mountainmutt

He has been an assistsant at Williamsburg for a couple of years and he coached elementary football in the county for 3 or 4 years. I think he is probably 33 or 34 years old. He is a good young coach but I think he is probably 3 or 4 years away from having enough experience for most of the Big Orange Fans to feel comfortable with him as the head coach. I guess he may end up getting on the job training. He is a hard worker and he has the kind of personality that will make him popular with the kids and parents. I would think that Coach Campbell from Whitley or maybe Coach Root from Cumberland College would have been the top choices from the area based on their age and experience.

Tell us more Noble. Tell us why he had to leave. Perhaps once the truth is out everyone will understand. On the surface, it seems like Coach Gentry worked really hard to get the job, then dropped the job like a hot potato as soon as something he liked better came along. Tell us what really happened.

There were five people on the hiring committee. Scott Bishop, David Estes, Mr. Anderson and two others that I can not remember. It seems like maybe a board member and a teacher. I think the idea was to have a representative from the administration (Mr. Anderson or his disignee), a member from the media (David Estes), a member of the alumni/boosters (Scott Bishop) and I think a board member and a teacher from the high school. Someone on this board can fill in the remaining names. I do not think it was meant to be secret.

Tell us crow eaters what you know judge. The story will eventually get out any way. It seems that Gentry has burned pretty much everyone he has ever come in contact with. Maybe the hiring committee should have dug a little deeper and talked to a few people that knew him other than his brother in law. I agree with you Jim Black will do a good job but, on the other hand Whitley already had one of the best coaching staffs in the state with Mike Campbell. Whitley will finish 1st or 2nd in their district for the next three years based on the talent Campbell already had in the program.

One thing is for sure as APEX stated above; the Mutt is eating a lot of crow. I have defended and complimented Coach Gentry since he was hired. I thought he did an outstanding job in Spring Practice and based on his own "WORD", I was sure he would not run out on his team. He went, as far as, calling a team meeting about a month ago for the sole purpose of reassuring everyone he was staying at Whitley. lt looks like that was all an act or play of some kind at this point. Crow sure is tastey.

It would be nice to have Coach Campbell and his staff back. If Coach Campbell is not a possibility, my vote is for either Al Yasidro or Cotton Adams. Al can do the job and do it well but, it would be fun to see Cotton back on the sidelines as a head coach for a couple of years..

Gentry is gone. The announcement will come Thursday. I think Whitley is a plum job. The program has tradition, the facilities are outstanding, the entire administration is very supportive of the sports program, the talent level is up, this years team is talented and experienced, the job will pay among the best in the state and the administration will arrange it so that the coach will not have to spend very much time in the classroom. A coach could come in, win a couple of districts (very doable), and basically write his own check. Whitley County is hungry for a winner. Additionally, Whitley County is a beautiful place to live with the mountains and lakes. Knoxville and Lexington with their shopping and cultural activities are easy one hour drives. Corbin and London are wet. There are three new golf course moving into the immediate area. Whitley is a plum job. Overall, I am willing to bet it is in the top 15% of the high school jobs in the state.

I heard from a source very close to Gentries (my daughter and his are best friends) that the Gentry family was headed to Georgia. I think it is all but done. The kids are saying their good-byes. I have a feeling that tomorrow's election may play a significant role in who the new coach is.

If Campbell is rehired, Whitley will average 8 to 9 wins over the next four years. Talent is cyclic even in big schools like Whitley. Next years senior class is above average and next years junior class is very good. Whitley will start experienced juniors and seniors at nearly every position. There are four or five quality players in the sophmore class. Three of these sophmores will likely start but they are held back 17 year old sophmores that have played football since Kindergarten. Next years 9th grade is one of the best classes in school history (loaded with big athletic linemen). For the first time in five years, Whitley is going to have the athletes to play Mike Campbell style (smash mouth) If given the chance Coach Campbell will lead this bunch to a couple of district championships.

I hate the fact that we are discussing this issue but, it looks like the rumors have been right all along. I am still hoping that Gentry stays but, all indicators are he is not. He should not have called a meeting with his players to them he was staying, if indeed, he knew he was leaving. It is one thing to take another job, it is another thing to stand and lie to 80 kids that are looking at you as a role model. If it turns out that Coach Gentry did call his kids together just to tell them a lie, he is not the quality of person Whitley needed any way. Candidates for the next coach: Only three people were interviewed in January besides Gentry: 1) BJ Lawson- BJ has taken a head coaching position in the Nashville area. 2) Al Yasidro- Al is a likely candidate. He has been both a defensive and offensive coordinator at Whitley in the past. Al knows the kids and is familiar with both the pros and the cons of the job. 3) Jim Black- Jim has Whitley roots and has been successful at Williamsburg. I am not sure Jim wants the job. Unless the job pays a lot more than the Williamsburg job, Jim would probably be much happier where he is. There are some tremendous expectations at Whitley and they are in a very tough district and an even tougher region. Unless there is a realignment Whitley's chances of winning their region are very slim. At Williamsburg, Black has a chance to win the region every year. 4) My personal choice would be Mike Campbell. Mike should have never lost his job in the first place. He is flat out a good coach. Infact, there is little argument, that Coach Campbell is by far the best coach Whitley has ever had in any sport. His teams are always competitive and when he has talent his teams are outstanding. He has developed a very good junior and senior class. I hope he has the opportunity to coach the kids he has developed. The welfare of the players is much more important than petty political issues. Lonnie should do the right thing, by the kids, and rehire Coach Campbell.

It looks like the Whitley kids have not been working very hard in the weight room. Where are the hogs?

Hitsomebody, Could you post the top three in each weight classification along with their lifting numbers, school and class? Thanks in advance. This info gives everyone an idea of who can lift in the area.

I believe that North Laurel did win the over all competion. I also would like to see the complete results or at least the top 3 in each category along with their class and numbers. Somebody help us out.

If the rumors come to pass and the air is rife with rumor, the right thing to do is for Lonnie to call Coach Campbell into the office and make ammends. It would be difficult for both parties but, with such short notice it would be imposible to find a better coach than Mike Campbell. Mike could reassume the reigns quickly. This years team is really Campbells anyway. I hope that if these rumors come to pass, the administration does what is best in the interest of Whitley County Football.

Yes, absolutely. Any team brave enough to desire better competition should be allowed to move up and get it. The logistics can always be worked out. I think the 6 division idea is the best idea. Almost every team in Kentucky will benefit from a alignment.

Maybe Williamsburg is still considering two hires: a young talented energetic head coach and an older more experienced mentor. Regardless of who they hire, it should be done soon. Williamsburg has a very young team and they need to be in the gym and weight room working.

Walt is a very deserving recepiate. He daily demonstrates the character that a Mr. Basketball should have. One of the hardest working players, I have ever watched.

Frazier, could play any position well. If McCumbers were at the Burg, I bet Jim Black would find a way to use them both effectively.

I agree with you, Jordan is a top notch kid (straight A student) and an excellant QB. I think that his mom's boy friend lives in the Williamsburg district (the boy friend was a super QB at Williamsburg 25 years ago). I believe the logistics could be worked out if Jordan is interested in a move. All of this is speculation on my part but, I would not be surprised to see him in orange next year. I just can not see Jordan sitting the bench (he is too good). On the other hand, I can not see him running the option for a 4A football team either (he is just too small to take the beating that comes with the option).

I do not know the answer to this question. My guess is that he will not play football at Whitley next year. He did not participate in spring practice. He may be satisfied playing basketball and baseball or he may test the transfer waters. He is an excellant pocket quarterback and would fit Jim Black's offense as well as anyone around. He will be driving next year and the Burg would be a shorter comute. Jordan is too good to sit the bench but, he is not really an option QB (Teague is a lot faster and out weighs him 30 or 40 pounds). If I were involved with Williamsburg Athletics, I would probably give him a call and test his interest. 4chs please comment on: By the way, I hear Mike Campbell (freshman at Corbin) is becoming a beast in the weight room. I have had the pleasure to coach Mike in the past. He is one of the toughest, hardest nosed kids, I have ever coached. He has always been quick for his size. If he is up in the 300 pound bench club, he should be a terrific player this year. What do you think? Coach Deaton is now on campus working a couple of evenings per week. I think he is going to be very successful. Any predictions on next years record? I am going to prognosticate 18-9 or better. He will at least double the number of wins Whitley has had in either of the past two seasons. The man will not tolerate losing.

4chs I have previously posted this; but, here is my spring practice report. I managed to get over and watch 5 or 6 of the practices. I think Gentry is going to be a good one. He is very hands on and he appears to love teaching the game of football. Coach Gentry spent the majority of his time teaching the fundamentals of his option attack. He seems to have a great understanding of what he wants. I was very impressed with his attention to the technical details of his offense. His version of the option appears to be designed to mix the run and pass on about a 75% to 25% ratio using a number of receivers on the pass routes. I think next years offense is going to be explosive. During the srimmage portion of practice, Coach Gentry was in every huddle and every pile up. As I said very hands on. He also seems to have a good repore with the kids. Things looked good during spring practice. Standout players from Spring Practice: Mark Teague (a junior to be) is the new quarterback. Mark has primarily been a runnning back in the past. He is a natural option quarterback. He looks like he is going to be special. He runs a legit 4.5, has good size (5-11, 180), great vision and surprising a cannon of an arm. Mark at QB, has been the surprise of the spring at Whitley. Full Back: Cody Jeffries (5-11, 195) very fast and very powerful, Cody is going to have a big senior year. In addition to being a fine full back, Cody is a stud on the defensive side of the ball. He has a nose for the ball and there a huge thud on every tackle that he makes. Cody is a can't miss college prospect (Cumberland, Georgetown, and Eastern should be tracking this young man); Inside linebacker: Shawn Baird (jr. to be) 6-5, 245, Shawn is a physical specimen, runs well and is an intimidating hitter. Shawn is a legitimate D-1 prospect and could be a legitimate blue chip prospect. If Shawn dedicated himself in the weight room over the next two years, he could become one of the top two or three players in the state. Shawn has a great football frame, good feet, surprising speed, and he loves contact. Shawn could put another 30 pounds on his frame without sacrificing any mobility. Its up to Shawn, but based on God-given ability, he could become the best player to ever suit up at Whitley County. Offensive Lineman Shawn Monhollan (Sr. to be): Shawn does not have tremendous size (6-1 235) but he is very smart, strong and quick. He is going to be awesome in the new offense. He gets off the line in a hurry, brings a load and sticks to his blocks. Shawn is going to make a fine NAIA lineman. This is going to be the best Whitley Team in at least ten years. They are bigger and faster than they have been in several years. They are very experienced. Juniors and seniors will start at nearly every position. Three sophmores will compete for starting positions but all three will be 17 year old sophmores. This is going to be a big, fast, mature team. It is going to be an exciting year at Colonel Stadium. By the way, I hear Mike Campbell (freshman at Corbin) is becoming a beast in the weight room. I have had the pleasure to coach Mike in the past. He is one of the toughest, hardest nosed kids, I have ever coached. He has always been quick for his size. If he is up in the 300 pound bench club, he should be a terrific player this year. What do you think? By the way, Coach Deaton is now on campus working a couple of evenings per week. I think he is going to be a very successful.

Football players are always good in a race to the buffet.

Mastermind, Overbay is out of the picture. He will be coaching Whitley's Girls (JV). There was indeed a lot of mutual interest between Wiliamsburg and Overbay. I think maybe two things happened, 1) Williamsburg was more interested in Jerry as a JV coach than as a head coach. 2) Whitley gave Jerry the girls assisstant job. Conclusion: Jerry was only interested in a move if he could get a head coaching job. Williamsburg felt he was too young. Jerry got a high school job at Whitley knowing that Larry Anderson is approaching retirement. I think there is real mutual interest between Rich and Williamsburg. I am not sure what the barganing chips are. How or whether Guffy fits into the picture most likely depends upon what Rich does. Williamsburg apparentently (and appropriately) feels that Guffy is too inexperienced to run the program by himself at this point. They like his personality and energy but feel he needs three or four years of mentoring. Unlike Rich, most of the established names would prefer to be the head coach and bring their own assisstant. This would preclude Guffy. This is what the Mutt has been hearing from multiple sources close to the situation. Everyone could be BSing me, but I doubt it. The scenario seems reasonable to me.

I am still hearing Rich Prewitt is coming to Williamsburg. As mentioned above, he apparently prefers to come as a school administrator and basketball advisor. Rich is a very sound basketball coach in all aspects of the game. At this point in his career, however; he reportedly would like to concentrate on teaching basketball and steer clear of the admistrative duties of the head coach ie parents, media, player discipline, program promotion. Rich has been there and done that, as far as the administrative duties are concerned. He wants to develop basketball players and feel the rush of competition. I do not think Williamsburg could make a better hire than Rich Prewitt. He is a class act. I know that I would love Rich to coach my son. I believe that most parents that have been associated with Rich, would say the same thing. Rich would be missed in the county. He is an excellent principal and an avid supporter of everything," Whitley". Being a basketball nut myself, I can certainly understand a former highly successful coaches' desire to return, to his first love. The thrill of competition and comradary of a well coached team are blessed entities that forever call to an old coach. I hope this situation works out well for every one involved. Williamsburg is and has always been a very fine high school. I am a Whitley man, but I always pull for Williamsburg and Corbin, when they are not playing Whitley. The days for petty rivalry, jealousy, and general mean spiritedness between these three schools are over. All three are good schools and serve our children well. I believe that there are abundant opportunities for success for these three schools to share. It is a great reflection on the entire county anytime either school performs well. Williamsburg has a great group of supporters and quality athletes, with a guy like Rich on board, they will win. I think Rich took them to the Regional finals the last time he was at Williamsburg. This type of success wouldl return with him. The man can coach. :thumb:

Generally speaking, the talent level in Kentucky is as good as it has ever been. Of course, I am talking about the average quality of team play. There are occasional seasons in which the top 5 or 6 players may be exceptional compared to the average season. When discussing the elite players, one also must consider the impact of the basketball factories like Oak Hill. Nationwide, the elite players have migrated to the basketball factories in lieu of playing for public high schools. The basketball factories provide a national stage and top competition for the elite of the nation. In a state, like Kentucky, the factories might impact 4 or 5 players every year. While the drain of elite talent might be evident in that the superstar players no longer compete on Kentucky's brightest stage (sweetsixteen) overall their absence does not substantially affect the quality of play across the state. Kentucky High School Basketball is still amongst the highest quality and most competitive in the United States. Basketball is strong in Kentucky.