Month: March 2025

Slow Motion Replay: Ivan McGlone, from the Wing-T to wings, Russell head man an all-timer @reddevilsfball, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @CountyMustangs, @bigassfans

March 31, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Ivan McGlone brought the Wing-T offense and stout defense to Russell High in 1976 and translated into 316-wins against 151-losses in 38 years with two KHSAA titles spaced 27-years apart. McGlone would win 344-games total, between his native West Virginia and our beloved Kentucky. A Dawahares KHSAA HOF inductee, McGlone his now wearing a different set of Wings than the wings which define the Wing-T offense. McGlone left behind a legacy of character, success, humor, guidance, and fidelity to his ideals, his family, his team, and his school. Enjoy this look back on an extraordinary life and career.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow motion replay: Old Coach Holc, revolutionized mountain football @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @BreathittFB, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @MCentral_FB, @ChiefSmoke10, @HalMumme, @coachtf

March 29, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Sometimes the featured photo with our articles is a bit fuzzy. We will never sacrifice the image which best captures our story for “a clear picture.” We are a magazine which focuses on “the written word.” We’re story-tellers, not photographers. We just use any old photograph. There isn’t a darn thing fuzzy about Mike Holcomb and his ability to coach a high school football team. This guy is a coaching genius who was running Mumme-like offense in the Appalachias, where power run schemes go to die, before Hal Mumme ever got to UK. This guy’s inside zone play, out of the spread, hits the line as fast as a fullback belly dive. Enjoy this feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Hillard Howard from Pikeville High @PikevilleHSFB, @PikevilleSports, @PHS_CoachMac, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @CountyMustangs, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

March 28, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Hillard Howard is a mountain coaching legend. He was a Kentucky “Golden Gloves” title holder, a two-time title holder in West Virginia, and the national “Golden Gloves” title holder in 1970. He retired from coaching with a 244-69-1 overall record and a 3-2 mark in state title games. Before retiring to Florida, he started the program at Letcher County Central and posted 10-1, 10-2, and 11-3 his last three seasons. The guy was just a winner as assuredly as I live in the “Pennyroyal” region of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Enoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Graham Denton from Bowling Green, Kentucky is the Kentucky Comfort Creator of the Week from @bigassfans, @GrahamDenton14, @SOKYElite, @CountyMustangs, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @BGJHSFootball

March 28, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

It seems we feature kids earlier and earlier these days. This kid is a ’32 prospect who is really putting in the work. We believe you will be hearing much from and about Mr. Graham Denton going forward. When you do, remember from where you heard it first. Enjoy this feature about a kid whose performance made the unbearable heat a tad more bearable and who hopes his performance brings comfort to the home fans around Bowling Green, KY over the next several years. Let’s keep it comfortable out there, Kentucky, and allow us to help you out in that regard.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Colleges finding the way to Morton’s Gap to scout talent. @evans02_mike, @Meloishim3, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @ChiefSmoke10, @_CoachManning, @SylasGunn, @carlos_mason52, @HopkinsCentral, @CountyMustangs

March 27, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Manning has been doing a fine job developing talent colleges want to recruit and sign. Centre College, who has been red, smoking hot on the trail this offseason, stopped by Morton’s Gap to see a certain player on whom the Colonels have set its sights. We think we know who, but could be wrong. In any event, things are going swimmingly as the recruiting interest would certainly indicate. Enjoy the article and be careful out there; looks like a Storm is brewing!

Friday Night Fletch

Mason Trimble from St. Xavier High in Louisville is the Protein-packed Performer of the Week @StXTigersFB, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @CoachKWallace, @bilalpowell29, @noahhouk5, @trimble_mason, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky

March 26, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

St. Xavier’s Tigers have been playing championship level football for many years around the commonwealth’s largest classifications. The Tigers have won 15 KHSAA state football championships across different classifications, with titles in 1962, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1986, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2016, 2021, and 2023. What this means is the Tigers are contenders each and every year. We don’t believe ’25 will be materially different and we believe Mason Trimble will be among the many reasons why. Enjoy the world’s very finest in meat jerky products and enjoy reading about this week’s Protein-packed Performer. Don’t forget to #SavorTheFlavor!

Friday Night Fletch.

Logan Smith is a Dude! @Coach_CobyLewis, @LSmith2026, @WickerMike, @milesplit, @CClakerfootball, @CallowaySchools

March 25, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Logan Smith is a dude. If you haven’t read the book “Football 101: Boo-Boo’s a Quarterback” that may be an empty reference for you. However, the link to buy the book will be at the bottom of the page of this very article, so no reason to stay in the dark. Smith has made the All-WKC three straight years and was Calloway’s Defensive POY a year ago. Smith will be laboring under a new staff in ’25 (Coby Lewis) and we believe that may be a match made in heaven. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Tom Larkey, ruled ‘The Rock’ for 23-years and experienced unparalleled success @Dack11Larkey, @coachlarkey11, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @RockHardFB

March 23, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Tom Larkey was Mountain tough, a type of tough you almost have to experience to fully appreciate. Tom Larkey played center/guard and linebacker for London High School and went 31-11 from 1963-1966 as a player. He was SEKC 2nd team offense at center and Honorably Mentioned on defense at linebacker. He would become the winningest all time coach at two separate schools (Rockcastle & Harlan County) and would win over 300-games and appear in the title game twice over a fabulous, hall of fame-caliber career. Enjoy this look at Tom Larkey, the warden at Kentucky’s version of “The Rock,” Rockcastle County High.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: Hoover Niece, walked 14 miles out of Cane Holler straight into the KHSAA, Dawahares Hall of Fame @EstillAthletics, @LCC_Football, @mjholcomb24, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

March 22, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

There were counties in Tennessee where winning a criminal defense case as an attorney was next to impossible. There were counties where the defendant enjoyed a perceived advantage over the government as the constitution intended. The difference between a sway back mule and a thoroughbred was “geography” in most instances. The same may be said about football. There are places where you get good talent and you routinely contend. Then there are places where exceeding .500 is near miraculous. Homer Niece coached at such a place and his efforts there, over a 27-year span, put him in the Hall of Fame and rightfully. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Carson Powers, from Ohio County, is the @bigassfans Kentucky Comfort Creator this Week @minguabeefjerky, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @ohiocofootball, @OCEagleFootball

March 21, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Ohio County struggled through an 0-11 campaign in 2024. That doesn’t mean the Eagles won’t be significantly improved in 2025. Matter of fact, we believe the prospects for the Ohio County Eagles are considerably rosier than this time a year ago. One bright spot was the play of Carson Powers and he returns. Enjoy this feature about a kid whose performance made the unbearable heat a tad more bearable and who hopes his performance brings comfort to the home fans around Hartford, KY over his senior year. Let’s keep it comfortable out there, Kentucky, and allow us to help you out in that regard.

Friday Night Fletch