[Real Badman]

Who are your top 10 coaches in the mountains, presently coaching? Why?

[SportsFan67]

Haywood has to be first. After that Im not putting them in any order but my 2 through 6 would be Matney (JC), Macnamee (Pikeville), Dixon (Hazard), Haddix (Corbin), Hilton (Bell County) and those could be in any order I think and I wouldn't have a complaint. 7-10 in any order would be Creech (Harlan County), Chirico (Paintsville), Herron (Williamsburg), and Hoskins (Knox Central).

1.Haywood his dynasty speaks for itself
2-6 no order these 5 have are always competitive in their classes no matter what happens.
Matney
Macnamee
Dixon
Haddix
Hilton
7-10 no order these 4 keep their programs competing also. Chirico has had a couple teams fall short is why he is not in the upper group.
Creech
Chirico
Herron
Hoskins

[cherokee]

Haywood has to be first. After that Im not putting them in any order but my 2 through 6 would be Matney (JC), Macnamee (Pikeville), Dixon (Hazard), Haddix (Corbin), Hilton (Bell County) and those could be in any order I think and I wouldn't have a complaint. 7-10 in any order would be Creech (Harlan County), Chirico (Paintsville), Herron (Williamsburg), and Hoskins (Knox Central).

1.Haywood his dynasty speaks for itself
2-6 no order these 5 have are always competitive in their classes no matter what happens.
Matney
Macnamee
Dixon
Haddix
Hilton
7-10 no order these 4 keep their programs competing also. Chirico has had a couple teams fall short is why he is not in the upper group.
Creech
Chirico
Herron
Hoskins

Haywood
Matney
Haddix
Macnamee
Dixon
Hines
Hilton
Chirico
Southwestern Coach
Herron

[JerryGarcia]

Phillip Haywood
Jim Matney
Justin Haddix
Dudley Hilton
Preacher Mikey Clem

[DarthVader]

I would rank them in this order:

1. Hilton
2. Haywood
3. Matney
4. Hines
5. French
6. Dixon
7. MacNamee
8. Herron
9. Lucas
10. Chirico

[Football_Maniac]

Hilton ahead of Haywood? Bizzare. Matney ahead of French? Some interesting juice you are drinking.

[DarthVader]

No, was French at .500 or better in a 20 year run at Sheldon Clark? Hasn't done much better at a lot better football jobs over the years. French is still a VERY good coach even great coach, but this is list is splitting hairs at the top and at the bottom.

Dudley has done more with less than any coach in Ky. over the years. Haywood is great too but the places Dudley has won at gives him the nod for me although really they both are great at what they do.

[Hatz]

No, was French at .500 or better in a 20 year run at Sheldon Clark? Hasn't done much better at a lot better football jobs over the years. French is still a VERY good coach even great coach, but this is list is splitting hairs at the top and at the bottom.

Dudley has done more with less than any coach in Ky. over the years. Haywood is great too but the places Dudley has won at gives him the nod for me although really they both are great at what they do.

French took a Mercer County program to the Class A semifinals in 1986.

Took Meade County to the AAA finals.

Took a down and out Lincoln County to the 5A semifinals.

Went 43-1 in his first three years at Boyle and two State Titles.

So that coach from Southwestern, as another poster called him, has done better than most of the coaches on these lists.

[DarthVader]

French took a Mercer County program to the Class A semifinals in 1986.

Took Meade County to the AAA finals.

Took a down and out Lincoln County to the 5A semifinals.

Went 43-1 in his first three years at Boyle and two State Titles.

So that coach from Southwestern, as another poster called him, has done better than most of the coaches on these lists.

That Ole Bobcat Coach led Breathitt County into existence.

Knocked out French's Meade County team in the 91 Finals.

Was the 1 in that 43-1 start at Boyle County.

Dudley has won at places that people should not be able to win at, consistently. All the schools Dud has been at have one thing in common and that is they were a whole lot better with him than without him. All of these guys on this list are absolutely great coaches, but a lot of them have done it at places that were pretty dang good before they got there and will be pretty dang good after they leave. You won't find a bigger Larry French fan than myself, I just think Dudley has done as much at places where it's harder to do over the years.

Matney is the same way, stayed way too long at Sheldon Clark. The war on poverty started in Martin County, he would have as many state titles as some of these other guys if not for some little blue birdies he had to meet in his deep post season runs. Really glad to see Coach Matney finally get over the hump the last few years.

[pjdoug]

Hilton ahead of Haywood? Bizzare. Matney ahead of French? Some interesting juice you are drinking.

Hilton is ahead for sure. not everybody drinks the Kool-Aid made from the Tug River water.

[Football_Maniac]

Larry beat Dudley’s teams the next two years in the semis to win back to back state championships also. Lincoln wasn’t much before Larry. Nor was Meade. Boyle had struggled. Southwestern was in a rough patch. Both he and dud can restore things quickly.

Tomato tomata. Both dandy’s. Both in top 5 all time imo. Haywood tops no matter what. He builds it. They come. Like Kevin Costner.

[pjdoug]

Larry beat Dudley’s teams the next two years in the semis to win back to back state championships also. Lincoln wasn’t much before Larry. Nor was Meade. Boyle had struggled. Southwestern was in a rough patch. Both he and dud can restore things quickly.

Tomato tomata. Both dandy’s. Both in top 5 all time imo. Haywood tops no matter what. He builds it. They come. Like Kevin Costner.

Build "it" and they will come...from West Virginia.

[OutlawJoseyWales]

Once again.....the green eyed monster rears its ugly head.

[Hatz]

That Ole Bobcat Coach led Breathitt County into existence.

Knocked out French's Meade County team in the 91 Finals.

Was the 1 in that 43-1 start at Boyle County.

Dudley has won at places that people should not be able to win at, consistently. All the schools Dud has been at have one thing in common and that is they were a whole lot better with him than without him. All of these guys on this list are absolutely great coaches, but a lot of them have done it at places that were pretty dang good before they got there and will be pretty dang good after they leave. You won't find a bigger Larry French fan than myself, I just think Dudley has done as much at places where it's harder to do over the years.

Matney is the same way, stayed way too long at Sheldon Clark. The war on poverty started in Martin County, he would have as many state titles as some of these other guys if not for some little blue birdies he had to meet in his deep post season runs. Really glad to see Coach Matney finally get over the hump the last few years.

I wasn't arguing that French should be ahead of Dudley. I was pointing out French's coaching career. I probably quoted you by mistake when my main gripe was with the guy who could not even give the name of the Southwestern coach. :Thumbs:

I think it's Haywood and Dudley and a huge gap before #3 and following.

[DarthVader]

I would agree with that. Crazy that they played each other in their first game coaching. What's the chances of that.

[Gitback Coach]

Inevitably, the answer comes down to wins and trophies, but there are some really challenging coaching jobs in eastern KY, and I always respect and appreciate those coaches that manage to do more with less sometimes.

[pjdoug]

Some of you forgot to add Frazier and Chappell to your lists. Chappell will help get that rushing attack going, and Frazier will have the defense ready for war.

[DarthVader]

Inevitably, the answer comes down to wins and trophies, but there are some really challenging coaching jobs in eastern KY, and I always respect and appreciate those coaches that manage to do more with less sometimes.

This is definitely the truth. In most of these cases it's the jobs that make these lists instead of the coaches. These guys would struggle at some schools and some guys that struggle would flourish if they had these jobs.

[pjdoug]

This is definitely the truth. In most of these cases it's the jobs that make these lists instead of the coaches. These guys would struggle at some schools and some guys that struggle would flourish if they had these jobs.

I agree. I think Frazier is top notch. He just needs the resources to put him in the best position to win.

[99PIRATEFAN]

Hilton is ahead for sure. not everybody drinks the Kool-Aid made from the Tug River water.

We don’t have to drink anything Championships and wins says it all

[pjdoug]

We don’t have to drink anything Championships and wins says it all

not much pride or glory in winning with players from another state. :biggrin:

[Bulldogs4Ever]

Justin Haddix, Mark Dixon, Haywood, and Matney.

[ArJay]

I still say Hayword and Hilton have to be 1 and 2. Hilton will re-build Bell County yet again and be on top of the mountain soon.