When I was watching the Johnson Central - Boyle County game online, I heard announcer Gary Ball make the statement that he felt Chuck Smith was the best high school football coach in Kentucky. While he is good, he hasn't exactly helped himself in this argument the past two seasons by entering the playoffs as the favorite in his class only to come up a loser each time to two different coaches. Anyway, that comment got me thinking:
In order, who do you think are the top 5 coaches in Kentucky high school football?
Active or Non-Active?
Active:
Beatty
Haywood
Morris
Hilton
Chuck Smith
Active and Non-Active:
Mueller
Beatty
Yeagle
Haywood
Glaser
Then you have these coaches who are still realtively early in their career and may rise notably on the trajectory they are on (or if they choose to return to being a HC):
Matney
Eviston
MacNamee
Brandon Smith
Wolfe
Scroggins (not active as HC)
EKUAlum05 Wrote:Active or Non-Active?
Active:
Beatty
Haywood
Morris
Hilton
Chuck Smith
Active and Non-Active:
Mueller
Beatty
Yeagle
Haywood
Glaser
Then you have these coaches who are still realtively early in their career and may rise notably on the trajectory they are on (or if they choose to return to being a HC):
Matney
Eviston
MacNamee
Brandon Smith
Wolfe
Scroggins (not active as HC)
You better edit this to include Coach H. Howard wether you believe it or not haha
2000PHS Wrote:You better edit this to include Coach H. Howard weather you believe it or not haha
If Howard coached another ten years at Pikeville I think he may quiet possibly be on that list for the Non-Active coaches. Unfortunately that "Yeagle" guy listed had a lot to do with why he isn't in that Top 5 based off his final body of work.
Howard is certainly short list in terms of all-time coaches, but five is a tough number to crack when those five I have listed historically combined for 47 titles and 63 State Finals appearances!
EKUAlum05 Wrote:Active or Non-Active?
Active:
Beatty
Haywood
Morris
Hilton
Chuck Smith
Active and Non-Active:
Mueller
Beatty
Yeagle
Haywood
Glaser
Then you have these coaches who are still realtively early in their career and may rise notably on the trajectory they are on (or if they choose to return to being a HC):
Matney
Eviston
MacNamee
Brandon Smith
Wolfe
Scroggins (not active as HC)
I'm not criticizing your list, but I do have a question or maybe I should say an observation. Do you think you are sometimes tough on Belfry because you are from Belfry and you don't want to come across as a homer? I have felt that in the past. I think Haywood is number one. Beatty is obviously really good but given his resources, he should be.
EKUAlum05 Wrote:Active or Non-Active?
Active:
Beatty
Haywood
Morris
Hilton
Chuck Smith
Active and Non-Active:
Mueller
Beatty
Yeagle
Haywood
Glaser
Then you have these coaches who are still realtively early in their career and may rise notably on the trajectory they are on (or if they choose to return to being a HC):
Matney
Eviston
MacNamee
Brandon Smith
Wolfe
Scroggins (not active as HC)
I should have stated top 5 active coaches.
Hillard Howard is on any serious list. Pikeville three-peat first in history and gave everyone else a roadmap on how to try to do it.
Westside Wrote:I'm not criticizing your list, but I do have a question or maybe I should say an observation. Do you think you are sometimes tough on Belfry because you are from Belfry and you don't want to come across as a homer? I have felt that in the past. I think Haywood is number one. Beatty is obviously really good but given his resources, he should be.
I honestly try to be as fair as I can be when evaluating these things... I think I am more hard on Belfry sometimes because I am more familiar with them and some of their weaknesses or inefficiencies as well.
It is hard to argue against Mueller as being the GOAT based off his title dominance and most years doing so playing up in class. Him and Beatty also racked up titles in the old 4 class system which certainly helps in my eyes.
Haywood is definitely Mount Rushmore and the fact he has done it at middle of the nowhere Belfry deserves major bonus points. With that said, the six class system has been good to Belfry. I still think they have probably five or six titles now if it were 4-classes (including this year based off enrollment as I take Belfry in 2A), but this 17 year run of dominance definitely would look a good bit different.
What Haywood has done for a career is definitely one of the more impressive feats for a career as you will find anywhere in America for a school so small and a population density so limited.
Haywood hands down. Able to make adjustments on defense and always two plays ahead, like a game of chess. If you can beat it and stop it then more power to ya. But just when ya think you have it stopped power football cones at ya from a different angle.
Westside Wrote:I'm not criticizing your list, but I do have a question or maybe I should say an observation. Do you think you are sometimes tough on Belfry because you are from Belfry and you don't want to come across as a homer? I have felt that in the past. I think Haywood is number one. Beatty is obviously really good but given his resources, he should be.
I noticed this with some. More humble than they need to be. I will say Beatty is #1. I know heâs got the resources and all of that but the man has basically been unstoppable regardless. Plus if you get into resources you open up a whole bag of worms. But Iâd put
1 Beatty
2 Haywood
3 morris
4 chuck smith
5 Iâm going with matney of Hilton. He may have only won 1 of them but heâs been there 5 in a row. Hilton has never had that kind of run.
Hound05 Wrote:I noticed this with some. More humble than they need to be. I will say Beatty is #1. I know heâs got the resources and all of that but the man has basically been unstoppable regardless. Plus if you get into resources you open up a whole bag of worms. But Iâd put
1 Beatty
2 Haywood
3 morris
4 chuck smith
5 Iâm going with matney of Hilton. He may have only won 1 of them but heâs been there 5 in a row. Hilton has never had that kind of run.
Won 2. 2016 & 2019
I think that it is very hard to exclude Jim Matney from the top 5 at this time. I don't think that any active head coach does a better job preparing his team for a game and I don't believe that any active coach has a better record of building or rebuilding a football program.
Not every Johnson Central team has been championship caliber, but the Golden Eagles have fielded good teams every season since Matney took over the program.
In JC's worst season record-wise, 2009, JC began the season 0-4, with losses to Boyle County (49-7), Horn Lake, MS (33-20), Bell County (36-6), and Sheldon Clark (22-14). Johnson Central then reeled off 8 straight wins before losing to Highlands in the regional final 42-21. The 21 point margin was Highlands' closest of the playoffs, as the Birds finished the season 15-0 and the 5A state title.
Johnson Central's record pre-Matney vs. post-Matney
2001 2-8
2002 2-7
2003 1-9
------------------------------------------
2004 Jim Matney hired as head coach
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2004 7-3
2005 8-3
2006 13-1
2007 10-3
2008 11-2
2009 8-5
2010 10-3
2011 9-3
2012 9-3
2013 11-1
2014 11-1
2015 12-2 (4A runner-up)
2016 14-1 (4A champion)
2017 12-3 (4A runner-up)
2018 13-2 (4A runner-up)
2019 15-0 (4A champion)
Coach Matney is not at the early stage of his career and at this point, there are very, very few Kentucky coaches whose records match his for building programs (Sheldon Clark and Johnson Central), game preparation, and player development, IMO. Also, Matney's record against Belfry stands at 7-6, although with Johnson Central's enrollment numbers and edge in state titles, I would rank him just below Haywood in the list of greatest active coaches. Both coaches are at the top of their games.
Elliot Stabler Wrote:Won 2. 2016 & 2019
Sorry wasnât even thinking about this year. Even more reason why I have him at 5 over the other
I have no doubt that when it’s all said & done Chris Mcnamee will be on that list!! He is without question already top 10!!The State Championship game was win 195 over all (165 @ Pikeville), his 2nd championship win, his third appearance & he’s still fairly young!! Honestly, I believe he just started coming into his prime as a coach around 5 years ago!! Don’t get me wrong, mac has ALWAYS been very good, but now he’s on a completely different level!! 6-8 years ago the Pikeville community was wondering if they’d ever even get back to a State Championship game, let alone win one!! Look what he’s done from then till now!! The scary things is, there’s still no end in site!! Pikeville has the ability, potential, support & a very Legitimate shot to go on one of those dominant runs like Mayfield, Boyle Co, or. Beechwood have all done in the past!!
This is an impossible list to try and make. You have some coaches like Herron at Williamsburg who havenât won a title, yet do more with less talent yearly. I wonât even begin to speculate who else like him may be around the state as I donât see them all or hear about them all, but I canât even begin to estimate who the top five are statewide.
Just adding that Eddie Eviston is currently 88-13 throughout his 7 seasons as a head coach, with 4 state championships, at 2 different schools.
Kevin Wallace has 5 state championships and is active with plans to add another one at St.X
As a matter of fact 5 titles in 6 years with 3 different qb's.
Boomer_Sooner Wrote:I have no doubt that when itâs all said & done Chris Mcnamee will be on that list!! He is without question already top 10!!The State Championship game was win 195 over all (165 @ Pikeville), his 2nd championship win, his third appearance & heâs still fairly young!! Honestly, I believe he just started coming into his prime as a coach around 5 years ago!! Donât get me wrong, mac has ALWAYS been very good, but now heâs on a completely different level!! 6-8 years ago the Pikeville community was wondering if theyâd ever even get back to a State Championship game, let alone win one!! Look what heâs done from then till now!! The scary things is, thereâs still no end in site!! Pikeville has the ability, potential, support & a very Legitimate shot to go on one of those dominant runs like Mayfield, Boyle Co, or. Beechwood have all done in the past!!
Can someone explain what happened and why he left / was forced out in the mid 2000s?
How does Shawn Berner ex- Fort Campbell not make someone's list?
In no particular order:
Phillip Haywood
Jim Matney
Robbie Lucas
Chris Wolfe
Joe Morris
There are a few more I could put here, but this is based on what I've personally seen from these coaches.
Dont overlook Jack Morris, Mike Glaser and Kevin Wallace, all of which were/are pretty dang impressive. Morris' record is about as good as it gets, and if he hadn't turned over the reigns to his son, who knows what his totals would be at Mayfield.
Jack Morris was 254-50-2 in 24 seasons and was 4-5 in title games
83% winning pct
Mike Glaser was 336-78 in 31 seasons and was 7-4 in title games while playing in Trinity's district/region for the most part.
81% winning pct
Kevin Wallace is 316-111 and 5-3 in title games.
74% winning pct
Wow. Very little love for Chuck Smith. 6 titles and 2 runner-ups. 5 of those titles were under the old 4 class system and 6 consecutive title games in that era.
Came back to High School and in 5 seasons has 1 Title, 1 Runner-up by 1 point, and a Semi-Final appearance.
Not sure there are a whole lot to match his winning % or his results in the same number of seasons.
Smith's record at Boyle the first go around was: 143-32 over 13 seasons. 82% winning despite one 2-8 season and in the same District with Danville's juggernauts most of the 90's.
If I'm remembering when he returned to Boyle they are 61-10 since his return. 86% winning.
Overall at Boyle he has won 85% of his games.
My data on how long his 2nd stint has been could be off by a season if anyone wants to correct it.
No particular order
Phillip Haywood
Jim Matney
Larry French
Chuck Smith
Morris
While I said no particular order, just keep in mind who is first on my list, after that itâs all the same with no order.
Hatz Wrote:Wow. Very little love for Chuck Smith. 6 titles and 2 runner-ups. 5 of those titles were under the old 4 class system and 6 consecutive title games in that era.
Came back to High School and in 5 seasons has 1 Title, 1 Runner-up by 1 point, and a Semi-Final appearance.
Not sure there are a whole lot to match his winning % or his results in the same number of seasons.
Chuck Smith is one of the best to ever walk the sidelines in KY. Any list that doesn't have him on it is questionable. Love the guy and what he has done. If he doesn't leave for UK, we may be looking at a Trinity or Highlands type record book with Boyle, IMO.
Westside Wrote:When I was watching the Johnson Central - Boyle County game online, I heard announcer Gary Ball make the statement that he felt Chuck Smith was the best high school football coach in Kentucky. While he is good, he hasn't exactly helped himself in this argument the past two seasons by entering the playoffs as the favorite in his class only to come up a loser each time to two different coaches. Anyway, that comment got me thinking:
In order, who do you think are the top 5 coaches in Kentucky high school football?
If a Coach has won 10 games for 12 straight years and has won a state title and 2 runner-ups in that time frame and just turned 50yrs old playing a top notch schedule. Wouldn't most considered that to be a top 5 Coach? Just curious before I say who it is
Big Daddy Bull Wrote:If a Coach has won 10 games for 12 straight years and has won a state title and 2 runner-ups in that time frame and just turned 50yrs old playing a top notch schedule. Wouldn't most considered that to be a top 5 Coach? Just curious before I say who it is
A problem with that is such a list is pretty long.
Scroggins May not have won 10 for 12 but nobody in lower classes played the schedule Central has traditionally.
Brandon Smith has fewer years but just as much if not more post season success.
When you talk top 5 thatâs a very elite group whether talking active or retired.
Big Daddy Bull Wrote:If a Coach has won 10 games for 12 straight years and has won a state title and 2 runner-ups in that time frame and just turned 50yrs old playing a top notch schedule. Wouldn't most considered that to be a top 5 Coach? Just curious before I say who it is
There are easily 5 better all-time resumes than that, so no, not just on that.