http://khsaa.org/dawahareskhsaa-hall-of-...announced/
Hillard Howard (Pikeville HS/Letcher County Central HS) â Howard was the head coach at Pikeville for 20 seasons, amassing 208 wins while leading the Panthers to three state titles. A five-time state Coach of the Year honoree, Howard guided Pikeville to three-straight 1A state titles from 1987-1989. His teams won 12 Class A regional championships and added two state runner-up finishes during his 20 seasons (1972-89, 1994-95), while recording 208 wins against just 48 losses for an .813 winning percentage. In addition to his accomplishments on the gridiron, Howard spent two seasons as the girlsâ basketball coach at Pikeville (1978-80) and led the Panthers to consecutive 15th Region Championships. Pikevilleâs all-time winningest coach, Howard was inducted into the Pantherâs Hall of Fame in 2003 and the schoolâs football field has been named in his honor. He went on to coach five seasons as Letcher County Central (2005-09), starting the football program when the school opened in 2005, and added two more regional championships to his resume.
Very well deserved! Congrats to Coach Howard and his family!
How was Hillard not in there already?
Buc-a-roo Wrote:How was Hillard not in there already?
Exactly what I thought Buc-a-roo! I assumed he was lol.
I thought he was in already. Very well deserved. He put some great teams together at Pikeville
Congrats Coach. Very well deserved!
Buc-a-roo Wrote:How was Hillard not in there already?
Should've been. Way too long overdue. Congrats Coach Howard.
Way long overdue
Should've been in there before some of the others already
Congrats Coach Howard. Well deserved.
Good News, well deserved.
He put some good teams together is an understatement, he probably had players from 28 counties in Kentucky and players representing 13 different states on those Pikeville teams!
he should have been in before now. but better late then never. one of the best coaches in Kentucky high school football.
A Big congratulations to Coach Howard
touchdownkentucky Wrote:He put some good teams together is an understatement, he probably had players from 28 counties in Kentucky and players representing 13 different states on those Pikeville teams!
Man, couldn't just say something nice? He started the program you follow. The jealousy runs strong in you Letcher fans. Lol
jetpilot Wrote:Exactly what I thought Buc-a-roo! I assumed he was lol.
Not just on wins/losses either. He did something at Pikeville that gained national attention and really put EKY football on the map. Up to that point, no team from this part of KY had ever really gotten their due respect.
Great Honor and well deserved.
touchdownkentucky Wrote:He put some good teams together is an understatement, he probably had players from 28 counties in Kentucky and players representing 13 different states on those Pikeville teams!
Under his watch, one thing that stands out, is he was the first HC to win three consecutive State titles. Imo, quiet impressive.
Cong: Hillard, well deserved.
jetpilot Wrote:
Lol ! Good stuff Jet.
I often think that Howard stepped away too soon at Pikeville.
He later came back and coached Letcher Central and helped get their program off the ground. He actually did a solid job there I thought, took them to the Semi-Finals one year if I recall (I know they played Highlands, may have been in their region though), but Pikeville was a powerhouse program that was still at it's peak when he left.
Had Hilliard continued coaching at Pikeville until 2009:
- Would Pikeville have won another State Title?
- Would Pikeville had the little dip in their program before MacNamee came the 2nd time where their feeder system had to be rebuilt essentially?
- Where would he have finished on the all-time wins list if he had kept coaching?
I am not sure he gets past Beechwood in 2003 and 2004, but I think he would have had a shot though. I also think he would have had a great shot in 1999 and 2000.
Congrats coach and the Pikeville Panthers
EKUAlum05 Wrote:I often think that Howard stepped away too soon at Pikeville.
He later came back and coached Letcher Central and helped get their program off the ground. He actually did a solid job there I thought, took them to the Semi-Finals one year if I recall (I know they played Highlands, may have been in their region though), but Pikeville was a powerhouse program that was still at it's peak when he left.
Had Hilliard continued coaching at Pikeville until 2009:
- Would Pikeville have won another State Title?
- Would Pikeville had the little dip in their program before MacNamee came the 2nd time where their feeder system had to be rebuilt essentially?
- Where would he have finished on the all-time wins list if he had kept coaching?
I am not sure he gets past Beechwood in 2003 and 2004, but I think he would have had a shot though. I also think he would have had a great shot in 1999 and 2000.
All great questions, many that I have pondered too often.
If he coaches through 2009, I don't think 380 is off the table.
I think 2007 would have been an excellent shot for a title run as well. That team had as much talent as any in the 2000's. I definitely would see several more Region Titles.
The Program went through so much change from 2005-2010, it really is a testament to the job Coach Mac has done to get things back to a pretty high level that quickly. Stability has been a big key.
Of course, it is easy to say how much more good could have been done. There is also another side of the coin, that while unlikely, is entirely possible. What if the welcome is outstayed? Who knows? Of course he did Coach for 2 seasons in 1994 and 1995, before giving up the reigns for good.
EKUAlum05 Wrote:I often think that Howard stepped away too soon at Pikeville.
He later came back and coached Letcher Central and helped get their program off the ground. He actually did a solid job there I thought, took them to the Semi-Finals one year if I recall (I know they played Highlands, may have been in their region though), but Pikeville was a powerhouse program that was still at it's peak when he left.
Had Hilliard continued coaching at Pikeville until 2009:
- Would Pikeville have won another State Title?
- Would Pikeville had the little dip in their program before MacNamee came the 2nd time where their feeder system had to be rebuilt essentially?
- Where would he have finished on the all-time wins list if he had kept coaching?
I am not sure he gets past Beechwood in 2003 and 2004, but I think he would have had a shot though. I also think he would have had a great shot in 1999 and 2000.
Of course we'll never know the answer to these questions, but I can't help but think if he had stayed at PHS, things would have remained stable through the years, and with continued community support, who knows, he may have ran Parallel, or close to that of Coach Haywood's accomplishments. Having said that, couldn't appreciate coach Mac and his success more.
This + $1 will get you a cup of coffee but here goes:
1999: Pikeville wins the title going away
2000: Danville looked to be much the best - outside shot
2003 and 2004 - Very good teams but others better - little to no shot
2007 - good team - no shot
One thing I do know is Pikeville has been incredibly blessed to have had Coach Howard and Coach Mac at the helm.
First off,
Big Congrats to Coach Howard! Well Deserved! I played for him during his second stint as HC for Pikeville. He made every player on his teams believe they could win every time they took the field. His ability to understand what motivated and drove each individual player and ability to use that to get best out of them was second to none. His grasp of the psychology of what it takes to not only play football at a high level, but to be a man as well, was the best I ever saw. He was, and still is a Leader of Men. I never served in the military or got an opportunity to serve under great Generals in battle. I never was fortunate enough to be part of a State Championship Team. But, I was a football player for Hillard Howard @ Pikeville High School. That's something I'll be proud of until the day I die....