October 10, 2024 • 43 mins
In this episode the coaches talk with Cooper High coach Randy Borchers, plus the tough topic and games of the week. And make sure to listen to the Forgotten Heroes.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Coach David Buchanan.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Coach Chuck Smith, two legendary high school football coaches. This
is the Coach's Office, a behind the scenes look at
Kentucky high school football.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Welcome to the Coach's Office, Behind the Scenes with Chuck
Smith and David Buchannan. This is season three, episode eight.
I'm Chuck Smith. I'm joined by co host David Buchanan,
podcast editor Slash Storyteller, Flashback Fory Teler, Mike Yoagum, and
then our social media manager is Noah King. Our YouTube
(01:09):
version of this podcast is at tacop T, dot C,
dot O, dot P and if you access it there
then please hit hit and subscribe. It helps us out
what a great show we have for you tonight. Our
guests coach is Randy Worser's the head football coach at
(01:30):
Cooper High School in northern Kentucky. Coach Porscher was the
state runner up last year and has his team off
to a great start this season. We'll bring a coach
on in just a second. Our tough topic for tonight
is by Marcus Dean and his question is at what
(01:52):
age should you football switch from developmental to winning. That's
a really good question. I think that's a question a
lot of people would debate forever on, but David and
I will give our opinion here shortly. The games of
the week is Newport versus Newport Catholic Central or Newport
(02:14):
Center Catholic. And then also play County and mcquerie County.
Those are two games of the week. A little bit
about coach before we bring you on. As I said,
Randy Worser is the head football coach of Cooper High
School in northern Kentucky. He started the program and has
been there since two thousand and eight, because that's sixteen
(02:38):
seasons that he's been at Cooper High School. I remember
recruiting Cooper when I was at Kentucky and meeting Randy.
Then he was the state runner up in twenty twelve
at also in twenty twenty three. He's off to a
great start this season. He's off to a seven and
(03:01):
oh start his current currently he has his team as
the number one rank RPI in five AH, so he's
off to a great start. He's had a great football team.
I had a great season last year. He's picked up
where he's left off.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Dam It.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
You want to bring coach on? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:19):
I do.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
It.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I had fun when we were visiting before we started. Uh,
but I've coached against coach Borcher's but he was a player.
He was a freshman in ninety two and a junior
in ninety four when he was at New Calf and
I was at Paris High School. So it's pretty pretty
neat to have him on this show. And I don't know,
(03:41):
he may he may have to go into therapy after
seeing what old coach has turned out to be like
after hanging out with us for a little bit. But
a coach, we are excited to have you on our
show and a thank you for making the time. We're
very thankful, very appreciative, and.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I appreciate you guys having me on.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
It's nice to talk to a couple legends.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah. Hey, well, well Raddy, I've got the first question
for you tonight. Now, you knocked on the door last season,
and what a great team you had. What's it going
to take to get through that door? And has this
team shown the signs of having what it takes? Yeah,
you know, we keep getting better.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I think the biggest thing if you look throughout the
playoffs last year and then the state game against Ball
and Green, you know, we really struggled up front, struggled
at the line of scrimmage. You know, once you get
to the playoffs, you guys know this that you never
know what you're gonna get otherwise. And uh, you know,
we we were very solid throwing the ball, you know,
once we got into the finals and and played in
(04:46):
some rain, we really kind of struggled, you know, to
run the ball. So we have to do a better
job at the line of scrimmage. We have to do
a better job sustaining to run, you know. And that's
been a big focal point in the off season in
the weight room, and we're you know, we continue to
get better up there. So hopefully we continue to make
strides and you know, once we get to the playoffs,
hopefully you know where we're hitting our stride with with
(05:09):
line play.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You know, Randy, Northern Kentucky has always had the reputation
of being really strong in football. As playing that Northern
Kentucky schedule, Does that really help you as as the
season progresses, Does that help you when you get to
the playoffs? Yeah, we feel like it does.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
You know, we have traveled a little bit this, you know,
the past couple of years you know, but the teams
up here in northern Kentucky that there's a wide variety.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
You know, you got the physical.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Teams, the riles that we play and those type of teams,
and you've got the athletic teams. So you know, there's
so many teams just within a fifteen to twenty minute
or mile radius that we can play that we can
see so many different styles of football.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
That really helps us to.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Really see where we're at as a football program can
playoff them.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, you know, coach Bors, you're the only football coach
that Cooper High School has ever had. What were the
key steps you took to building a great program from
the ground up?
Speaker 4 (06:08):
I think you know, anytime you know you're a head coach,
you kind of want to sustain the culture of your program.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You know, you have some that have all these goals
every year.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
They want to win a state championship, they want to
do this, and we try to keep it very simple.
You know, we want to do the little things. We
want to focus on the little things. Or or Mida
has always been focused on the little things. Big things
are going to take care of themselves. You know, we
don't worry about about state championships. We don't worry about
district championships. We just worry about coming in every day,
getting better, taking care of our business, and hopefully get
(06:37):
better as the week's go on.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Hey, hey, coach, if you I love this question because
I love the I want to know what the answer
is and with the young with the younger coaches, and
because I know what the answer would be for me,
but I want to know what the answer is for
the younger generation of coaches. But if you had a
choice of having a great offensive team or a great
(07:04):
defensive team, which would you choose in today's football?
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Well, I think as the athletic director, it's being an
offensive team because that's what gets people in the stands.
But you know, as as a coach, I've always been
a guy, you know, I call the offense for us,
but I've always kind of been.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
That defensive guy.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
And I think if you play well defensively, there's so
you can control the game. So we've always put the
biggest focus on our teams defensively.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
You know. We always feel like.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
You know kind of mentioned earlier about you know, once
you get to the playoffs, you got to be playing
great defense.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You know, you never know what the what, what weather
it's going to be.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
So if you get into games where you're always having
an outscore people, you're gonna get beat, you know. So
our biggest thing is we you know, we want to
win at the line of scrimmage. We want to be fiscal,
and we you know, we want to play great defense.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
That's a great Have you always been a defensive guy?
You said you call the offensive place?
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Which which is which side of the ball do you
prefer or which side do you think your expertise is?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
And when I first started out and before I became
a head coach, I was always on the defense side
of the ball. And my first head coaching job was
at Ludlow and two thousand and six, and I tried
calling the defense, and you know, I really kind of
struggled with it because I felt like there were so
many things I couldn't control calling the defense. And I thought,
you know, once I became guy on the offense side
(08:29):
of the ball, there's so much you can control. And
I've always kind of been a big believer that, you know,
if you're playing great, great defense, you can you know,
you can kind of play field position. You don't take
as many chances, try not to turn the ball over.
So you know, I've always kind of felt like because
of being a defensive guy, it's helped us out as
a program, being able to control the game more throughout
(08:50):
the ball game.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, I think you bring up some really good points
with the weather when it gets into late November or
our late October, early November, or really in November. You know,
when the weather really starts to change, then it really
you know, in him, it's the the the the offense.
(09:14):
You know, if it's a bad night, whether it's raining,
whether it's code, then you really got to rely on
your defense. And I like your answer. I thought you'd
give some good feedback there, you.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Know, coach, you know, and it's it's enterting thinking back
to you playing at New Calf. But you know, back
in the old days, mainly thinking when I was at Paris,
we would play Dayton, Bellevue, New Calf, Beechwood, all of
you guys were playing at five to three. It's like
that was the Northern Kentucky defense was a fifty three.
(09:47):
What similarities are there in style of play for that
area still today or are those days over? Are the
days over? Of everybody looking the same in northern Kentucky,
at least defensively. Has that changed from you know again
when you played when I coached at Paris.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Well, yes, no, you know, I think when you look
at you know, when you coached up here in the nineties,
everybody was kind of the iback field. Everybody was gonna
run downhill and run some option and really run in
between the tackles. Well, now everybody spreads. Now everybody's trying
to stop the spread.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
You know, back then it was that's stopped and run.
Let's get into fifty three.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I think it's a little bit more and he's still
got that five three kind of evolved now into the
three four three five and dropping more guys into covers.
But there's a lot of forty teams around here now too.
You know up here now it's mostly rather a three
four or four to two.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
And we talked about that with.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Guys.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
I think it was coach sam As at Corman, and
he said the same thing. It's most of the time
we're seeing a thirty tight front or we're seeing a
four to two five, and those are sort of the
national defenses these days. But coach, hey, I do I
appreciate you being on, and it's really cool talking to
(11:08):
a guy that was on that other sideline. And man,
I love Coach Nade. I loved him. He was always
somebody I looked up to and really really neat to
have you on our show and get to talk after Gosh,
Coach has been thirty. He was thirty years ago this
fall that you were a junior at Newcat and I
(11:29):
was coaching at Paris. I think we're getting old. I
just think I got a big head start for.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Yeah, it doesn't seem that long ago.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
I know that.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So, but you know, I appreciate you guys having me on.
It's great talking to you guys. You guys are two
guys that I've really looked up to throughout my coaching career.
So it's really cool to be a'll sit down and
talk to you guys a little bit.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Well, Hey, we still had a lot of work to do,
but we are fighting like crazy to get the Anderson
County Bearcats. We're fighting like crazy. You get to come
play Cooper here in a few weeks. So we got
a lot of work to do to pull it off.
But I hope you got to look at me at
least across the sideline. Maybe one more time. I'm hoping. Anyway,
we're going to work like crazy to make it happen.
(12:09):
Just take it easy on us, all right. I think
I think you're I think you're okay, coach, I think
you're I appreciate it, guys, thank you, appreciate.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
You, Hey, David. Our next next segment is, of course
the tough topic, and uh it's by Marcus sten At
what age should you football switch from developmental to winning?
That's a really really good question, and I think it's
a question that can be debated, you know, uh, all
(12:41):
night long.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Well, and and this is one of those questions too
that I've got my answer. And then probably after you answer,
I said, well, wait a second, I want to change mind.
But but here's the thing. You love to teach me
about being on the fence. But to me, changing your
mind is a sign of intelligence. It means you listen
and you are taking in new information so you can
get after me. Hey, I want to say this about
(13:03):
Marcus Man. It's been a lot to me. Marcus's father
in law's league, Glass Cock, played for my dad at
Boyle Head coach at Washington County Marcus and Lee came
to our game Friday night and I got to visit
with him before and after the game a little. And
Marcus is also Marcus is an expert when it comes
to grass and turn. He is ele He in Kentucky's
(13:28):
when I was with Yes, he's been at UK. And
here's the thing too, I'm going to give away some
of my sources here, but a lot of times, when
I'm getting under your skin telling about how great grass
in Bermuda is, my info is coming from Marcus Dean,
who knows this stuff better than anybody. But a you
(13:48):
want me to answer this first?
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Whatever?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Hey, all right, so here we go. I think the
later this happens, the better. But generally, I think eighth
grade and freshman year is the point that winning begins
to matter because that's when they identify as a team
or as a class or a group. That's when they
start deciding a we're good or they start to be
(14:14):
negative about it. Now, what's a little different about me
is what years that freshman year and their eighth grade year,
because that's when they sort of that's when they're the
a team. That's when they're freshmen. They're playing together. Now
the JV team at the high school level, I really
look at that almost more as a practice because that's
(14:35):
trying to get guys together, get a team on the field,
and get reps. And then I think the B team
at the middle school level, to me, I think that's
more of a practice. You're trying to get guys on
the field, get reps as much as possible. But I
think if your eighth grade can win, and if your
freshmen can win, I think that's a big positive. Now
(14:58):
they're still developmental, but I mean, I really, in a
perfect world, in a perfect world, I don't know if
I'd worry a whole lot about it until they're in
high school, and just because I just really want to
develop kids and I want to make kids to be
the best football players possible. But the reality is is
(15:21):
the parents and the kids in the eighth grade and
the freshman season, that's when they start deciding we're good
or we're bad. And I hate saying it, but a
lot of times with these youth league deals, if they're traveling,
they're deciding that about the third grade, the fourth grade,
the fifth and the sixth And I'll tell you, I
think that's way too early. To be citing if a
(15:45):
team is good or not. I think we need to
be letting those kids play and get reps and enjoy
playing football. Those are my thoughts on it.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
I thought, I think that what you said is that
the parents and the kids start thinking that a whole
lot earlier. And I disagree with that, and I agree
with about everything that you said. I'm not so sure
that the answer is not until you get to the
high school for that question, I'm really.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Not going I want it to be like that, but
it's just it's hard to operate like that these days.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
But to the parents and the kids, the parents.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And the kids, but that's what it should be like.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I think you can talk about it, set goals, work
towards winning in the middle school, but I'm not really
sure because that's what the kids and the parents want,
but I'm not sure that they really understand what goes
into winning at that age. I'm really not you know,
(16:47):
we won a lot of state championships at Boyle County
with the same kids that would have a five hundred
record in middle school and their freshmen in their freshman season,
you know, for that matter, we want a lot of
championships and they didn't have winning records or around five
(17:08):
hundred and you know, as a middle school kid and
as a freshman at Boyle County and simply because they
didn't really didn't understand you know what goes into winning.
Kids grow and develop so much physically. You know, you
you're not sure what position you know they're going to
play as even as a middle school kid, you're really
(17:31):
not because they're going to grow and develop, they might
end up being a line and then when they're a
skill kid in the middle school or or or you know,
you know whatever, they vice versa even for that matter.
But you know, you know that they'll grow and they're growing.
They're going to grow and mature, and you've got to
you've got to be thinking about how they're going to
(17:52):
grow and mature. Winning is a mentality and it's a culture,
and most of the time it comes with a price, commitment,
a dedication. I'm not sure in the middle school, uh
that they know you know.
Speaker 6 (18:10):
What what what you know what that's all about. I
don't I don't think they understand that as a middle
school kid, you know, they're going to mature, you know,
how they're going to handle what you know what what
what's expected of them, How that's going to be instilled
in them. I just don't think that in the middle school,
and even I even go as far as even the freshman.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Year, that they quite get it all the way. And
then once they get to the high school and then
I think it's your job as a coach to instill that,
start start pushing it, start start forcing it on them
and that culture, that mentality of winning. And you know,
but that's that's kind of the way we did it
at Boyle County and uh, you know again, you know,
(18:57):
I don't want to keep saying it, but you know,
are we have a lot of you know, five hundred
middle school teams and five hundred record JV teams that
went on to win state championships.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
You know a couple of things. I mean, I agree
with everything you're saying there. You know, it wasn't a
state championship, but the first region title at Mason County,
that group of seniors when they played Fleming as eighth graders,
Fleming could name I think it's like forty eight to nothing,
and then that's who we beat to win our first
region championship when they were seniors. And besides the developmental piece.
(19:32):
It really changes when you start and put classes together.
You put the sydemore of the junior or the senior.
Now it's a different dynamic. It's very different. And then
I love what you said about the freshmen because I
said this for a long time. In our program, when
they really have to start growing up is spring practice
of their freshman year. That's when it starts to get different.
(19:57):
And that's the part that we have to fight to
get the kids to fight through because that's when the
mentality and the physicality and the demands, that's when it
all really starts to come into play. And I mean,
I love what you said. And it's almost like it
sounds bad. I hope my players aren't listening. But it's
like it's almost like we sort of keep a secret
(20:19):
about how tough it is until springing their freshman year.
And then springing their freshman year, it's sort of like, guys,
this is what it's like. And you get down there
in those D line drills and we're attacking and squeezing
and crossing face and it's like, oh boy, it's a
whole new world.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
There's no question that winning is a you know, it's
a mentality, it's a commitment, it's a dedication that they
have never experienced in their life, and to really not
mature enough to handle that until they're probably a sophomore
in high school because it's pretty intense, and if you're
(20:57):
not ready for that, then they you start too soon
to end up quitting because it's too much form.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
That's a great point, and that's why I always sweat
that spring practice for those freshmen. We have to work
like crazy to keep them. That's a great point.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
And David, I think it's important as a coach that
you decide those sophomores to be You've got to decide
at an early age whether they're mature enough to handle
it or not. Not at an early age, but at
early stage, I should say, in that sophomore season, you know,
are they Are they mature enough to handle that kind
(21:34):
of pressure, that kind of commitment, dedication, maturity, And if
they're not, you need to try to figure out a
way to separate them into a JV freshman. Uh. If
you don't, you'll lose them.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
And that's a great point. We're copying off of you.
We've got a handful of sophomores that practice several with
the freshmen and the JV and I think that's helped
us to keep them. We're getting ready to move a
junior we had with him who came out late, but
we're getting ready. We're gonna move him up with us.
I mean, he's done a good job of improving. And
(22:09):
you know, it's fascinating for me, you know, and I've
talked about, you know that our coaching tree and things,
but you know, it's so fascinating because over fifty years ago,
when my dad was at Boil, what he wanted to do.
He didn't he didn't have the numbers to do it,
but he wanted to split his program into seniors, juniors,
and sophomores that could play on Friday night, and the
(22:32):
freshmen and sophomores would have their totally separate program, separate
coaches and everything. And just because I think of what
you're saying, because there's a there's a big piece of
there's a lot of people there that you want in
your program, but they're not ready for Friday night. But
the ones that are, hey, let's keep moving forward. So
(22:54):
I like what you said. I think that's a lot
of wisdom. And you know, you've got the six state
championship rings. I don't have those, but uh, I think
you had enough success that I think I think a
lot of us can learn by listening. Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Yeah, well I have seven, to be honest, I have
one as an assistant.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Yes, sir, I stand corrected. So I want to make
sure we got that a number seven in there. So
good deal. Hey, I'm not sold there going to be
a number eight this year, but that's just me. So
all right, So we got Newport versus New Calf. I've
got Newport, You've gotten New Calf. You want you want
(23:33):
me to go.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
First or it doesn't matter, all right, Well.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Let me let me go. Hey, so this game which hey,
coach Borcher's played in this game because he went to
newcat Yeah yeah, but they played for the Fireman's Belle Trophy.
NEWCAF has won twenty sixth straight. Now I've got Newport.
The head coach is Paul Wiggins. They're four and one.
They're led by quarterback Kyle Lee. He's averaging one hundred
(23:59):
and twenty yards pa in a game. His time receivers
are Kendall Buck Barber, Kaveon Sharp, and Keegan Ferrell. And
then Defensively, they're led by Sean Hurry and Jalen Hartness,
and Hartness has nine and a half tackles for loss.
(24:19):
So those guys have done a good job of getting
after people. And uh, I think it'll be a great game.
And uh, I just I sort of got a feel
in this. Maybe Newport's here to get them. What do
you think?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
You know Newport's got a shock to get them, because
I looked at the scores and they do have a
chance to get them. But uh, Newport Central Catholic is
the head football coach is Stephen Lickor. And I know Steven.
Stephen was at Holmes and then he was over at
Campbell County for a while. I recruited north of Kentucky
when I was assistant at the University of Kentucky, so
(24:52):
I know I know a lot of those coaches up there.
He took over the Newport A Central Catholic program in
twenty eighteen and he's done an out sandy job. In
twenty twenty one, they were nine and four and made
it to the third round, and twenty twenty two they
were eleven and three under his leadership and made it
(25:14):
to the semi finals. In twenty twenty twenty twenty three,
they were eight and five and also made it to
the third round. So he's kind of a you know,
like a common fixture in the third round. He's been
there for the past, you know, three or four years
(25:35):
in the third round, so he's doing a really good job.
He's led this year by quarterback Emanuel Miles. He's what
makes them go, you know, he's kind of what makes
them goal. His stats are are phenomenal and he's done
a great job with it. The running back is Caleb
Cole who's led the way there and helped their ground game.
(25:59):
Receivers are Charlie Ford and Grating Shemir uh and they're
currently three and three. Though they're currently three and three, uh,
they have a three game losing streak. But Newport Central
Catholic will play a tough schedule. They'll have to play
a tough schedule because they have such a great reputation
(26:19):
in Northern Kentucky. They've won several state championships there. But
they're so they're always going to have to play a
tough schedule. But they are three and three, and uh,
you know I do in Newport has got a nice
football team.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
This year.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
They usually don't have that kind of tradition, that kind
of success year and a year out. But because Newport
Central Catholic is on a three game winning or three
game losing streak, I just don't see them making it forward.
So I'm gonna, I'm gonna. I'm gonna think they're gonna
(26:54):
have some extra motivation there, and I think that Newport
Central Catholic is going to pull this one out in
a close game, in a close game, because I think
Newport's got a nice football team this year.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I agree that it is going to be a great game,
and it has been for a long time. I know that.
I know it's sort of it's live sided right now
as far as the series numbers, but Newport and Newcast,
I think that game is gonna be around for a
long time. And a Steven like Randy is another Northern
Kentucky product. He played at Highlands, and you know those guys,
(27:30):
they sort of hang around up there and and they
do a good job. They do a good job, So
you know, Northern.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Kentucky is pretty unique. David, I didn't know. As a
football coach at Boyle County, I didn't know much about
Northern Kentucky. But when I became an assistant at the
University of Kentucky and I started recruiting Northern Kentucky, I really,
I really can't began to appreciate Northern Kentucky football. I
(27:58):
think they got, you know, their own little for eternity
up there. You know, they all they all know each other,
they all like each other, they all take care of
each other. I really appreciate their little fraternity that they
had going on, and I became really a fan of
Northern Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Well. When I was at Paris, our sister district was Beechwood,
New Calf, Bellevue, Dayton, and Lloyd, and so we would
see those guys in November. And I remember ninety three,
we're going to open up with Dayton, and Dayton is
five and five, and my fans are like, oh, they're
only five and five. I'm like, man, you don't understand
(28:35):
who they've been playing. I'm like, they're good. They were
really good. And you know what's weird is the only
game we ever won against one of those teams by
a big score was that New Calf game in ninety four.
But Dayton was award, Bellevue was award and then Beechwood
we never got it. That's when Greg Herget was their quarterback.
(28:57):
Mike Yeagle was the head coach, and we never got
those guys. We played them really tough in ninety three.
But you know, we were sort of proud of this.
We were the only team in our district that could
beat one of them. I mean, Racelin couldn't beat them.
Nobody else could get them. We could beat them. We
had some really really good players. But I tell you what,
(29:19):
when you played in norder, we can take you're gonna
play a football game. And they were very, very, very physical.
I will say this one of the things I thought
got us at Paris when we switched and we had
to play one through four for a team of about
twenty seven twenty eight players playing New Caf and beach
Wood in Bellevue and Dayton were so physical. I remember
(29:42):
my centers. My center, Matt EAD's weighed about one hundred
and fifty pounds, played defensive ends, center, played both ways.
I'm telling you about the end of the season, he
couldn't lift his arms over his head. I mean, it
was just it was. They were just such physical, physical
football game games. But those are great memories. And I
(30:03):
tell you, look, when you line up across from one
of those cats, you were going to play a ball game.
It was a lot of fun out Those are great memories. Yeah,
and David.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
The next the next game of the week is Clay
County versus mcquery Central, and I have McQuary Central.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
They're head football coaches Sam Marble. I know Sam. He's
been at Taylor County, he's been at Benll County, He's
been at Casey County. He's kind of a Dudley guy,
Dudley Hilton guy. You know he is. He's been with
Dudley for a long time. They're they're led by quarterback
Peyton Higginbottom. And the running back or the running game
(30:42):
is led by Logan Mitchell and and brock Strunk, and
the receiving corps is led by Christian West and you know,
the more of a running team because he's a Dudley guy.
And and uh, but they're currently three and three. You know,
I know Sam. I even try to inquire about hiring
(31:04):
Sam one time. And you know, again, he was a
Dudley guy. He was going to hang with fud lead.
He wasn't going to leave Dudley. But you know, he's
done a really really good job everywhere that he's been.
I think he's done a great job of coaching football.
I think he's well respected in the coaching world. But
Clay County has a really nice football team and mcquery
(31:27):
has no history, no history of any kind of success,
and he's got a major, major rebuilding job there just
from mentality alone. I mean, he's got to change their mentality.
He's got to change their culture, and that is not
an overnight fix. And I think, if I'm not mistaken,
this is his first year there.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
It's just a second year.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
It's his second year there, and it is going to
be a, you know, a four or five year job
of changing the culture at McQuary County. It really is.
It's because they've had years and years and years of
a poor football team and poor football program, and so
he's got a major and he's the guy to do
it now he is, he's the guy to do it.
(32:11):
But it's a major, major rebuilding job. I just don't
think that he can beat Clay County. Clay County's got
a nice football team and they have two weeks to
prepare for mcquery. I just don't think they can beat
Clay in this game.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Hey, and I don't mean to be argumentative or difficult,
but I would argue probably and I could be wrong.
You called it a rebuild at McCreary Central. I call
it a bill. Yeah, I don't know that they've had
a program.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Yeah, I don't know, but I do think Sam's an
excellent coach. Now, I tell you a guy that knows
how to build. Mike Sizemore. He was actually up here
next to me at Bracken County for a while. He
did a good job there. Now he's gone to Clay County.
He's doing a good job there as well. They've had
one loss, lost to a good rock Castle County team. Uh.
(33:03):
They're led by Aiden Carr On offense, he's got one
hundred and fifty yards rushing per game. Uh, they're top,
they're top defenders. Their defenses led by Trenton Reed, Coincize
More and Jadon Woods. You know, I'm with you. I
think i'd give the edge to Clay County this year,
but I think McCree Central. I actually think they're better
(33:26):
than they realized. I think Sam's done a good job.
I think Sam's just working on helping those guys have
enough confidence to think that they can win.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
And uh, he got to change the culture there. Yes,
he's got to change the culture. And I think Mike's
done a really good job at play. I know Mike,
and I think he's done a great job.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah. I'm excited too, you know, because I love to
see that football in Southeastern Kentucky thriving. And I really
think these are two Southeastern Kentucky football programs in the
mountains that I mean, I I think they're on the
upswing and I'm excited for them. And you know the
other thing too, When I reached out to Mike and
(34:07):
Sam about being our game of the week, I mean,
they were so excited and genuinely appreciative, and you know,
I appre you know, that made me feel good that
you know, they were excited they were the game of
the week. So, uh, I think it's gonna be a
great night of football. I wish him the best. I
would give the edge to Clay County right now, but
I think it'll be a good game. I really do well.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
The both very good football coaches, and they both really
take advantage of the opportunity to promote their programs, and
that's that's that's part of being a good football coach too.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
I think I agree. So, well, hey, we're gonna try
something different next week, and we're excited about it. We're
gonna flip the switch a little, and we're gonna have
some of our listeners are gonna be on as our guest,
and our tough topic is going to be from Dan Brown,
Chris Jones, and Tony Rope and Dan Dan has in
(35:00):
Eastern Kentucky. Tony's coached in Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky,
and you know you know Tony, Well, you guys go
back a long time. Let me say a good coach,
Chris Jones, what is really cool? Chris is a Paris guy.
And Chris graduated with Stephanie, Larry Harris, Chris Haney and
(35:20):
all those folks at Paris High School. And I'll go
to that eighty eight class reunion. I love going to
hang out with those guys and hey, here, you'll get
a kick out of this. Do you know who? Well,
I tell you what he would have been a year
after them. But the class of eighty nine that was
good friends with all these people was Jeff Reese who
(35:43):
moved and went to Henderson County. But I'm excited to
have chris On and Dan and Tony and you know,
we're just we're gonna do some different things. We're we're
gonna be aggressive in promoting this podcast and making it better,
and we're gonna keep going a million miles an hour
until we stop to make it great.
Speaker 7 (36:05):
Well, David, We've always wanted this podcast to be about,
you know, the listeners and and what and give them
the information and the feedback that they you know, they
they wanted, they wanted, and so I'm excited about it.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
I think it'd be a great, a big, great episode.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
I am as well. It's gonna be good, it's gonna
be real good.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
And and hey listen, we're getting ready to sign off,
but please hang on. Listen to Mike's historical segment. It's
it's great. It's always great. You'll learn something about the
history of Kentucky high school football every single time you listen.
I don't know where it gets those stories, I don't
I don't know where it gets, but they great every time.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
This was funny. I'm sitting in downtown larns Burg eating
a sandwich. This today after doing some work at school,
and this lady talks to me. She says, are you
a football coach? I don't know how you figured that out.
I guess that I'm a football shirt Anderson County. So
we get to talking. I feel bad. I wish I
remembered her name. But she goes on and on about
(37:07):
how much she loves mack Yoakam and how Austin mack
Yokam is, Hey, I just called him right there. I
put him on the speakerphone and uh, we had a blast.
But Mac Yoakam is like, he's really sort of becoming
a celebrity these days. Would you agree with that? Everybody?
Speaker 3 (37:26):
My wife's favorite part of this whole podcast is the historic.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Oh I know, I know what. Hey, they gonna pick
up Mac for the Ed Sullivan showing to tell us
that we don't know who you two guys are.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Yeah, anyway, I appreciate you lesteners tuning in and we'll
see you next week. Thank you.
Speaker 8 (37:48):
Sports, and in particular, high school sports, are woven into
the fabric of Americana. High school sports are part of
the DNA of communities across the country, and that this
is certainly true in Kentucky fans know the stories of
the big names, but there are many names and many
stories that have been lost to history. This series highlights
(38:12):
those forgotten heroes. Since nineteen seventeen, the Green and Gold
of Saint Xavier have been led by some of the
most well known and successful coaches in Kentucky history. Leon Dunagan,
Ray Behar, Bill Glazer, Mike Glazer, Kevin Wallace, and others
have all taken the Tigers to great heights. As great
(38:34):
as all of those Sant X coaches have been, one
in particular might have had a more legendary career and
colorful life than all of the rest combined. The Louisville
Colonel's Pro baseball team in the late nineteen thirties brought
a gentleman to town whose life was the stuff of movies.
(38:54):
From nineteen thirty one to nineteen thirty three, Saint x
was sixteen seven and two under coach Joe Guian, who
was coach Joe Guian. Joe Guyan was born o g
Chaida on the Chippewa Reservation in Minnesota. He received only
a sixth grade education on the reservation, but that didn't
(39:16):
stop him from getting into the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
At Carlisle, he teamed with the great Jim Thorpe under
the tutelage of the legendary coach Pop Warner. Joe was
named All American in nineteen thirteen, and following the nineteen
thirteen season, Joe, who had earned the nickname Big Chief,
headed south to Georgia Tech to suit up for coach
(39:39):
John Heisman. Heisman had the edge in getting Big Chief
because he had named Joe's brother, Wahoo Guyan as an
assistant coach. In his first run from scrimmage for Tech,
he went on a seventy five yard touchdown run versus
Wake Forest. Joe Guyan led the Rambling Wreck to the
(39:59):
nineteen seventeen National Championship and was again named to the
All American team. Joe decided pro football was his best
career option. He was a triple thread halfback playing for
the Canton Bulldogs, Washington Senators, Union Quakers, Cleveland Indians, Kansas
City Cowboys, Oorang Indians, the Rock Island Independence, and the
(40:23):
New York Giants. He teamed back up with Jim Thorpe
on the Canton Bulldogs when they won the Pro Football title,
and Joe Guyan was actually best man in Jim Thorpe's wedding.
Guyan won an NFL title in nineteen twenty seven when
he led the New York Giants to an eleven one
to one mark. In the offseason, Joe coached and played
(40:47):
pro baseball. He was baseball coach at Clemson from nineteen
twenty eight to nineteen thirty one, and before that he
coached all the sports at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.
And it was baseball that brought Joe Guyan to Louisville.
A three forty hitter for the Louisville Colonels, Joe in
nineteen thirty one met brother Benjamin, who was the new
(41:10):
headmaster at Saint X, and Brother Benjamin persuaded the Big
Chief to take over as the head football coach for
the Tigers. Joe Guyan is in the Union University Hall
of Fame, and in nineteen sixty six, Joe Big Chief
Guyan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
(41:30):
So how great of an athlete was Joe Guyan. Let's
see football All American, one of the best hitters in
all of professional baseball, A starter on the basketball teams
at the Carlisle Indian School and at Georgia Tech. A
track star and was captain of the lacrosse team. At Carlisle,
(41:50):
he learned football under two of the biggest names in
football history, Pop Warner and John Heisman. Louisville made such
an impression on Joe that, following his retirement as a
bank security guard in Michigan, he and his wife moved
back to Louisville, and Joe Big Chief Guyan passed away
in Louisville in November nineteen seventy one. Joe Guyan is
(42:15):
buried in Louisville's rest Haven Cemetery.
Speaker 5 (43:00):
The Acid The Acid Doctor sat
Coach David Buchanan.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Coach Chuck Smith, two legendary high school football coaches. This
is the Coach's Office, a behind the scenes look at
Kentucky high school football.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Welcome to the Coach's Office, Behind the Scenes with Chuck
Smith and David Buchannan. This is season three, episode eight.
I'm Chuck Smith. I'm joined by co host David Buchanan,
podcast editor Slash Storyteller, Flashback Fory Teler, Mike Yoagum, and
then our social media manager is Noah King. Our YouTube
(01:09):
version of this podcast is at tacop T, dot C,
dot O, dot P and if you access it there
then please hit hit and subscribe. It helps us out
what a great show we have for you tonight. Our
guests coach is Randy Worser's the head football coach at
(01:30):
Cooper High School in northern Kentucky. Coach Porscher was the
state runner up last year and has his team off
to a great start this season. We'll bring a coach
on in just a second. Our tough topic for tonight
is by Marcus Dean and his question is at what
(01:52):
age should you football switch from developmental to winning. That's
a really good question. I think that's a question a
lot of people would debate forever on, but David and
I will give our opinion here shortly. The games of
the week is Newport versus Newport Catholic Central or Newport
(02:14):
Center Catholic. And then also play County and mcquerie County.
Those are two games of the week. A little bit
about coach before we bring you on. As I said,
Randy Worser is the head football coach of Cooper High
School in northern Kentucky. He started the program and has
been there since two thousand and eight, because that's sixteen
(02:38):
seasons that he's been at Cooper High School. I remember
recruiting Cooper when I was at Kentucky and meeting Randy.
Then he was the state runner up in twenty twelve
at also in twenty twenty three. He's off to a
great start this season. He's off to a seven and
(03:01):
oh start his current currently he has his team as
the number one rank RPI in five AH, so he's
off to a great start. He's had a great football team.
I had a great season last year. He's picked up
where he's left off.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Dam It.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
You want to bring coach on? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:19):
I do.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
It.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I had fun when we were visiting before we started. Uh,
but I've coached against coach Borcher's but he was a player.
He was a freshman in ninety two and a junior
in ninety four when he was at New Calf and
I was at Paris High School. So it's pretty pretty
neat to have him on this show. And I don't know,
(03:41):
he may he may have to go into therapy after
seeing what old coach has turned out to be like
after hanging out with us for a little bit. But
a coach, we are excited to have you on our
show and a thank you for making the time. We're
very thankful, very appreciative, and.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I appreciate you guys having me on.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
It's nice to talk to a couple legends.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah. Hey, well, well Raddy, I've got the first question
for you tonight. Now, you knocked on the door last season,
and what a great team you had. What's it going
to take to get through that door? And has this
team shown the signs of having what it takes? Yeah,
you know, we keep getting better.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I think the biggest thing if you look throughout the
playoffs last year and then the state game against Ball
and Green, you know, we really struggled up front, struggled
at the line of scrimmage. You know, once you get
to the playoffs, you guys know this that you never
know what you're gonna get otherwise. And uh, you know,
we we were very solid throwing the ball, you know,
once we got into the finals and and played in
(04:46):
some rain, we really kind of struggled, you know, to
run the ball. So we have to do a better
job at the line of scrimmage. We have to do
a better job sustaining to run, you know. And that's
been a big focal point in the off season in
the weight room, and we're you know, we continue to
get better up there. So hopefully we continue to make
strides and you know, once we get to the playoffs,
hopefully you know where we're hitting our stride with with
(05:09):
line play.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
You know, Randy, Northern Kentucky has always had the reputation
of being really strong in football. As playing that Northern
Kentucky schedule, Does that really help you as as the
season progresses, Does that help you when you get to
the playoffs? Yeah, we feel like it does.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
You know, we have traveled a little bit this, you know,
the past couple of years you know, but the teams
up here in northern Kentucky that there's a wide variety.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
You know, you got the physical.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Teams, the riles that we play and those type of teams,
and you've got the athletic teams. So you know, there's
so many teams just within a fifteen to twenty minute
or mile radius that we can play that we can
see so many different styles of football.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
That really helps us to.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
Really see where we're at as a football program can
playoff them.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Yeah, you know, coach Bors, you're the only football coach
that Cooper High School has ever had. What were the
key steps you took to building a great program from
the ground up?
Speaker 4 (06:08):
I think you know, anytime you know you're a head coach,
you kind of want to sustain the culture of your program.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
You know, you have some that have all these goals
every year.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
They want to win a state championship, they want to
do this, and we try to keep it very simple.
You know, we want to do the little things. We
want to focus on the little things. Or or Mida
has always been focused on the little things. Big things
are going to take care of themselves. You know, we
don't worry about about state championships. We don't worry about
district championships. We just worry about coming in every day,
getting better, taking care of our business, and hopefully get
(06:37):
better as the week's go on.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Hey, hey, coach, if you I love this question because
I love the I want to know what the answer
is and with the young with the younger coaches, and
because I know what the answer would be for me,
but I want to know what the answer is for
the younger generation of coaches. But if you had a
choice of having a great offensive team or a great
(07:04):
defensive team, which would you choose in today's football?
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Well, I think as the athletic director, it's being an
offensive team because that's what gets people in the stands.
But you know, as as a coach, I've always been
a guy, you know, I call the offense for us,
but I've always kind of been.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
That defensive guy.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
And I think if you play well defensively, there's so
you can control the game. So we've always put the
biggest focus on our teams defensively.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
You know. We always feel like.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
You know kind of mentioned earlier about you know, once
you get to the playoffs, you got to be playing
great defense.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
You know, you never know what the what, what weather
it's going to be.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
So if you get into games where you're always having
an outscore people, you're gonna get beat, you know. So
our biggest thing is we you know, we want to
win at the line of scrimmage. We want to be fiscal,
and we you know, we want to play great defense.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
That's a great Have you always been a defensive guy?
You said you call the offensive place?
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Which which is which side of the ball do you
prefer or which side do you think your expertise is?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
And when I first started out and before I became
a head coach, I was always on the defense side
of the ball. And my first head coaching job was
at Ludlow and two thousand and six, and I tried
calling the defense, and you know, I really kind of
struggled with it because I felt like there were so
many things I couldn't control calling the defense. And I thought,
you know, once I became guy on the offense side
(08:29):
of the ball, there's so much you can control. And
I've always kind of been a big believer that, you know,
if you're playing great, great defense, you can you know,
you can kind of play field position. You don't take
as many chances, try not to turn the ball over.
So you know, I've always kind of felt like because
of being a defensive guy, it's helped us out as
a program, being able to control the game more throughout
(08:50):
the ball game.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Yeah, I think you bring up some really good points
with the weather when it gets into late November or
our late October, early November, or really in November. You know,
when the weather really starts to change, then it really
you know, in him, it's the the the the offense.
(09:14):
You know, if it's a bad night, whether it's raining,
whether it's code, then you really got to rely on
your defense. And I like your answer. I thought you'd
give some good feedback there, you.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Know, coach, you know, and it's it's enterting thinking back
to you playing at New Calf. But you know, back
in the old days, mainly thinking when I was at Paris,
we would play Dayton, Bellevue, New Calf, Beechwood, all of
you guys were playing at five to three. It's like
that was the Northern Kentucky defense was a fifty three.
(09:47):
What similarities are there in style of play for that
area still today or are those days over? Are the
days over? Of everybody looking the same in northern Kentucky,
at least defensively. Has that changed from you know again
when you played when I coached at Paris.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
Well, yes, no, you know, I think when you look
at you know, when you coached up here in the nineties,
everybody was kind of the iback field. Everybody was gonna
run downhill and run some option and really run in
between the tackles. Well, now everybody spreads. Now everybody's trying
to stop the spread.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
You know, back then it was that's stopped and run.
Let's get into fifty three.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I think it's a little bit more and he's still
got that five three kind of evolved now into the
three four three five and dropping more guys into covers.
But there's a lot of forty teams around here now too.
You know up here now it's mostly rather a three
four or four to two.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
And we talked about that with.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Guys.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
I think it was coach sam As at Corman, and
he said the same thing. It's most of the time
we're seeing a thirty tight front or we're seeing a
four to two five, and those are sort of the
national defenses these days. But coach, hey, I do I
appreciate you being on, and it's really cool talking to
(11:08):
a guy that was on that other sideline. And man,
I love Coach Nade. I loved him. He was always
somebody I looked up to and really really neat to
have you on our show and get to talk after Gosh,
Coach has been thirty. He was thirty years ago this
fall that you were a junior at Newcat and I
(11:29):
was coaching at Paris. I think we're getting old. I
just think I got a big head start for.
Speaker 4 (11:35):
Yeah, it doesn't seem that long ago.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
I know that.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So, but you know, I appreciate you guys having me on.
It's great talking to you guys. You guys are two
guys that I've really looked up to throughout my coaching career.
So it's really cool to be a'll sit down and
talk to you guys a little bit.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Well, Hey, we still had a lot of work to do,
but we are fighting like crazy to get the Anderson
County Bearcats. We're fighting like crazy. You get to come
play Cooper here in a few weeks. So we got
a lot of work to do to pull it off.
But I hope you got to look at me at
least across the sideline. Maybe one more time. I'm hoping. Anyway,
we're going to work like crazy to make it happen.
(12:09):
Just take it easy on us, all right. I think
I think you're I think you're okay, coach, I think
you're I appreciate it, guys, thank you, appreciate.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
You, Hey, David. Our next next segment is, of course
the tough topic, and uh it's by Marcus sten At
what age should you football switch from developmental to winning?
That's a really really good question, and I think it's
a question that can be debated, you know, uh, all
(12:41):
night long.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Well, and and this is one of those questions too
that I've got my answer. And then probably after you answer,
I said, well, wait a second, I want to change mind.
But but here's the thing. You love to teach me
about being on the fence. But to me, changing your
mind is a sign of intelligence. It means you listen
and you are taking in new information so you can
get after me. Hey, I want to say this about
(13:03):
Marcus Man. It's been a lot to me. Marcus's father
in law's league, Glass Cock, played for my dad at
Boyle Head coach at Washington County Marcus and Lee came
to our game Friday night and I got to visit
with him before and after the game a little. And
Marcus is also Marcus is an expert when it comes
to grass and turn. He is ele He in Kentucky's
(13:28):
when I was with Yes, he's been at UK. And
here's the thing too, I'm going to give away some
of my sources here, but a lot of times, when
I'm getting under your skin telling about how great grass
in Bermuda is, my info is coming from Marcus Dean,
who knows this stuff better than anybody. But a you
(13:48):
want me to answer this first?
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Whatever?
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Hey, all right, so here we go. I think the
later this happens, the better. But generally, I think eighth
grade and freshman year is the point that winning begins
to matter because that's when they identify as a team
or as a class or a group. That's when they
start deciding a we're good or they start to be
(14:14):
negative about it. Now, what's a little different about me
is what years that freshman year and their eighth grade year,
because that's when they sort of that's when they're the
a team. That's when they're freshmen. They're playing together. Now
the JV team at the high school level, I really
look at that almost more as a practice because that's
(14:35):
trying to get guys together, get a team on the field,
and get reps. And then I think the B team
at the middle school level, to me, I think that's
more of a practice. You're trying to get guys on
the field, get reps as much as possible. But I
think if your eighth grade can win, and if your
freshmen can win, I think that's a big positive. Now
(14:58):
they're still developmental, but I mean, I really, in a
perfect world, in a perfect world, I don't know if
I'd worry a whole lot about it until they're in
high school, and just because I just really want to
develop kids and I want to make kids to be
the best football players possible. But the reality is is
(15:21):
the parents and the kids in the eighth grade and
the freshman season, that's when they start deciding we're good
or we're bad. And I hate saying it, but a
lot of times with these youth league deals, if they're traveling,
they're deciding that about the third grade, the fourth grade,
the fifth and the sixth And I'll tell you, I
think that's way too early. To be citing if a
(15:45):
team is good or not. I think we need to
be letting those kids play and get reps and enjoy
playing football. Those are my thoughts on it.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
I thought, I think that what you said is that
the parents and the kids start thinking that a whole
lot earlier. And I disagree with that, and I agree
with about everything that you said. I'm not so sure
that the answer is not until you get to the
high school for that question, I'm really.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
Not going I want it to be like that, but
it's just it's hard to operate like that these days.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
But to the parents and the kids, the parents.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And the kids, but that's what it should be like.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I think you can talk about it, set goals, work
towards winning in the middle school, but I'm not really
sure because that's what the kids and the parents want,
but I'm not sure that they really understand what goes
into winning at that age. I'm really not you know,
(16:47):
we won a lot of state championships at Boyle County
with the same kids that would have a five hundred
record in middle school and their freshmen in their freshman season,
you know, for that matter, we want a lot of
championships and they didn't have winning records or around five
(17:08):
hundred and you know, as a middle school kid and
as a freshman at Boyle County and simply because they
didn't really didn't understand you know what goes into winning.
Kids grow and develop so much physically. You know, you
you're not sure what position you know they're going to
play as even as a middle school kid, you're really
(17:31):
not because they're going to grow and develop, they might
end up being a line and then when they're a
skill kid in the middle school or or or you know,
you know whatever, they vice versa even for that matter.
But you know, you know that they'll grow and they're growing.
They're going to grow and mature, and you've got to
you've got to be thinking about how they're going to
(17:52):
grow and mature. Winning is a mentality and it's a culture,
and most of the time it comes with a price, commitment,
a dedication. I'm not sure in the middle school, uh
that they know you know.
Speaker 6 (18:10):
What what what you know what that's all about. I
don't I don't think they understand that as a middle
school kid, you know, they're going to mature, you know,
how they're going to handle what you know what what
what's expected of them, How that's going to be instilled
in them. I just don't think that in the middle school,
and even I even go as far as even the freshman.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Year, that they quite get it all the way. And
then once they get to the high school and then
I think it's your job as a coach to instill that,
start start pushing it, start start forcing it on them
and that culture, that mentality of winning. And you know,
but that's that's kind of the way we did it
at Boyle County and uh, you know again, you know,
(18:57):
I don't want to keep saying it, but you know,
are we have a lot of you know, five hundred
middle school teams and five hundred record JV teams that
went on to win state championships.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
You know a couple of things. I mean, I agree
with everything you're saying there. You know, it wasn't a
state championship, but the first region title at Mason County,
that group of seniors when they played Fleming as eighth graders,
Fleming could name I think it's like forty eight to nothing,
and then that's who we beat to win our first
region championship when they were seniors. And besides the developmental piece.
(19:32):
It really changes when you start and put classes together.
You put the sydemore of the junior or the senior.
Now it's a different dynamic. It's very different. And then
I love what you said about the freshmen because I
said this for a long time. In our program, when
they really have to start growing up is spring practice
of their freshman year. That's when it starts to get different.
(19:57):
And that's the part that we have to fight to
get the kids to fight through because that's when the
mentality and the physicality and the demands, that's when it
all really starts to come into play. And I mean,
I love what you said. And it's almost like it
sounds bad. I hope my players aren't listening. But it's
like it's almost like we sort of keep a secret
(20:19):
about how tough it is until springing their freshman year.
And then springing their freshman year, it's sort of like, guys,
this is what it's like. And you get down there
in those D line drills and we're attacking and squeezing
and crossing face and it's like, oh boy, it's a
whole new world.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
There's no question that winning is a you know, it's
a mentality, it's a commitment, it's a dedication that they
have never experienced in their life, and to really not
mature enough to handle that until they're probably a sophomore
in high school because it's pretty intense, and if you're
(20:57):
not ready for that, then they you start too soon
to end up quitting because it's too much form.
Speaker 1 (21:03):
That's a great point, and that's why I always sweat
that spring practice for those freshmen. We have to work
like crazy to keep them. That's a great point.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
And David, I think it's important as a coach that
you decide those sophomores to be You've got to decide
at an early age whether they're mature enough to handle
it or not. Not at an early age, but at
early stage, I should say, in that sophomore season, you know,
are they Are they mature enough to handle that kind
(21:34):
of pressure, that kind of commitment, dedication, maturity, And if
they're not, you need to try to figure out a
way to separate them into a JV freshman. Uh. If
you don't, you'll lose them.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
And that's a great point. We're copying off of you.
We've got a handful of sophomores that practice several with
the freshmen and the JV and I think that's helped
us to keep them. We're getting ready to move a
junior we had with him who came out late, but
we're getting ready. We're gonna move him up with us.
I mean, he's done a good job of improving. And
(22:09):
you know, it's fascinating for me, you know, and I've
talked about, you know that our coaching tree and things,
but you know, it's so fascinating because over fifty years ago,
when my dad was at Boil, what he wanted to do.
He didn't he didn't have the numbers to do it,
but he wanted to split his program into seniors, juniors,
and sophomores that could play on Friday night, and the
(22:32):
freshmen and sophomores would have their totally separate program, separate
coaches and everything. And just because I think of what
you're saying, because there's a there's a big piece of
there's a lot of people there that you want in
your program, but they're not ready for Friday night. But
the ones that are, hey, let's keep moving forward. So
(22:54):
I like what you said. I think that's a lot
of wisdom. And you know, you've got the six state
championship rings. I don't have those, but uh, I think
you had enough success that I think I think a
lot of us can learn by listening. Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Yeah, well I have seven, to be honest, I have
one as an assistant.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Yes, sir, I stand corrected. So I want to make
sure we got that a number seven in there. So
good deal. Hey, I'm not sold there going to be
a number eight this year, but that's just me. So
all right, So we got Newport versus New Calf. I've
got Newport, You've gotten New Calf. You want you want
(23:33):
me to go.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
First or it doesn't matter, all right, Well.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Let me let me go. Hey, so this game which hey,
coach Borcher's played in this game because he went to
newcat Yeah yeah, but they played for the Fireman's Belle Trophy.
NEWCAF has won twenty sixth straight. Now I've got Newport.
The head coach is Paul Wiggins. They're four and one.
They're led by quarterback Kyle Lee. He's averaging one hundred
(23:59):
and twenty yards pa in a game. His time receivers
are Kendall Buck Barber, Kaveon Sharp, and Keegan Ferrell. And
then Defensively, they're led by Sean Hurry and Jalen Hartness,
and Hartness has nine and a half tackles for loss.
(24:19):
So those guys have done a good job of getting
after people. And uh, I think it'll be a great game.
And uh, I just I sort of got a feel
in this. Maybe Newport's here to get them. What do
you think?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
You know Newport's got a shock to get them, because
I looked at the scores and they do have a
chance to get them. But uh, Newport Central Catholic is
the head football coach is Stephen Lickor. And I know Steven.
Stephen was at Holmes and then he was over at
Campbell County for a while. I recruited north of Kentucky
when I was assistant at the University of Kentucky, so
(24:52):
I know I know a lot of those coaches up there.
He took over the Newport A Central Catholic program in
twenty eighteen and he's done an out sandy job. In
twenty twenty one, they were nine and four and made
it to the third round, and twenty twenty two they
were eleven and three under his leadership and made it
(25:14):
to the semi finals. In twenty twenty twenty twenty three,
they were eight and five and also made it to
the third round. So he's kind of a you know,
like a common fixture in the third round. He's been
there for the past, you know, three or four years
(25:35):
in the third round, so he's doing a really good job.
He's led this year by quarterback Emanuel Miles. He's what
makes them go, you know, he's kind of what makes
them goal. His stats are are phenomenal and he's done
a great job with it. The running back is Caleb
Cole who's led the way there and helped their ground game.
(25:59):
Receivers are Charlie Ford and Grating Shemir uh and they're
currently three and three. Though they're currently three and three, uh,
they have a three game losing streak. But Newport Central
Catholic will play a tough schedule. They'll have to play
a tough schedule because they have such a great reputation
(26:19):
in Northern Kentucky. They've won several state championships there. But
they're so they're always going to have to play a
tough schedule. But they are three and three, and uh,
you know I do in Newport has got a nice
football team.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
This year.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
They usually don't have that kind of tradition, that kind
of success year and a year out. But because Newport
Central Catholic is on a three game winning or three
game losing streak, I just don't see them making it forward.
So I'm gonna, I'm gonna. I'm gonna think they're gonna
(26:54):
have some extra motivation there, and I think that Newport
Central Catholic is going to pull this one out in
a close game, in a close game, because I think
Newport's got a nice football team this year.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I agree that it is going to be a great game,
and it has been for a long time. I know that.
I know it's sort of it's live sided right now
as far as the series numbers, but Newport and Newcast,
I think that game is gonna be around for a
long time. And a Steven like Randy is another Northern
Kentucky product. He played at Highlands, and you know those guys,
(27:30):
they sort of hang around up there and and they
do a good job. They do a good job, So
you know, Northern.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Kentucky is pretty unique. David, I didn't know. As a
football coach at Boyle County, I didn't know much about
Northern Kentucky. But when I became an assistant at the
University of Kentucky and I started recruiting Northern Kentucky, I really,
I really can't began to appreciate Northern Kentucky football. I
(27:58):
think they got, you know, their own little for eternity
up there. You know, they all they all know each other,
they all like each other, they all take care of
each other. I really appreciate their little fraternity that they
had going on, and I became really a fan of
Northern Kentucky.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
Well. When I was at Paris, our sister district was Beechwood,
New Calf, Bellevue, Dayton, and Lloyd, and so we would
see those guys in November. And I remember ninety three,
we're going to open up with Dayton, and Dayton is
five and five, and my fans are like, oh, they're
only five and five. I'm like, man, you don't understand
(28:35):
who they've been playing. I'm like, they're good. They were
really good. And you know what's weird is the only
game we ever won against one of those teams by
a big score was that New Calf game in ninety four.
But Dayton was award, Bellevue was award and then Beechwood
we never got it. That's when Greg Herget was their quarterback.
(28:57):
Mike Yeagle was the head coach, and we never got
those guys. We played them really tough in ninety three.
But you know, we were sort of proud of this.
We were the only team in our district that could
beat one of them. I mean, Racelin couldn't beat them.
Nobody else could get them. We could beat them. We
had some really really good players. But I tell you what,
(29:19):
when you played in norder, we can take you're gonna
play a football game. And they were very, very, very physical.
I will say this one of the things I thought
got us at Paris when we switched and we had
to play one through four for a team of about
twenty seven twenty eight players playing New Caf and beach
Wood in Bellevue and Dayton were so physical. I remember
(29:42):
my centers. My center, Matt EAD's weighed about one hundred
and fifty pounds, played defensive ends, center, played both ways.
I'm telling you about the end of the season, he
couldn't lift his arms over his head. I mean, it
was just it was. They were just such physical, physical
football game games. But those are great memories. And I
(30:03):
tell you, look, when you line up across from one
of those cats, you were going to play a ball game.
It was a lot of fun out Those are great memories. Yeah,
and David.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
The next the next game of the week is Clay
County versus mcquery Central, and I have McQuary Central.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
They're head football coaches Sam Marble. I know Sam. He's
been at Taylor County, he's been at Benll County, He's
been at Casey County. He's kind of a Dudley guy,
Dudley Hilton guy. You know he is. He's been with
Dudley for a long time. They're they're led by quarterback
Peyton Higginbottom. And the running back or the running game
(30:42):
is led by Logan Mitchell and and brock Strunk, and
the receiving corps is led by Christian West and you know,
the more of a running team because he's a Dudley guy.
And and uh, but they're currently three and three. You know,
I know Sam. I even try to inquire about hiring
(31:04):
Sam one time. And you know, again, he was a
Dudley guy. He was going to hang with fud lead.
He wasn't going to leave Dudley. But you know, he's
done a really really good job everywhere that he's been.
I think he's done a great job of coaching football.
I think he's well respected in the coaching world. But
Clay County has a really nice football team and mcquery
(31:27):
has no history, no history of any kind of success,
and he's got a major, major rebuilding job there just
from mentality alone. I mean, he's got to change their mentality.
He's got to change their culture, and that is not
an overnight fix. And I think, if I'm not mistaken,
this is his first year there.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
It's just a second year.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
It's his second year there, and it is going to
be a, you know, a four or five year job
of changing the culture at McQuary County. It really is.
It's because they've had years and years and years of
a poor football team and poor football program, and so
he's got a major and he's the guy to do
it now he is, he's the guy to do it.
(32:11):
But it's a major, major rebuilding job. I just don't
think that he can beat Clay County. Clay County's got
a nice football team and they have two weeks to
prepare for mcquery. I just don't think they can beat
Clay in this game.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Hey, and I don't mean to be argumentative or difficult,
but I would argue probably and I could be wrong.
You called it a rebuild at McCreary Central. I call
it a bill. Yeah, I don't know that they've had
a program.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
I agree with that.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Yeah, I don't know, but I do think Sam's an
excellent coach. Now, I tell you a guy that knows
how to build. Mike Sizemore. He was actually up here
next to me at Bracken County for a while. He
did a good job there. Now he's gone to Clay County.
He's doing a good job there as well. They've had
one loss, lost to a good rock Castle County team. Uh.
(33:03):
They're led by Aiden Carr On offense, he's got one
hundred and fifty yards rushing per game. Uh, they're top,
they're top defenders. Their defenses led by Trenton Reed, Coincize
More and Jadon Woods. You know, I'm with you. I
think i'd give the edge to Clay County this year,
but I think McCree Central. I actually think they're better
(33:26):
than they realized. I think Sam's done a good job.
I think Sam's just working on helping those guys have
enough confidence to think that they can win.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
And uh, he got to change the culture there. Yes,
he's got to change the culture. And I think Mike's
done a really good job at play. I know Mike,
and I think he's done a great job.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah. I'm excited too, you know, because I love to
see that football in Southeastern Kentucky thriving. And I really
think these are two Southeastern Kentucky football programs in the
mountains that I mean, I I think they're on the
upswing and I'm excited for them. And you know the
other thing too, When I reached out to Mike and
(34:07):
Sam about being our game of the week, I mean,
they were so excited and genuinely appreciative, and you know,
I appre you know, that made me feel good that
you know, they were excited they were the game of
the week. So, uh, I think it's gonna be a
great night of football. I wish him the best. I
would give the edge to Clay County right now, but
I think it'll be a good game. I really do well.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
The both very good football coaches, and they both really
take advantage of the opportunity to promote their programs, and
that's that's that's part of being a good football coach too.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
I think I agree. So, well, hey, we're gonna try
something different next week, and we're excited about it. We're
gonna flip the switch a little, and we're gonna have
some of our listeners are gonna be on as our guest,
and our tough topic is going to be from Dan Brown,
Chris Jones, and Tony Rope and Dan Dan has in
(35:00):
Eastern Kentucky. Tony's coached in Eastern Kentucky and Western Kentucky,
and you know you know Tony, Well, you guys go
back a long time. Let me say a good coach,
Chris Jones, what is really cool? Chris is a Paris guy.
And Chris graduated with Stephanie, Larry Harris, Chris Haney and
(35:20):
all those folks at Paris High School. And I'll go
to that eighty eight class reunion. I love going to
hang out with those guys and hey, here, you'll get
a kick out of this. Do you know who? Well,
I tell you what he would have been a year
after them. But the class of eighty nine that was
good friends with all these people was Jeff Reese who
(35:43):
moved and went to Henderson County. But I'm excited to
have chris On and Dan and Tony and you know,
we're just we're gonna do some different things. We're we're
gonna be aggressive in promoting this podcast and making it better,
and we're gonna keep going a million miles an hour
until we stop to make it great.
Speaker 7 (36:05):
Well, David, We've always wanted this podcast to be about,
you know, the listeners and and what and give them
the information and the feedback that they you know, they
they wanted, they wanted, and so I'm excited about it.
Speaker 3 (36:19):
I think it'd be a great, a big, great episode.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
I am as well. It's gonna be good, it's gonna
be real good.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
And and hey listen, we're getting ready to sign off,
but please hang on. Listen to Mike's historical segment. It's
it's great. It's always great. You'll learn something about the
history of Kentucky high school football every single time you listen.
I don't know where it gets those stories, I don't
I don't know where it gets, but they great every time.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
This was funny. I'm sitting in downtown larns Burg eating
a sandwich. This today after doing some work at school,
and this lady talks to me. She says, are you
a football coach? I don't know how you figured that out.
I guess that I'm a football shirt Anderson County. So
we get to talking. I feel bad. I wish I
remembered her name. But she goes on and on about
(37:07):
how much she loves mack Yoakam and how Austin mack
Yokam is, Hey, I just called him right there. I
put him on the speakerphone and uh, we had a blast.
But Mac Yoakam is like, he's really sort of becoming
a celebrity these days. Would you agree with that? Everybody?
Speaker 3 (37:26):
My wife's favorite part of this whole podcast is the historic.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Oh I know, I know what. Hey, they gonna pick
up Mac for the Ed Sullivan showing to tell us
that we don't know who you two guys are.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Yeah, anyway, I appreciate you lesteners tuning in and we'll
see you next week. Thank you.
Speaker 8 (37:48):
Sports, and in particular, high school sports, are woven into
the fabric of Americana. High school sports are part of
the DNA of communities across the country, and that this
is certainly true in Kentucky fans know the stories of
the big names, but there are many names and many
stories that have been lost to history. This series highlights
(38:12):
those forgotten heroes. Since nineteen seventeen, the Green and Gold
of Saint Xavier have been led by some of the
most well known and successful coaches in Kentucky history. Leon Dunagan,
Ray Behar, Bill Glazer, Mike Glazer, Kevin Wallace, and others
have all taken the Tigers to great heights. As great
(38:34):
as all of those Sant X coaches have been, one
in particular might have had a more legendary career and
colorful life than all of the rest combined. The Louisville
Colonel's Pro baseball team in the late nineteen thirties brought
a gentleman to town whose life was the stuff of movies.
(38:54):
From nineteen thirty one to nineteen thirty three, Saint x
was sixteen seven and two under coach Joe Guian, who
was coach Joe Guian. Joe Guyan was born o g
Chaida on the Chippewa Reservation in Minnesota. He received only
a sixth grade education on the reservation, but that didn't
(39:16):
stop him from getting into the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
At Carlisle, he teamed with the great Jim Thorpe under
the tutelage of the legendary coach Pop Warner. Joe was
named All American in nineteen thirteen, and following the nineteen
thirteen season, Joe, who had earned the nickname Big Chief,
headed south to Georgia Tech to suit up for coach
(39:39):
John Heisman. Heisman had the edge in getting Big Chief
because he had named Joe's brother, Wahoo Guyan as an
assistant coach. In his first run from scrimmage for Tech,
he went on a seventy five yard touchdown run versus
Wake Forest. Joe Guyan led the Rambling Wreck to the
(39:59):
nineteen seventeen National Championship and was again named to the
All American team. Joe decided pro football was his best
career option. He was a triple thread halfback playing for
the Canton Bulldogs, Washington Senators, Union Quakers, Cleveland Indians, Kansas
City Cowboys, Oorang Indians, the Rock Island Independence, and the
(40:23):
New York Giants. He teamed back up with Jim Thorpe
on the Canton Bulldogs when they won the Pro Football title,
and Joe Guyan was actually best man in Jim Thorpe's wedding.
Guyan won an NFL title in nineteen twenty seven when
he led the New York Giants to an eleven one
to one mark. In the offseason, Joe coached and played
(40:47):
pro baseball. He was baseball coach at Clemson from nineteen
twenty eight to nineteen thirty one, and before that he
coached all the sports at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.
And it was baseball that brought Joe Guyan to Louisville.
A three forty hitter for the Louisville Colonels, Joe in
nineteen thirty one met brother Benjamin, who was the new
(41:10):
headmaster at Saint X, and Brother Benjamin persuaded the Big
Chief to take over as the head football coach for
the Tigers. Joe Guyan is in the Union University Hall
of Fame, and in nineteen sixty six, Joe Big Chief
Guyan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
(41:30):
So how great of an athlete was Joe Guyan. Let's
see football All American, one of the best hitters in
all of professional baseball, A starter on the basketball teams
at the Carlisle Indian School and at Georgia Tech. A
track star and was captain of the lacrosse team. At Carlisle,
(41:50):
he learned football under two of the biggest names in
football history, Pop Warner and John Heisman. Louisville made such
an impression on Joe that, following his retirement as a
bank security guard in Michigan, he and his wife moved
back to Louisville, and Joe Big Chief Guyan passed away
in Louisville in November nineteen seventy one. Joe Guyan is
(42:15):
buried in Louisville's rest Haven Cemetery.
Speaker 5 (43:00):
The Acid The Acid Doctor sat
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