Slow motion replay

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.

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 2

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.

Slow Motion Replay: Ty Scroggins believed, and it made a Hell of a difference @FtbllHSC, @CoachDantzler, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

March 16, 2025 Fletcher Long 1

Ty Scroggins had an incredible decade long run as the head football coach at Central High. In 10-years he won 10-districts, appeared in 8-semis, 7-title games, and won 5-titles. Scroggins left Central to be an assistant at St. Francis DeSales to spend more time with family and particularly his son. Scroggins made believers out of his teams, his players, his cohorts, even men serving in the administration of the KHSAA. Along the way, he made us all believers. Enjoy this look back at one of Kentucky’s all-timers, taken from us way too soon.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Remembering ‘Coach P’ from Fort Campbell @KyHighFootball, @khsaafootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @FC_FALCONS_FB, @NWvikingsFB

March 15, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

I grew up very familiar with Marshall Patterson. I was reared around the haunts of western Kentucky. Everyone around these parts knew who Marshall Patterson was. Patterson built the Fort Campbell High football program into a dynasty. His players were known for discipline, grit, determination, and toughness. If you were playing a Patterson coached ball club, you had better come ready for a physical, up-hill battle. This guy was the embodiment of coaches of his time, the championship winning ones anyway. Enjoy this look back at one of the true Kentucky greats.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Dan Goble from Christian County High @minguabeefjerky @PrepSpin @KyHighFootball @Christian_Co270 @CountyColonels @BentzelChris @KHSAA @MaxPreps @kyhighs

March 11, 2025 Fletcher Long 11

Dan Goble deserved to be inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame for what his teams did on the football field. We helped spearhead this push for his induction and successfully. It is one of the noblest callings for which we have ever been summoned. We were honored to be invested in the search for justice and propriety.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Roy Walton, part psychologist, part magician, all football coach @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @TC_CommodoresFB, @YetteFootball

March 10, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

Roy Walton led a group of young football players who would be known throughout the commonwealth as “Roy’s Boys.” He coached five years at Lafayette and 25 years at Tates Creek. It was at Tates Creek where he would win his two (2) football Kentucky titles, one in 1972 and the other in 1978. Roy Walton was part psychologist, part magician, and all football coach. Enjoy this feature.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: The Great Danny Sundberg, the pride of Waggener High @WHS_Wildcats_FB, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @KyHighFootball, @HopHighTigers, @SenecaHSFB

March 5, 2025 Fletcher Long 6

His matriculation to UK was ill-timed. When the great Danny Sundberg, the pride of Waggener High arrived on the Wildcat campus, reporting for football camp, the Big Blue had just hired a Bear Bryant assistant named, Charlie Bradshaw. Needless to say, it didn’t go well. Thereafter, Sundberg and several of his Wildcat mates transferred to WKU where Sundberg would earn three varsity letters (1963-65) as a fullback. When you look into the soulful eyes of the man, you see the pain from some hard living welled up inside. You see something else too. You see contentment, you see pride, and you see a guy who has been a hero to so many through the years, this author included. Take a bow, Danny Sundberg. You have earned it.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: Dale Mueller from Highlands engineered his way to a spectacular record and 11-titles @KyHighFootball, @NKyTribune, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball

March 4, 2025 Fletcher Long 4

Dale Mueller is an interesting guy. Not all high school football coaches and teachers are mechanical engineering students from the ivy-league. Of course, not all high school football coaches win 12.5 games a season over 20-years, win titles in 55% of the time they coach at a particular school, or play for titles 70% of the time. There is nothing average or normal about Dale Mueller, which is why he is among the greatest high school coaches this commonwealth has ever known. Enjoy this feature, especially you northern Kentuckians who complain we never cover you.

Friday Night Fletch.

Slow Motion Replay: Sam Harp, from Danville High, representing all which is best about coaching

March 1, 2025 Fletcher Long 4

It is one thing to be the unofficial mayor of “Title Town.” It is quite the other to be a main reason why the town is so christened. Sam Harp is among the greatest to ever grace a sideline. Harp won 75% of his games in Danville, retired 326-106, won seven titles, and posted an unbelievable 82-21 post-season, playoff record. Along the way, he co-Authored a book with me about which no one, associated with football at the KHSAA level, can seem to stop reading. Enjoy this look at the great Sam Harp.

Friday Night Fletch.