS coach does or doesn't teach his QB about understanding defensive structure, what he does or doesn't ask him to do operationally - verbally calling a play in the huddle, at th LOS adjustments, involvement in protection, etc - that determines his readiness for college....regardless of the offensive structure. I do think the transformation that Coach Mumme started has caused a larger shift in how teams practice and how much throwing and catching kids accumulate year around, which has certainly aided QB readiness. My youngest son and former QB, Trosper, is on staff at UK. He is fortunate to work with Coach Coverdale often. Trosper is getting his Master's Degree right now in ELITE offensive scheme & design every time he gets to work w/ Andrew. Our guests have killed it so far. Brian Landis (St. X), Dustin Lopez (Christian Co.), Jordan Amis (Hazard), Terry Brown (New Cath) & Oakley Watkins (LCA). William Harris & I worked together for 7 years at Mercer County. Excellent young coach with a bright future. We recorded Monday night and he had some really good insights to share with us as well. Hope you can join us!

Those of you with turf fields... are you able to practice more often using the wet bulb readings as compared to the old days when it went by heat index?

Here you go! The results are not what we want. But our young guys have played a boatload of live reps. Of the 88 clips from last night, we put notes on 44 and sent to the young guys. That helps to make those live reps more productive. Those young guys LOVE watching themselves on video and they are hungry for feedback on how they can improve. We have 70 guys on our total roster. With 3 games a week, almost all of them are getting live quality reps.

You guys are too kind! Coach Smith & I have a mini episode coming out soon to thank Julian for his service, his impact on KY HS Football, and some thoughts moving forward. I will be curious to hear feedback on our perspective. Appreciate the BG Preps community and have done so for 20 plus years. Is it just me, or does @theguru give off our favorite uncle vibe? 😎

Thank you to Team Issue for honoring my old Coach, Larry French.

I did NOT pick a winner!

Team Issue is providing these Larry French Memorial Footballs for Week 1. The teams listed were either one of his old schools, or one of his players is the head football coach.

Happy Birthday Coach!

We had a productive week, which is critical for the first week of pads. Monday we did an intrasquad scrimmage and got some good video / reps to help our guys. Thursday we had a session on Tip Offs for our ILBs & Safeties, led by our analyst, Cameron Pierce in the Bob Ware Room. Interesting side note, ACHS gave me room 214 in July of 2023. We decided later to make it the Bob Ware Room. Bob Ware's birthday.... February 14. Then, our leadership had lunch w/ Larry Harris. Larry was one of the best players ever at Paris HS and an exceptional leader when he played for the Greyhounds. Larry and I have coached together at both Paris and Mason County. Great friend and a wonderful man. And, our guys enjoyed another great meal at Heaven's 2 Betsy. Last night we scrimmaged Spencer County. Both teams are significantly improved from 2025. The kids for both team played their guts out. Very physical scrimmage. Great night of KY HS Football. We played a ton of kids in the Varsity portion. We are working like mad men to develop more players that we can get on the field than we have in the past. It is helping us, but there also times we pay for it. We will continue to do so this week as well. Isaiah Smith is a fine football player at Spencer County. He smiles alot more than his Uncle, Chuck Smith. 😎

Not saying you are wrong, but that sounds nuts. And, I would not like that. For example, I really like analytics and they helped us alot at Mercer, but I never followed it, blindly. If my gut said go a different route , we did. The surprise for me on the analytics...it told us to punt more often than I thought it would.

Just curious.... how are KY HS Football programs using AI? Would be cool if you could do this: Turn your notes and drawings on Hudl into one document for your team: What we are doing well and What needs to be corrected. I emailed Hudl yesterday and right now that is not something they can do. I did use ChatGPT to help with some terminology. That was pretty cool.

We have a boatload of guys that want to get better. To make it happen, we need help! Come be a part of a community, school and program excited about helping kids and HS Football! #FindAWayToWin

During the preseason, we ask an attorney to come and talk to our guys about things that can get them in big trouble. It's always interesting to watch their faces during this session. We did this at Mason and Mercer as well. Commonwealth Attorney, Hart Megibben did a super job with our guys.

Excellent hire!

Out for a walk tonight. Old Harrodsburg High Center (Senior 1980), Brent Mosely is my neighbor. Shared this with me. This is part of Coach Alvis Johnson's scouting report on Mercer County HS (1978), Larry French's first season. Brought back great memories. We had it made in this town when Coach Johnson was at Harrodsburg High and Coach French was at Mercer. Those games were wall to wall people. Very cool to talk to Brent about those days and see this scouting report. Gary Arnold, on this report, is our neighbor as well. I was a freshman at Mercer in 1979. Side note: My Dad was going to make Keith Horn the QB. Coach French moved him to Tailback and moved John Harlow to QB. They threw halfback pass better than anyone I have ever seen and more often as well. I talked to John on the phone yesterday. Have kept in touch with Keith & Duane Flora as well . Duane was an assistant when I was a senior, 1982. Coach French paid him to coach out of the Coke machine. No stipend. They would throw Coach French under the red book jail in 2026! No stealing. Just helping Duane have gas money driving back and forth from EKU. The Mercer Noseguard, Chip Bishop, coached at Anderson County HS. Chip did a super job with youth football @ Anderson. This town loves Chip. Saw Coach French and Robert Sallee get into it bad one day. Robert's helmet hits the ground and it was like an explosion... those old Bike helmets. All the foam pieces come flying out and the blue bladder goes flying as well. Coach French and Robert were over the top intense. Troy Lay was a stud RB for Mercer. One year older than me. Still have people ask me about him. It has been fun moving back to Harrodsburg and getting to bump into Troy every now and then at the Old Owl or Bus Station. Super nice back then and now. You can't beat small town KY HS football. Love my hometown.

Really enjoy reading this every preseason. My first favorite team was the Packers with Bart Starr & Coach Lombardi. Lots of wisdom for football coaches. Very nostalgic as well.

Hunt Brothers Friday Night Bearcat Football Camp 2026 Thank you to old Greyhound Frankie Hunt and Hunt Brothers Pizza for sponsoring our Friday Night Camp. The kids had a great time. Our coaches and players did a good job with instruction! Frankie was a senior in 1992, my first year as a head football coach. Very proud of him!

Other than the traditional power houses, have heard more than one coach tell me their numbers are down right now as compared to the past several years. Last year our high water mark was 77. We are in the high 60's right now. Our goal each year is 65. 15 in each grade, 10 thru 12. 20 Freshmen. Right now we have 17 freshmen. Not bad but 3 more would be even better. When we have been 70 or over (Mercer 2019, 2020 & 2021 & Anderson 2025) we did not take freshmen/JV guys when school started. This year we will do so. Those few extra bodies can really help to play a full freshman and JV schedule, which are critical to player development.

We are being more deliberate in making sure we have no reps where a player is fatigued and it is a wasted opportunity for us to get better. We are trying to go with two completely different groups on defense for 7 on 7 and lots of rotation on offense. I do think we got more good reps to improve because of that approach this past Thursday.

2027 Bearcat Football Staff. We have a couple really strong candidates that we hope to add soon as a Varsity QB Coach and a Freshman/JV OL Coach. It is a struggle to find quality coaches. Yes, would have been great to get everyone in place earlier. But, we would rather get the right guys on the bus than fill a position and check a box. #FindAWayToWin

Congrats to Hudson DeGarmo who has earned an offer from Mt. St. Joseph!

Super excited... Grayson Alsabrook has been invited to walk on at EKU. Recruiting for HS guys has been TOUGH the last couple years. So happy for Grayson!

We have had a good start this week. We need results. We need confidence. The best way to get those is one day at a time continue to work our tails off to continue improving. Tomorrow night is Hunt Brothers Pizza Friday Night Camp. Every camper gets this cinch bag. You don't have to be a Bearcat to attend and the focus of camp is basic fundamentals.... base block, tackling, catching a ball, carrying a ball, LB reads, running to the ball and our base DB read. We call it the 7 for 7... 7 skills we want all of our 7th graders to be able to do when they get to MS football. Camp starts at 7:30 pm and ends at 10 pm. Will be a great night to kick off the football season in Lawrenceburg!