[Old School Hound]

I think there are some really good coaches in the 13th.  Who would make your list of the top  five or six coaches in the region?   I've had Davis at the top for some time now. I said I'd consider putting Pietrowski at the top once he broke the long losing streak to Davis. I'd like to see a pattern of winning against Davis before I elevate Coach P.  I also like  Akal at Harlan , Sizemore at Bell , and Gray at Clay.  Although Clay has struggled because with a lack of talent of late, I've seen Gray outcoach some of the region's best at times.  Some will have Valentine on their list, but imo, no one has had more talent than Nate the last four years and yet North has come up short on the biggest stage. No one has achieved less with more than Coach V.


So, which coaches make your top 5 ?

I'd put Davis and Coach P. at  1-2   and then in the next tier Gray, Sizemore, and Akal all pretty close together.

[64SUR]

1. Jeff Davis (South Laurel)
2. Tony Pietrowski (Corbin)
3. Brad Sizemore (Bell County)
4. Greg Parrett (Jackson County)
5. Chris Taylor (Barbourville)
5b. Nate Valentine (North Laurel)

[Old School Hound]

Parrett's a good coach as well. He, like Gray, just hasn't had the talent there that he had a decade or so ago. Taylor does a good job having his kids ready to play . Swords is very capable at Whitley.

[Waitaminute]

Jeff Davis, Akal, Brad Sizemore, P.

[Old School Hound]

Two games that really stick out for me when I have watched Glenn Gray, back when he had some better talent.

1. In the regional game two seasons ago against Davis and South Laurel. South was the better team but Glenn completely outcoached Davis and gameplanned a defensive scheme that complete confused a really good Cards team and held them to 35 pts in the upset win.

2. In the 2019 CFIT at Corbin. Playing a stacked Knoxville Catholic squad in the finals, Clay was down 10 after three. Glenn's team held Catholic scoreless in the fourth qtr to win by one. Catholic had three DI prospects, including a big seven-footer. I had never seen a fourth quarter shutout before nor have I seen once since.

[fridaynightfights]

1. Pietrowski
2. Sizemore
3. Davis

Some other coaches have ability to get on the list, but none others I would rank at this point for various reasons. I think Taylor at B-ville and Levy at Pineville have done well with what they have to work with. Middlesboro's new coach appears to be working hard.

The one I can say for certain doesn't belong on this list is Valentine. If he doesn't win a game or two at Rupp this year his time at North has been a complete failure in my opinion. Too much talent to not be getting better results.

Gray may be a good floor coach but his program managing/coaching is what is holding them back. He's not developed talent over the years to bring Clay back. Being the head coach is about more than just X's and O's in game, it's also about managing the program and working with the kids to develop them in to what you need to win.

[Old School Hound]

1. Pietrowski
2. Sizemore
3. Davis

Some other coaches have ability to get on the list, but none others I would rank at this point for various reasons. I think Taylor at B-ville and Levy at Pineville have done well with what they have to work with. Middlesboro's new coach appears to be working hard.

The one I can say for certain doesn't belong on this list is Valentine. If he doesn't win a game or two at Rupp this year his time at North has been a complete failure in my opinion. Too much talent to not be getting better results.

Gray may be a good floor coach but his program managing/coaching is what is holding them back. He's not developed talent over the years to bring Clay back. Being the head coach is about more than just X's and O's in game, it's also about managing the program and working with the kids to develop them in to what you need to win.

All very fair points. I totally agree about Valentine. Can't imagine that Davis and Pietrowski wouldn't have made some hay at Rupp with what Valentine has had at North.

[nedreader]

Gray may never have more talent than the years he had Robinson, Farmer, Abner, Langdon and Curry. He couldn’t get it done with them so…and as Fridaynightfights said, there’s more to being a coach than Xs and Os and those that are in the know are very aware that Gray is well below average in player development, discipline and his in-game management skills are poor as well. There’s no sense in rehashing Gray’s many flaws though as everyone is pretty much over his situation and doesn’t even care anymore.

[Waitaminute]

Pietrowski has won one region in the last 12 years. Could only get it done Andrew Taylor’s senior year. I’m not sure what the hype is.

[Old School Hound]

Pietrowski has won one region in the last 12 years. Could only get it done Andrew Taylor’s senior year. I’m not sure what the hype is.

Yeah, I'm not surprised you fail to get it. Almost 500 wins and about 25 wins a season will get you some hype. What's your win total?

[Waitaminute]

Pietrowski has won one region in the last 12 years. Could only get it done Andrew Taylor’s senior year. I’m not sure what the hype is.

Yeah, I'm not surprised you fail to get it. Almost 500 wins and about 25 wins a season will get you some hype. What's your win total?

He has one more region title than me the last 12 years. We have the same the past four years. I didn’t realize coaches were judged more so on their regular season accomplishments. He should have won multiple regions with Taylor but underachieved multiple times.

[Cactus Jack]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

[Old School Hound]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

That's a fact, Jack. Good post.

[FallRock]

Would love to see an all time list
Keith
Hicks
Wright
Marcum
...
.....

[Waitaminute]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

[Old School Hound]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

No state title in football in forty years is apparently okay with Corbinites. I guess twelve isn't all that intolerable, all things considered.

[Waitaminute]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

No state title in football in forty years is apparently okay with Corbinites. I guess twelve isn't all that intolerable, all things considered.

That's a fair statement.

[Cactus Jack]

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

You could take any other active coach in the region and say the same thing. The twelve year cutoff is a bit arbitrary as well, go back two more years and you are looking at three of fourteen. I'll give you that one trip in twelve years or even three in fourteen probably doesn't meet the expectations of most Corbin fans, especially if you'd have told them that Knox Central would go on a run of three straight since their last one.

A better way to put it may be like this-- I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who would definitively be a better fit AT CORBIN than Pietrowski. He played there, came up in the system, and hasn't been anywhere else for a significant amount of time. There's probably little chance that he leaves them and takes another job, especially for the next handful of years. If Corbin fans don't want him, they should take a very hard look at who they know they'll be able to get, how that might be perceived amongst other coaches in any sport that they might want to court years down the road, and what they know that they'll be able to get from whoever they bring in. Things could be worse, and if you're going to make a case for bringing in an active coach who'd be better for Corbin than he's been, then there's quite a bit of risk.

I don't know that I'd say he's the best coach in the 13th, but out of anyone named here, he and Akal are probably the best fits for the programs that they're at, meaning that I don't know that there's a considerable difference in the end result if you were to go and replace them right now with someone others might consider to be a better coach.

There's something to be said about his being active longer than any of the other coaches mentioned, but with only four active coaches having regional titles, it's hard to put any of them too far down in a ranking. If I were starting a program tomorrow, he might not be my first pick absent something fact-specific to that program's situation, but there's also fair arguments to be made for four or five names, especially if you are comparing any two of them head-to-head.

[Gridiron_Raid]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor (bville)
5. Valentine

[Old School Hound]

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

You could take any other active coach in the region and say the same thing. The twelve year cutoff is a bit arbitrary as well, go back two more years and you are looking at three of fourteen. I'll give you that one trip in twelve years or even three in fourteen probably doesn't meet the expectations of most Corbin fans, especially if you'd have told them that Knox Central would go on a run of three straight since their last one. 

A better way to put it may be like this-- I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who would definitively be a better fit AT CORBIN than Pietrowski. He played there, came up in the system, and hasn't been anywhere else for a significant amount of time. There's probably little chance that he leaves them and takes another job, especially for the next handful of years. If Corbin fans don't want him, they should take a very hard look at who they know they'll be able to get, how that might be perceived amongst other coaches in any sport that they might want to court years down the road, and what they know that they'll be able to get from whoever they bring in. Things could be worse, and if you're going to make a case for bringing in an active coach who'd be better for Corbin than he's been, then there's quite a bit of risk.

I don't know that I'd say he's the best coach in the 13th, but out of anyone named here, he and Akal are probably the best fits for the programs that they're at, meaning that I don't know that there's a considerable difference in the end result if you were to go and replace them right now with someone others might consider to be a better coach.

There's something to be said about his being active longer than any of the other coaches mentioned, but with only four active coaches having regional titles, it's hard to put any of them too far down in a ranking. If I were starting a program tomorrow, he might not be my first pick absent something fact-specific to that program's situation, but there's also fair arguments to be made for four or five names, especially if you are comparing any two of them head-to-head.

Good post.  Corbin has had some really good coaches,   Woods,  Hicks, Deaton, Pietrowski. Are you kidding me?  It would be hard to find another school that has had four better coaches in succession.

---

Note: When I rank my 13th region coaches, I'm simply using the criteria of in-game, x's and O's guy. As someone else mentioned, there are other factors that go into being a good coach but when I make my list I'm  just going by what I see on the sidelines when I watch games.  Gray is a good coach, imo, by my criteria. He may have shortcomings in other areas like player development. I wouldn't really know that. By my criteria, there are not five better than Glenn. Maybe four, but not five.   I also think Gray and the kids he coaches represent their school very well.

[predict_proba]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor 

Gridiron Raid I fixed it for you. ?

[Old School Hound]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor 

Gridiron Raid I fixed it for you. ?

Yeah, Valentine doesn't deserve a top five ranking.  He should have had multiple Rupp appearances. Although, give Patterson and Knox credit. They stepped up big in region tourney play. No Rupp wins  for Valentine with this group is unacceptable, though.

[Playcaller66]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

We won state football championship in 1982.

---

1. Jeff Davis (South Laurel)
2. Tony Pietrowski (Corbin)
3. Brad Sizemore (Bell County)
4. Greg Parrett (Jackson County)
5. Chris Taylor (Barbourville)
5b. Nate Valentine (North Laurel)

1. Davis, 2. Sizemore, 3.Akal, 4. Taylor, 5. Pietrowski, 7. Glenn Gray, 8. Swords, 9. Parrett, 10. Valentine.

[Gridiron_Raid]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor 

Gridiron Raid I fixed it for you. ?

The only reason i give him the nod is because of what he deals with. i know myself in the past and others in here hate on him cause he should win more games. But it’s never the players fault at north. I can’t imagine what he has to deal with mentally knowing he truthfully can’t control the players families. Then national and state wide media covers them constantly, i don’t know how anyone else could coach a bunch of teenagers in that condition. Even tho i agree he should win more, i think some blame falls on burger boy and the 4 star tight end.

I give patterson the nod at 2 if he was still coaching. And akal shouldn’t be on any list, his team is running fast break street ball with no plays, direction, or goal other than to shoot threes and dunk. He’s truly riding on his talent.

[Playcaller66]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor 

Gridiron Raid I fixed it for you. ?

The only reason i give him the nod is because of what he deals with. i know myself in the past and others in here hate on him cause he should win more games. But it’s never the players fault at north. I can’t imagine what he has to deal with mentally knowing he truthfully can’t control the players families. Then national and state wide media covers them constantly, i don’t know how anyone else could coach a bunch of teenagers in that condition. Even tho i agree he should win more, i think some blame falls on burger boy and the 4 star tight end.

I give patterson the nod at 2 if he was still coaching. And akal shouldn’t be on any list, his team is running fast break street ball with no plays, direction, or goal other than to shoot threes and dunk. He’s truly riding on his talent.

Marcum from Clay County, Tony Patterson from KC and Dinky Phipps from Barbourville hasn’t coached a game this season and can still out coach Valentine. Give either coach Ryan Davidson and Reed Sheppard and they win Region every year and make deep runs in sweet 16. Cody Messer is North Laurel’s best option as a Head Coach next season. Messer is a player coach..

[Cactus Jack]

And akal shouldn’t be on any list, his team is running fast break street ball with no plays, direction, or goal other than to shoot threes and dunk. He’s truly riding on his talent.

Well that isn't thinly veiled. 

I don't see anyone else on the list with a school of his size and feel that he gets about as much out of his team as anyone else could.

If you are small and quick it makes sense to play at a fast tempo. It just seems that you are making some lazy comparisons and applying labels.

Also, maybe it looks like he has lots of talent because their program is very good at player development, strength and conditioning, etc.
 
All that said, I think it's fair to say that many people think that they are a bit too reliant on the three and susceptible to losing games they shouldn't on nights they go cold from the floor.

[Gridiron_Raid]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor 

Gridiron Raid I fixed it for you. ?

The only reason i give him the nod is because of what he deals with. i know myself in the past and others in here hate on him cause he should win more games. But it’s never the players fault at north. I can’t imagine what he has to deal with mentally knowing he truthfully can’t control the players families. Then national and state wide media covers them constantly, i don’t know how anyone else could coach a bunch of teenagers in that condition. Even tho i agree he should win more, i think some blame falls on burger boy and the 4 star tight end.

I give patterson the nod at 2 if he was still coaching. And akal shouldn’t be on any list, his team is running fast break street ball with no plays, direction, or goal other than to shoot threes and dunk. He’s truly riding on his talent.

Marcum from Clay County, Tony Patterson from KC and Dinky Phipps from Barbourville hasn’t coached a game this season and can still out coach Valentine. Give either coach Ryan Davidson and Reed Sheppard and they win Region every year and make deep runs in sweet 16. Cody Messer is North Laurel’s best option as a Head Coach next season. Messer is a player coach..

I was just saying he deals with a lot more than everyone else realizes. All the coaches you mentioned would step in with the families in london and probably crumble. If you win it’s thanks to sheppard and davidson, if you lose it’s on valentine. I understand that’s what he signed up for but he deserves credit for playing the best teams possible all year rather than just dominating. Imagine being a coach where you have no say. Players coach or not, the coach next year will do better as there’s not a whale of attention on the floor or in the stands. Imagine trying to do something as a coach, getting yelled at by a dad, and having to listen or be lynched.

[fridaynightfights]

He may only have one in the past 12 years, but he also has 4 of the last 18. Unless I'm mistaken, the only active coaches with a regional title are Pietrowski, Davis, Sizemore, and Valentine.

Over the past 25 years, the 13th Region has won one or more games in six tournaments. He is the only active coach of those six to have done it twice (2005 & 2018). The others are: Mike Jones (2001), Steve Wright (2006 & 2007), and Jeff Davis (2016). Out of his four trips, arguably his two best teams got the toughest draws (Eastern in 2009 & Scott County in 2010).

To say that you don't feel that he's one of the top three coaches in the region is one thing, but it seems odd that you'd pick regional titles and performance in the Sweet 16 as one of the primary things supporting that if the rankings are limited to active coaches.

That's great, but what have you done for me lately? One trip to state in 12 years is okay with Corbin??

We won state football championship in 1982.

---

1. Jeff Davis (South Laurel)
2. Tony Pietrowski (Corbin)
3. Brad Sizemore (Bell County)
4. Greg Parrett (Jackson County)
5. Chris Taylor (Barbourville)
5b. Nate Valentine (North Laurel)

1. Davis, 2. Sizemore, 3.Akal, 4. Taylor, 5. Pietrowski, 7. Glenn Gray, 8. Swords, 9. Parrett, 10. Valentine.

Not sure I would have Akal nearly that high considering he hasn't won a game in the boys region tourney. I know he was successful before and he's had a lot of regular season success but to put him ahead of Coach P I would have to have him win a game at the boys region tourney.

[Gridiron_Raid]

And akal shouldn’t be on any list, his team is running fast break street ball with no plays, direction, or goal other than to shoot threes and dunk. He’s truly riding on his talent.

Well that isn't thinly veiled. 

I don't see anyone else on the list with a school of his size and feel that he gets about as much out of his team as anyone else could.

If you are small and quick it makes sense to play at a fast tempo. It just seems that you are making some lazy comparisons and applying labels.

Also, maybe it looks like he has lots of talent because their program is very good at player development, strength and conditioning, etc.
 
All that said, I think it's fair to say that many people think that they are a bit too reliant on the three and susceptible to losing games they shouldn't on nights they go cold from the floor.

Watched the game at harlan against HC, at bell, and the all A. He never coached. He got in trouble, and never made an adjustment or gave advice, it was just keep shooting, keep running. I yell at cal for running the “GOOO” offense, this is the same. Yes he plays to the strengths of the team, but they have not improved as a team since game 1. I was high on them 1 month ago, i even thought they could win the region. But now i’m convinced the game in two weeks may be a barn burner to make it to region. 

And on the case of player development, these kids worked themselves. There’s no coach that makes an impact on off season growth like what mcclendon and others did. All akal had to do was unlock the gym if he even did that after all his “personal issues” recently may have taken time from coaching. If anything, give credit to the football coaching staff as a lot of these kids changed their bodies by playing football this year.

[Playcaller66]

1. Davis
2. P
3. Sizemore
4. Taylor 

Gridiron Raid I fixed it for you. ?

The only reason i give him the nod is because of what he deals with. i know myself in the past and others in here hate on him cause he should win more games. But it’s never the players fault at north. I can’t imagine what he has to deal with mentally knowing he truthfully can’t control the players families. Then national and state wide media covers them constantly, i don’t know how anyone else could coach a bunch of teenagers in that condition. Even tho i agree he should win more, i think some blame falls on burger boy and the 4 star tight end.

I give patterson the nod at 2 if he was still coaching. And akal shouldn’t be on any list, his team is running fast break street ball with no plays, direction, or goal other than to shoot threes and dunk. He’s truly riding on his talent.

Marcum from Clay County, Tony Patterson from KC and Dinky Phipps from Barbourville hasn’t coached a game this season and can still out coach Valentine. Give either coach Ryan Davidson and Reed Sheppard and they win Region every year and make deep runs in sweet 16. Cody Messer is North Laurel’s best option as a Head Coach next season. Messer is a player coach..

I was just saying he deals with a lot more than everyone else realizes. All the coaches you mentioned would step in with the families in london and probably crumble. If you win it’s thanks to sheppard and davidson, if you lose it’s on valentine. I understand that’s what he signed up for but he deserves credit for playing the best teams possible all year rather than just dominating. Imagine being a coach where you have no say. Players coach or not, the coach next year will do better as there’s not a whale of attention on the floor or in the stands. Imagine trying to do something as a coach, getting yelled at by a dad, and having to listen or be lynched.

So Valentine has no say so? Who does I’m just curious..Who’s the one who makes those decisions?