ChiefSmoke

He has a football offer from EKU.

Poor math skills, but a little better numbers.... 43 varsity and 20 frosh.

Mercer: 40 Varsity & 19 Freshmen

Yes it is. I am happy for Coach Shope. Besides being a great coach, he was super nice to my youngest son on my first day at Mercer. Trosper was having a very rough time and Jeremy really helped him in this transition. I will always appreciate that about him. Good luck to Whitley County baseball & Coach Shope!

Many people do understand, but are scared to say it. They fear being criticized for being too sports-oriented.

This one is inspired by the BGPreps faithful. I knocked this out before heading to Friday Night Camp.... we may have 100 kids tonight. I love KY HS Football! My Dad's first Boyle team in 1969 after a practice in August. These guys look tired, but they became a very good team! In the past couple days I have talked to two very successful coaches and at very strong programs who were having trouble getting their kids to attend practices/workouts. We have tried to build in some flexibility in July and this is how we do it. From the end of the dead period until we start official "practice" , we have "workouts." For our guys to earn their Pr1de shorts, they must have no unexcused absences from workouts in July. In early/mid July, we will still allow our guys to miss for church camps, family vacations, and other legitimate reasons, as long as they communicate with us ahead of schedule. Also, for the first two weeks, we only go 3 days a week. Each workout is 3 hours and they are pretty intense....county fair agilities, lifting on the whistle, and then Coach Duffy's jingle jangles. We will also hit all 3 phases of the game and do as much as we can without any pads. I also like the extra recovery time they get because of how our workouts are spaced out while are kids are getting acclimated to the heat, humidity, & work load. We have already had one young man have significant dehydration issues. He is fine and he is safe, but it is taking his body time to adapt. The extra rest and recovery time will benefit our guys. On the 3rd week, we have a 3 hour workout on Monday, conditioning test on Tuesday, and finally official PRACTICE begins on that Wednesday. Now, to miss, it generally means a death in the family or a serious illness is all that will excuse a young man. Why do I say generally? Because there can always be exceptions. I try not to put myself in a corner where I would be unfair or make a decision that I know is wrong. Why are we flexible with workouts? I have a hard time telling a kid he can't go to church camp in mid-July. Some of our parents work in factories. They have no control over when they have vacation. I have had kids that were earning college basketball scholarships in July. I am going to work with those guys because it is important to their future. A college degree is a game changer for a young man and his family. This is the format with a few tweaks here & there that we have used for 26 years. Most of the time it has worked well. I think the kids & families appreciate our attempt to be flexible and fair. Besides, my Dad always told me, "If you can't get them ready in three weeks, you aren't a very good football coach!" If any coach has a better way to navigate July, please email me at david.buchanan@mercer.kyschools.us.

I am not going to start naming schools, but I have heard of a few with alarming low numbers this time of year. I love KY HS football but it is getting tougher and tougher to get kids out. They have a bunch of choices and every one of them is easier than football, especially compared to the old days. In the last 24 hours I have talked to two very successful coaches of highly successful programs that were struggling to get all of their kids to workouts/practices. And, in all fairness to the kids, I do think we start too early. I would be for pushing back the start of the season.

That is correct.

Right now in KY we are at zero contact for the first few practices. I know in Alabama the OTAs are more physical also. Our OTA is no contact. Tough to do, but we stay after the kids to keep it that way so no one gets hurt, in trouble, possibly lose the opportunity, etc. It is a small concession for the quality and amount of work we can get done.

We had an OTA here today with Danville, Mason County, & Woodford County. We originally got the idea from some high schools in south Alabama who had copied the NFL style workout. 7 on 7 is part of the OTA, but we also incorporate inside drill, 11 on 11, punt coverage and returning punts. This is a noncontact event. It involves all areas of the game and the kids enjoy an NFL style workout. I also like the OTA because it really pushes our kids after only having two workouts. We run multiple sets. They don't like so many sets and us pushing them to play fast. But, I could show them with my watch that as the day progressed, we played faster and better. We still have a long way to go, but overall it was good progress. Working our punt protection today, our guys got to see several different looks for punt rush. We corrected a bunch of mistakes. We also had to field punts with guys running down and getting in our face. I was especially pleased with our linebackers today. They worked hard to do the fundamental things we want done. They were very coachable and did well getting to the right spot. The report I got from our linemen work was also positive. To a HS football player in 2017, July 10 until the first game on August 19th is a long time! The OTA workout breaks up the monotony of workouts and practices. If anything, we may add another one next year. If any other HS coaches have experience or ideas on OTAs, please send those to me at david.buchanan@mercer.kyschools.us. OTA = Organized Team Activities Photos @: Black Shoes and White ShoeStrings: OTA- speeding up the process, breaking up the monotony

This is a great thread. My Dad's first Boyle team was in 1969. They upset Danville who opened the season against CovCath in the Rec Bowl. Boyle did not win a game in 67 & 68. Crazy to think they beat a team that played Cov Cath in the Rec Bowl. Alot of history/tradition & pride in what the Colonels have built. Very impressive and good luck to Coach Eviston & the Colonels in 2017!

I was trying not to go there but you got me! Lol. Coach Kelly has been good to me and I think he is an outstanding coach. But, yes, I stayed up watching the Orange Bowl, hoping Dustin would play, thinking he would play, thinking he SHOULD play, etc. and he did not. I have learned that I am as bad as any parent when my guys go to the next level... and it doesn't even matter what sport they are playing. My biases and loyalty cloud my thinking. But, based on Dustin's past performances before the injury and his heroics late in the season to secure the bowl bid, yes, I thought he should have played in the Orange Bowl. But, I am coaching at Mercer County and Coach Kelly is at Notre Dame. And, I don't like anyone telling me how to run my program and I extend the same courtesy to other coaches... especially ones as successful as Coach Kelly.

Dustin was the starter for Dantonio and in Kelly's first year, Mauk started. Dustin then started his senior year but suffered a bad leg/ankle injury at Oklahoma. He came back later in the season to lead the Bearcats to some big wins and secure the Orange Bowl berth.

1st Team Courier Journal wide receiver. :thumb:

I heard from one of my Dad's old Rebels. He said they didn't have a pole, but ran to the fence & the grass was rarely mowed. His thoughts on the fence were the same as mine on the pole.

On a side note.... you know you are from Maysville/Mason County if the two Millers in your phone are Matt & Darius!

I got to coach Darius two seasons in football and he is an outstanding young man. I am very happy for him. Congratulations!

I am a big fan of Todd Tiller. He has made a large & positive impact on Rebel football!

Black Shoes and White ShoeStrings: "Around the Pole!" I still look at this pole and cringe. I hated running around it. When I was in High School, between every period in practice, Coach French sent us, "around the pole!" I hated it and thought it was a waste of time. When my Dad had been the head coach, he did the same thing. Coach French had been an assistant for my Dad and the tradition lived on with him. One time I told my Dad I hated, "around the pole" and I thought it was a waste of time. In one of those moments when you realize your Dad knows more than you thought, he explained the pole to me. The purpose of running around the pole was to get some extra conditioning while the position coach set up the next drill. It was a more efficient use of time than having the players stand there and watch the coach set up the next drill. It made alot of sense to me. And now some times if I need extra time to prep a drill... you guessed it.... I tell the kids to run around the pole (goalposts since now we are fortunate to have a practice field and no longer practice in the baseball outfield). I took that picture of the pole tonight. It seems like that thing comes alive in July, reminding me of the past. To show the impression it made on me, I can remember the songs running through my head as I ran around the pole for the first practices in full gear my junior and senior seasons. I think it is absolutely insane that I remember those moments. For the old guys out there, here are my "around the pole" songs for practice #1 in 1981 ) 1982 (Urgent - Foreigner - YouTube). Since I was really slow, I could get through most of the song in one trip!

I had a conversation with an outstanding assistant coach on our staff this morning. He loves football and does a great job. He would make a very strong head coach and has paid his dues. He prefers being an assistant because it allows him more freedom and family time. Even though his daughter is at another school, I agree that Coach Scroggins will have substantially more time for his family with this set up. I heard him speak at the FCA clinic and he went through his weekly schedule. He was a buzzsaw as the head coach. He will definitely have more time.

Yes!

Remembering the 2005 KY-TN All Star Game and my Favorite Football Coach During this week, 12 years ago, we were on campus at UK, getting ready for the 2005 KY-TN All Star Football Game to be played at Papa John's Stadium. It was especially enjoyable because my Dad was on our staff. That worked out because of Game Director & KFCA Executive Director, Jimmie Reed. That experience was one of the best ever with my Dad and I will always be appreciative of Coach Reed making that happen. My Dad coached the kickers that week. The bad news ... we only had one guy for punting & kicking. The good news ... that one guy was Tim Masthay who would go on to a great career as a UK Wildcat & Green Bay Packer. The most excitement my Dad had that week, I didn't hear about until the week was over. Apparently Tim kicked a ball into some high grass. It turned out to be poison ivy & he went into the weeds to get the ball. My Dad didn't tell me that during the week because he knew my reaction would not be good. Having a great kicker was big in that game. Tim put every kickoff in the endzone. Tennessee had one kickoff that went to the one yard line. David Jones of Belfry/UK took that one to the house. I was really proud of the job we did as a staff selecting that team. After seeing him in person during the fall, and then watching video of many senior LBs across the state, I was convinced that Caleb Meenach was the best MLB in Kentucky as a senior. He played great in the game and had a big interception to help us beat Tennessee. We worked hard to prepare for the game and for the most part it paid off. But, on the 2nd play of the game, our snap goes sailing through the back of the endzone and the score is Tennessee 2-0. When stuff like that happens, I think "We could have not prepared/practiced at all and we could have done that!" Not a good feeling at all. Tennessee had 8 UT signees on their team. Kentucky had won 3 in a row in the all star series and the orange was not going to let that continue. Fortunately, our team was loaded and our staff did a great job with the kids that week. We won the game 41-27, but it was tough. Late in the game, we got the ball back across the Tennessee 50. During a timeout, myself, Brandon Smith our QB (HS-Boyle, WKU, current South Warren HC) & our OC, Chris Pardue (Boyle HC/OC, Mercer HC) discuss what we should do next. Having just come off a 1-9 season at Mason, my goal is to get out of there with a win. Brandon says, "I want to score again." To make a long story short, the game ended with both benches clearing. Not what you want, but we got the kids separated with out too much happening. Our kids did NOT want to be the ones that let the streak end. The Tennessee kids also had a lot of pride.... they were not happy to be going home with loss #4 in a row. Through the week, there were times I felt like I was 10 years old again. When I was that age, Coach French was on my Dad's staff at Mercer. When I was little... and even when I was an assistant for Coach French, they didn't pay much attention to what I thought. I got the same feeling that week in June. I may be the head coach of the KY Football All Stars, but to them, I was still a little kid! It was interesting and very enjoyable being with my Dad that week. For a handful of days, he seemed to turn back into the man I remembered coaching his teams at Boyle and Mercer. Many of my happiest memories are being with my Dad when he coached his teams and was with his players. I got to see that side of my Dad again and it was a special experience I will never forget. Today was one of those hot June days. Working on our bermuda grass at Mercer(where my Dad did a bunch of coaching, both as the Boyle & Mercer coach) today reminded me of those hot practices that week in Lexington, 12 years ago. I will miss my Dad on Father's Day. I miss him everyday. But, I am thankful for the memories and experience we shared that week preparing for and beating Tennessee. I am thankful I had a great Dad. If you are fortunate to still have your Dad, give him a hug and tell him you love him. Enjoy being with him while you can. Many photos by @theguru: Black Shoes and White ShoeStrings: Remembering the 25 KY-TN All Star Game and my Favorite Football Coach #theguru

Julie Brown of Spectrum Graphics created this and yes, the Hitmen logo inspired the ragin' royal(my wife, Stephanie, gave it a name). We started using that logo in 2002. I really liked it because we could put it on all our stuff and it was recognized as Mason County football.... like an NFL logo. You didn't need any text... you knew that was us!

I have mixed feelings about June workouts for a variety of reasons. But, I do believe our plan for 2017 is a good one. Our assistant coaches will set up the one hour workouts for the month of June. Those will be 3 days a week and the kids wanted to go at 7 am. To make it more fun, competitive, and to provide extra incentive, our council members became "team captains" and drafted squads for the month of June. We met yesterday immediately after school to draft teams. I like my council and I think they will provide good leadership for our team in 2017. We will not require our basketball/baseball guys to attend in June, but they will get double points if they are there. We will workout our freshmen separately two evenings a week with our frosh staff. I don't want those kids standing in the back or getting left behind. Those guys are critical to our future. Keeping them separate makes sure they are getting coached and developed. Keeping the freshmen separate is a key part of player development for us. Other than in Class A/small schools, most quality programs keep their freshman separate to maximize the development and coaching of those kids... as opposed to having them left out or physically mismatched by the older kids. In this case, keeping the freshmen separate will make the June competition a little newer and fresher for them since they will do that 3 times as opposed to 4. Last year we had a good time when the winning team went out to eat together. June will be good and will help get us ready for a great 2017! Black Shoes and White ShoeStrings: June workouts....our approach for 217