’26 OL a proven trench warrior
Drew Johnson is a ’26 offensive lineman who could mature into practically anything if we are being honest. Right now, he is a tough, smart, hardworking kid from a fine family who loves football as much as any kid in the commonwealth. He played in every game, up front, for the Red Devils this past season, according to his head coach, and appears ready for a leadership position as an integral member of one of the more storied units in the KHSAA.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball
A famous football coach I knew once told me high school coaches have to roster some doctor’s and lawyer’s kids on every successful team. “They may not be as good of athletes as some of your other roster members,” he told me, “but they also live in families who expect to meet with success in everything from athletics to face to face, casual encounters.”
As a doctor’s son myself, and thinking back on my own high school competitive days; I suppose I somewhat resembled his remark. I didn’t take any offense whether or not it was intended.
Kids like me don’t go through life “…waiting for the other shoe to drop.” This particular coach had won more than 300-games, in several different states, so who was I to argue with his reasoning?
I think about this wisdom often when I watch entire rosters of “doctor’s/lawyer’s kids” dominate high school football competition. Rosters like Trinity High, Christian Academy, and Saint Xavier in Louisville, Christian Academy in Lexington, or Catholic High in Owensboro come readily to mind as examples of this phenomenon on display.
These days, with off seasons in full swing and the training methods available to prospects, I am not too sure the “working class” kids are more athletic than the Bourgeoisie anymore. Now, it seems to be more of a matter of determination and work ethic. Those two attributes are available throughout the full spectrum of socio-economic realities.
A high school football roster needs “winners” just like it needs “athletes;” and these terms are often NOT mutually exclusive…
Friday Night Fletch
Drew Johnson is a winner. His dad is a prominent lawyer who was a history major at Centre College, Kentucky’s most prominent small college experience. His mom is a retired teacher who was the daughter of two brilliant and prominent people from Hopkinsville, one of which was a phenomenal doctor I knew well in my younger days.
Drew expects to meet with success. Guess what? He usually does.
So far, in his football career, so good.
We were able to talk with Owensboro Senior High’s head football coach, Jay Fallin, about Johnson. He had plenty to say about his rising junior trenchman.
“Drew [Johnson] is a tough, smart, and hardworking kid who loves the game [of football] as much as anyone I’ve been privileged to coach,” Coach Jay Fallin told KPGFootball. “Johnson loves Owensboro [Senior] High and our football program deeply.”
Coach Fallin wasn’t finished. “Johnson is as good a teammate and as coachable a kid as you will ever find. Johnson started every game for us as a sophomore, and is primed to be a leader along our line of scrimmage heading into his junior season.”
Readers may not realized what a mouthful all of that really comprises. Owensboro is one of Kentucky’s all-time winningest football programs and has made the 5A semis, four straight years, with a trip to the title game in ’20.
OHS scored 562-points this past season behind [Johnson’s] blocking, running for over 3,000-yards and passing for another 2,218.
KHSAA statistical website
Johnson is 6’0,” 225-pounds presently and looks to have some lengthening and thickening still to do. What doesn’t appear to need any work is his 4.56 GPA.
The offense scored 562-points this past season behind his blocking. It also gained over 3,000-yards rushing and passed for another 2,218.
The “Red Devils” scored 53-TDs rushing and 23-TDs passing and presently boasts a bone fide, “Mr. Football” candidate in the offensive backfield in All-Stater, Evan Hampton (class of ’26; over 1,500-yards and 25-TDs in his sophomore year).
How impressed are we with the “Drew Johnson” types? Allow us to be perfectly clear.
This magazine will take five “Drew Johnsons” across our front and play any high school team you like, particularly in Kentucky. The kid is a hard worker. The kid has solid values. The kid expects good things to happen when he competes against other kids.
This guy is a winner. I have known four or so generations of this family from whence he has been both reared and developed; and they have all been winners.
Heck, we like winning. If a team wants to win, surrounding itself with “winners” seems like a capital idea.
That is what we think anyway. Then again, what do we know?
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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