Articles by Fletcher Long

About Fletcher Long
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

Slow Motion Replay: David Buchanan (@ChiefSmoke10) just when he thought he was out, he got pulled back in; and we’re all thrilled @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @CountyMustangs, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball

April 5, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

David Buchanan announced his retiring from football on January 26, 2022. Then he got pulled back in by the Anderson County job and his very popular podcast. Yep, just when Buchanan thought he was out; he got pulled back in…and we couldn’t be any happier about it. Enjoy this look at a guy who is in the midst of what we believe to be a Hall of Fame career. With 234-wins and counting, a title or two to cap it off would cinch a deal which may not need cinching. Also, be sure to catch his podcast, we have linked to it several places in this feature. Enjoy it!

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Kenneth Ray “Ken” Barrett, Russellville High @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @CountyMustangs, @RVKPanthers

April 4, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

I remember when Russellville High owned western, small enrollment, Kentucky, high school football. Of course, they always had to contend with “Mighty Mayfield;” but, the two of them seemed to yearly contend for supremacy both on the western end of Kentucky and, generally, in the commonwealth. Ken Barrett was the coach of most of those fine, fine Russellville teams. We decided to feature him today. No legitimate discussion of the greatest all-time high school football coaches in Kentucky would be complete without featuring the man known simply as “Coach.” Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Jaquise Smith from South Warren is the @bigassfans Kentucky Comfort Creator of the Week @270QUISOO, @SouthWarrenFB, @DemetricDWarren, @GregSmithRivals, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @minguabeefjerky

April 4, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

They call him “Quise.” At 6’3,” 330-pounds, with a school record back squat of 605-pounds and a near 300-pound bench press, we will call him whatever he likes. Quise Smith is just another first rate, division I, “power four” type to come out of one of Bowling Green, Kentucky’s and Class 5A’s premier programs. This kid is a monster and had quite the sophomore season. Yessir, you are reading that correctly, he is a ’27. We can’t help but be reminded of ’18’s Jacob Lacey who signed with Notre Dame a few years ago. Let’s keep it comfortable out there, Kentucky, and allow Big Ass Fans to assist you in that regard.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Albert Jackson giving back to his alma mater @HopkinsCentral, @CountyMustangs, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @_CoachManning

April 3, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

There may never have been a finer athlete play any sport in the pantheon of Hopkins County Central history. Albert Jackson signed with the Georgia Bulldogs and had a productive and noteworthy college career playing hoops in the SEC. Jackson played overseas for quite a while before coming back to his home and teaching and coaching kids and serving as the Mayor of Earlington. Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to feature today the Honorable Albert Jackson, Mayor of Earlington, KY and assistant coach for the Storm’s FB program. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Dalton Maynard from Madison Southern is the @minguabeefjerky Protein-packed Performer of the Week @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @Daltonmayn6, @mshseagles1, @KyHighFootball, @CountyMustangs

April 2, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Dalton Maynard plays for one of the better programs in 5A in Kentucky. That is how a program attracts an over 250-game winner and a former TN COY recipient to its head coaching position. Maynard ain’t no slouch either. This guy played in 12-games at the 5A level as a sophomore and looks to be a multi-phase contributor, going forward into 2025. Enjoy this feature on a kid very deserving of some of the world’s finest beef jerky products and don’t forget to #SavorTheFlavor out there in Berea, KY.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Dudley Hilton, the unadulterated King of Log Mountain @BellCountyFB, @SportsOT, @n8_johnson_, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @BCHSNewsGossip

April 1, 2025 Fletcher Long 3

Dudley Hilton was reared by a woman who imparted to his sibling and him the “right stuff.” He has spent 51 or so years imparting that same stuff to the young men he has coached, the young men whose lives he has changed. Enjoy this slow motion replay about a man who may well be in the top two-three coaches the KHSAA has ever known. He makes for a mighty fine friend too. Take a bow, Coach Dudley Hilton! It is your time to be featured.

Friday Night Fletch

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 3

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 1

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