[Hoot Gibson]

I totally disagree, Steve Trimble was a thorn in the side of JC football for many years! When Ronnie Wells was fired so Trimble could be coach it set back JCHS football 15 years! Wells was 2-1 in Apple Bowls. The 86 JC schedule that Wells played IMO is still the toughest ever in JC history. They played 3A State runner-up Belfry, beat Ashland, lost a close game to a district Champ Clay CO who lost to Belfry 7-6 in the playoffs (Clay had a ALL- State QB who's name slips my mind) , throw in 85' class 1A runner up Paintsville lead by Joey Coach and the 86' class 1A runner-up Cumberland lead by Fred Maggard, throw in good Dudley Hilton coached Breathitt Co team and a Ivan McClone Coached Russell team, then top it all off with Archbishop Alter of Ohio team who's option QB was former Steeler WR Jeff Graham. Wells had some bad luck, his last year at JC, he played a Whitesburg team at JC that had a LB (who's name also slips my mind) but this LB was a wrecking ball and 7 or 8 JC starters were lost for most of the season. I later found out that Whitesburg LB went on to Morehead and later played 4 or 5 seasons in the NFL. A coach doesn't play a schedule like unless he thinks he has a pretty good team. FYI Steve Trimble didn't hire Musick. All Trimble did was lose a Bunch of games as coach, and it didn't take a lot of brains to hire Matney!

I agree with you about Steve Trimble's coaching career. I thought he was principal when Musick was hired, but if not, I am sure that he was principal when the decision was made to keep Musick after a bad first season. I also know that Musick was coach longer than any of his predecessors and Steve Trimble was a big factor in him having such a long career there.

I had my own issues with the Johnson County administrators that were involved with the football program (and other programs) after Musick departed, but I also believe in giving credit where it is due. Steve Trimble never claimed to be a great football coach, but he played a positive role in building a strong program after he left coaching - notwithstanding the awful three seasons that came between Bill Musick's and Jim Matney's time there. Some of the things that happened during those seasons were beyond anybody's control and some were not but Musick and Matney put JC football on the map and Steve helped give them that opportunity.