Player Profiles

Storm Warning: Remembering Central’s great Defensive Coordinator, Bob Louden @HopkinsCentral, @CountyMustangs, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @_CoachManning, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball

May 14, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

If you want some debate in your life, put a list on social media. We have a funny anecdote we will tell you about a guy who published a list of the “5 best LBers in Louisville” and included an 8th-grader from Oldham County. If you see me out somewhere, come up, and I will tell it to you. We put up a list of the best DCs in KHSAA history. It got over 15,000 “views” on Twitter/X. We left off Bob Loudon and probably shouldn’t have. To make it up to Coach Loudon, we are featuring him in this edition of “Storm Warning.” Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Justin Haddix, whether playing or coaching, is just a freaking winner! @CoachHaddix11, @BCRebelFootball, @BreathittFb, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @CountyMustangs, @KyHighFootball, @kyhighs, @khsaafootball

May 13, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

Justin Haddix is a mountain legend. Much like Jay Cobb at Trinity, people from outside the mountains tend to forget from where Justin Haddix comes. The important thing is the former WKU QB-ing great hasn’t forgotten. As the Appalachians would be proud to claim, “Justin is one of ours.” Haddix has had a Hall of Fame run both as a player and coach. He still talks with the great Mike Holcomb regularly and the two of them run a QB camp together which convened on Joe MacDaniel field at Andy Frye stadium a year ago. Enjoy this look at a guy who, like Mark Spader, is a future Hall of Famer.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: Dan Haley had the Midas Touch! @pths_football, @bryanstationfb, @PurplesFootball, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

May 12, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Dan Haley finished his career with an overall record of 253-79-3 with stints as the head football coach at Bryan Station in Lexington, Paducah Tilghman, and Bowling Green Senior High. Haley did something else rather singular, he took every program he ever coached to the title game, winning titles in ’73 at Tilghman and ’95 at Bowling Green. His ’95 title likely stands alone as he won that title over Fort Thomas Highlands, and its enigmatic and brilliant head coaching legend, Dale Mueller (28-12). Haley won four COY’s in four (4) different decades and was enshrined in the Dawahares, KHSAA Hall of Fame in 2007. Enjoy this look at one of the finest coaches the sport has known, a guy with a real “Midas Touch.”

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Tom Becherer, from the ‘thin thirty’ to the Rockets’ ’87 launch @SCHSRockets, @RocketPrincipal, @SCPS_Activities, @centurions_fb, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

May 11, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

We were praising the 1971 season at Shelbyville High, the one where Dan Goble led the “Rockets” to an all-time season, when a reader reminded us Shelby County had other “all-time” seasons under coach Tom Becherer. Becherer won over 225-games, led the “Rockets” to a “Big-Boy” title (4A), and led them to the finals on three other occasions. Becherer helped get the Christian Academy-Louisville started on its path to Kentucky HS powerhouse status; but, what he did in Shelbyville, Kentucky is singular, remarkable, and why he is considered among the very best and more elite coaches at the HS level in commonwealth history. Enjoy this look at the former UK football great.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: The architect of the 50-game win streak, Dennis Lampley, from Trinity High @BALampley79, @TrinityHSFB, @trinitysports, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball,

May 9, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

There are families indelibly associated with the KHSAA and either one or all of its member institutions. The name “Jaggers” is such a name. So is the name “Lampley.” Dennis Lampley served the students and athletes of Trinity High in Louisville, KY for nearly 50-years. Along the way, he had a hand in nine (9) titles, five (5) titles as HFC, 50-consecutive wins, and three (3) consecutive, undefeated, 4A football titles in a row. Lampley had an 87% win rate at Kentucky’s largest classification of competition (4A) in his day. Is this guy a HOFer? If Retief Goosen is in “golf,” then Lampley is in football. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: William Kean, Central High, Floated like a Butterfly and Stung like a Yellowjacket @CHSJacketFB, @MuhammadAli, @KyChamber, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky

May 8, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Bill Kean coached at Central High in Louisville at a time when the Yellowjackets, because of the segregated school systems in Kentucky at the time, wouldn’t let Central compete with the “white” schools. Kean won five (5) Kentucky High School Athletic League (KHSAL) titles, and won four (4) National Negro High School titles and his 856-wins in basketball, coupled with his 225-wins in football, may make Bill Kean the winningest coach in the history of Kentucky high school sports. Enjoy this look at a guy who was posthumously inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame in 1988, thirty years after his death.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Jim McKee knows two things, farming and football @cards_football, @HLpreps, @ScottCoSports, @_claymckee7, @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

May 7, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Jim McKee is a farmer. He is he son of a farmer. His kids like farming. Now, I don’t know much about farming, but my dad was one generation off a working farm. My granddad farmed and for a living. There are similarities between the practices which successfully harvest a bountiful yield and the practices which harvest a well trained and effective football team. McKee would know all about it, that it why he is approaching 300-wins and winning at a rate close to 80%. Enjoy this look at another of Kentucky’s greatest all-timers in the football (KHSAA) industry.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: A salute to ‘yesteryear’ and the great coaches from ‘way back,’ stand and cheer for Ralph Mills and Preston Ty Holland @murrayhighFB, @MurrayTigers, @MurrayQBClub, @HopHighTigers, @HopkAthletics, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

May 6, 2025 Fletcher Long 4

I remember when I was a lawyer every town, no matter how small, had a big-timer amongst its people “before the bar.” There are hometown heroes in every small high school and there are former “greats” tied to every football program across the commonwealth. Today, we salute two coaches of whom you possibly have never heard but two guys (nevertheless) who had a ton to do with the programs which still exist and compete today. Ralph Mills was a guy for Hoptown in the 40s on an incredible “heater” and Preston “Ty” Holland won Murray its first title and the stadium is named for him. Enjoy this feature about two men who deserve being remembered and honored.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: “Mr. Mojo” had his teams Risin’ @OwensboroSports, @1027TheGame, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @CoachEdge11, @OCath_Football, @HCCols_Football

May 5, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

His name was James Hollowell. He was from Henderson, Kentucky. He played high school football for Barrett Manual High and later for the University of Louisville. He was a teammate of Johnny Unitas at Louisville. He coached the great Sam Ball in high school who would later star for both UK’s Wildcats and the NFL’s Baltimore Colts. Everyone called him “Mojo,” and Mojo Hollowell brought good fortune, good luck, and good “Mojo” every coaching stop along his career path. Enjoy this look back at a guy who was among the better guards to ever lace them up in the KHSAA (or its forerunner) and to ever blow a whistle, or call a play, on a KHSAA sideline. Get your Mojo Risin’

Friday Night Fletch

Kinnett Willis bringing a Magic set of Skills to the Mighty Lakers! @kinnett_wills_, @RC_MightyLakers, @Frenchie564, @KYEXPOSURE, @KYHighFootball,  @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball

May 5, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Kinnett Willis plays for the “Mighty Lakers” from Russell County High. Russell County went 5-6 a year ago but were in the thick of things in all but two of its ball games. Head Football Coach, Steven French, is at the helm of a rebuild and is doing a fine job. Then again, he is a “French (Larry French’s son).” Willis is hoping to bring along a little “Magic” to his ball club over the course of his senior season. Should he, it may look a little like “Show Time” in Russell Springs, KY my friends. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch