Ben Howard Named New Coach at Pikeville

CoachB · (This post was last modified: 02-10-2009, 06:22 PM by BlackcatAlum.)

Per WDHR... Press conference tommorrow afternoon to announce Ben Howard as their next football coach. Congrat's Ben and Pikeville!!!!!

Jshort5 · 02-10-2009, 05:57 PM

Big loss for the LCC program...Pikeville you gotta good one....

**MVP2** · 02-10-2009, 06:02 PM

Im not even Shock to hear this! I had a feeling Ben would accept the job, Nice job Pikeville you guys got a good one as JS5 said!

Good luck B Howard!

IRISH4 · 02-10-2009, 06:22 PM

I've known this for almost a month now and with the job opening in his certification field for next year solitified it. Congrats to Ben though, I wish him nothing but the best and all the success in the world.

KYcoalminer · (This post was last modified: 02-10-2009, 06:50 PM by FOX SPORTS.)

Good luck to Pikeville.

Phoenix Panther · 02-10-2009, 06:53 PM

Great Hire.... Congrats Ben

~~NEWARKCATHOLICFAN~~ · 02-10-2009, 06:55 PM

Good luck Coach.
Hopefully you can do it your way and win a few state titles.

gish · 02-10-2009, 08:05 PM

Former Pikeville Head Coach Chris Macnamee will be joining him on staff.

rollover · 02-10-2009, 08:32 PM

who was all candidates for this job? Is this the same job Coach Chapman from Breathitt County was in the running for?

GRIFFIN · 02-10-2009, 08:37 PM

Ben Best Of Luck Make It Happen

**JackRabbitSlim** · 02-10-2009, 09:07 PM

They already offered him the job before anybody even applied for it

Lambert #1 · 02-10-2009, 09:36 PM

Best of luck Ben. You will be missed in Cougar Country. Remember don't get to happy with the wins and don't get to low with the losses. It's going to take some time to rebuild that program from the bottom up but I feel they picked the right person to do it.

People of Pikeville! Have the patience to let him do what he needs to do. Don't expect a boat load of wins just because you hired a new coach. It took a whole bunch of years for you all to get in the shape your in so realize it will also take a few years to fix the many problems that exist.

Good hire, you stole a good one from us.

Big Five-0- · 02-10-2009, 10:52 PM

Lambert #1 Wrote:Best of luck Ben. You will be missed in Cougar Country. Remember don't get to happy with the wins and don't get to low with the losses. It's going to take some time to rebuild that program from the bottom up but I feel they picked the right person to do it.

People of Pikeville! Have the patience to let him do what he needs to do. Don't expect a boat load of wins just because you hired a new coach. It took a whole bunch of years for you all to get in the shape your in so realize it will also take a few years to fix the many problems that exist.

Good hire, you stole a good one from us.

Congrats to Ben Howard! You have been taught by the best and you will be the best. I remember watching a special in 1989. You were just a little boy and Pikeville had just won their third state championship. You said, if we didn't have a coach like this, they wouldn't be any good. Now you are there and we the Pikeville nation are here for you!!!!!!

gobigblue65 · 02-10-2009, 11:14 PM

What time will the conference be held and where?

**Playboy5** · 02-10-2009, 11:51 PM

Congrats Ben! Make sure before you sit down..you make sure your chair is under ya, lol..And Ben knows exactly what I am talking about, lol. Pikeville, once and for all, give this young man time and I promise you, Pikeville football will be back! Again, congrats Ben!

**FBALL** · 02-10-2009, 11:56 PM

I've been hearing this was a probability for a while now. Look for the elder Howard to be on the sideling mentoring as well.

~~If...Then~~ · 02-11-2009, 12:31 AM

IMO Pikeville will have a rough year, but its up to Mac and Ben to get Pikeville back on top.

Good luck to both and the new Panther Program

**king360** · 02-11-2009, 12:37 AM

Congrats Pikeville and good luck coach Howard!

Eaglewings42 · 02-11-2009, 01:29 AM

Chapman never in the running.

HAIL PIKEVILLE! · 02-11-2009, 03:41 AM

Big Five-0- Wrote:Congrats to Ben Howard! You have been taught by the best and you will be the best. I remember watching a special in 1989. You were just a little boy and Pikeville had just won their third state championship. You said, if we didn't have a coach like this, they wouldn't be any good. Now you are there and we the Pikeville nation are here for you!!!!!!

I remember that. I also remember when Ben was a little 8th grade punk wanting to run around with us seniors so we let him hang out with us and he repaid me by tearing the transmission out of my vintage '72 VW. Ive never forgiven him for that and I NEVER WILL! Wink

Congrats Ben and GO PANTHERS!!

**FOX SPORTS** · 02-11-2009, 07:09 AM

press conference at 4pm today at Pikeville HS

It will be broadcast live on 103.1 WPKE and http://www.wpke.com

Windsprint · 02-11-2009, 12:57 PM

Congrats Ben. The people of Pikeville are getting a competitor like no other. Your kids need to listen to him. He will make them winners and help them to open doors to play at the next level. He took my son and developed him into a college signee and he can do the same for yours. I'm proud as HECK that my son had the opportunity to play for him and Hillard. He'll build you a winner Pikeville. Support him. Back him. Go to war for him. Your loyalty will pay off when Pikeville regains their winning ways.

SportsKing · 02-11-2009, 02:34 PM

Congrats Coach Howard on your new position. Pikeville got who they were wanting. Although I am a little shocked that he wanted to coach at Pikeville instead of staying at LCC and making a go of it. I guess the idea of coaching where he played was the most important factor in his decision. I am glad to see the Howard's back in the system to show people how to run things. I am very, very happy to see this decision!
Is Coach MacNamee going to be an asst. coach now? Wow!

Lambert #1 · 02-11-2009, 02:44 PM

If Ben can land MacNamee as an assistant things will start looking up immediately. Those two together should be able to stop the bleeding at Pikeville really fast. I'll bet you this much. If there are talented players roaming the hallways that aren't playing they will find them and have the in a set of shoulder pads really fast. I'm glad for Pikeville, they have finally went back to their glory days and brought in a couple of guys that know what the tradition is really about and you know those two will be really loyal to each other and their program. Best of luck.

kyrifle · 02-11-2009, 02:55 PM

What is the schedule at Pikeville this year. If you play the very same schedule you had last season the results will be the very same. If you load up on a cupcake cake pre district schedule, because this district is the weakest in the state, the number of wins will look good but I don't think there will be any quality wins for a number of years. JMO Last year's schedule was one of if not the hardest in the state in class A.

**jetpilot** · 02-11-2009, 03:07 PM

kyrifle Wrote:What is the schedule at Pikeville this year. If you play the very same schedule you had last season the results will be the very same. If you load up on a cupcake cake pre district schedule, because this district is the weakest in the state, the number of wins will look good but I don't think there will be any quality wins for a number of years. JMO Last year's schedule was one of if not the hardest in the state in class A.

Quality wins will come quickly. Doubters and haters watch out!:flame:

:letsparty

**UKisN1** · 02-11-2009, 05:04 PM

Congrats to Ben! Hope you have success at your alma mater! Remember what I told you one day. Live life to the fullest but remember how you got there. Hard work! Give it your best and you will succeed.

Panther fans be patient and support through thick and thin.

Hilbily · 02-11-2009, 06:30 PM

Good pick up for the Panther's. It is as close to a magic bullet as it gets. LCC will feel this but it shall not take long to shake off. I was one of the doubters but it is what it is. Good luck to Pikeville and you have direction now. The season is approaching soon. STOKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IRISH4 · 02-11-2009, 06:35 PM

jetpilot Wrote:Quality wins will come quickly. Doubters and haters watch out!:flame:

:letsparty

I don't think he is being a "doubter" but I do think that Pikeville is currently going through a period with a depleated talent pool. It's going to take some time to get the feeder systems built back up and to develop the talent that they have roaming the halls at PHS. Pikeville did play one of the toughest non-district schedules in the entire state regardless of class, but with hiring Ben and getting Mac as an assistant things will change, not over night...but sooner than what some expect.

HAIL PIKEVILLE! · 02-12-2009, 02:52 AM

IRISH4 Wrote:I don't think he is being a "doubter" but I do think that Pikeville is currently going through a period with a depleated talent pool. It's going to take some time to get the feeder systems built back up and to develop the talent that they have roaming the halls at PHS. Pikeville did play one of the toughest non-district schedules in the entire state regardless of class, but with hiring Ben and getting Mac as an assistant things will change, not over night...but sooner than what some expect.

Ive said before that all Ben, Mac and the rest of the staff have to do is get the kids out that havent played in the past few years and we could be a contender as early as this year. I saw alot of kids at the press conference today that were sitting up front with the team that I never thought Id see play football again. They already have done a great job as far as getting some new faces. Theyve got some more work to do before spring ball but if this is any sign its not gonna takes us as long as some think to get back on track. We have alot of talent at the LL levels as shown last year and IMO we will see marked improvement in the JR high program as well(To be honest it dosent have anywhere to go but up from last year). As far as community support goes we had more people at the press conference today than at alot of our homegames this year (Playoffs included). I commented to a freind of mine today that the whole feel around this place has done a complete 180 from what it was a month ago. Now its time for these boys and the coaching staff to get to work. The Pike County Bowl is only six months away and I cant wait!