Ryder Sandidge from Madisonville North Hopkins is a darn fine football player @markezz_25, @BlueGreyFB, @RSandidge2027, @All_American_Me, @Maroon_FB_MNHHS, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @LasatersCoffee, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @CentreFootball

’27 three phase threat perfecting the ‘no quit approach’ while striving to be better today than yesterday

Ryder Sandidge is a “Dude.” If you have read Sam Harp and my book, you will know exactly what we are saying. If you haven’t, here’s a link. Sandidge is a guy who may be among the best middle infielders in the KHSAA and among its most versatile football players at the KHSAA’s second largest classification of competition (5A). Sandidge runs the 40-yard dash in 4.60-seconds; scored TDs as a sophomore rushing, receiving, and housing kicks/punts; and was credited with 71-tackles, a forced fumble, three (3) fumble recoveries, and a pair of picks on defense. Sandidge led the commonwealth’s 5A classification in return yards as a sophomore on special teams. All Sandidge did in baseball was bat .375, collect 33-hits, three (3) doubles, a triple, steal 33-bases and score 41-runs. He was ninth (9th) in Kentucky in stolen bases and 10th in runs scored. This guy is a threat, regardless of where you may find him, even in the classroom (3.7-GPA).

HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”

Madisonville, KY: I think Coach Sam Harp and I wrote about this in our book, “Football 101: Boo-Boo’s a Quarterback;” but, if we didn’t, we certainly should have. There are two types of football players in the high school game a coach named Marcus Gildersleeve shared with me one time, many years ago.

According to Coach Gildersleeve, there are guys who are good at playing football. Then there are guys who just like wearing football stuff.

It isn’t hard to tell the difference between the two. Ryder Sandidge is a dad-burn, fine football player. We mean that as complimentary as it can be said. Among football people, it is the finest compliment in the game.

Sandidge is more than just a football player. Sandidge is also among the better baseball players in the commonwealth having made the Kentucky East/West All-Star game a year ago as only a sophomore.

His baseball prowess aside, Sandidge is a fine piece of high-performance weaponry on the football field and a major reason pundits are so high on the Maroons entering the ’25 season. There are three main thrusts of the Sandidge football arsenal and they are speed, athleticism and versatility.

Sandidge is a rising junior. Here, within days of the season’s kickoff, Sandidge is a two-year, varsity football letterman and a three-year, varsity letterman in baseball.

Last year on the football field, as Coach Lyon pointed out in his scout, Sandidge scored TDs rushing and receiving all while housing a punt on special teams. Sandidge was credited with 71-tackles on defense while forcing a fumble, recovering three (3) fumbles, and contributing a pair of interceptions.

To say Sandidge contributed on special teams would be understated. Sandidge led the commonwealth’s 5A classification in return yards.

The baseball stats were no less inspiring. Sandidge batted .375; collected 33-hits, three (3) doubles, a triple, while also stealing 33-bases and scoring 41-runs. Sandidge was ninth (9th) in Kentucky in stolen bases and 10th in runs scored.

There is a theme here if the reader is searching for themes. It is called “speed, speed, and even more speed.”

Sandidge is a guy who has been timed at 19.7-MPH on a laser (fully automated) and 4.60-seconds flat, at 40-yards. That is why he breaks so many kicks on special teams. That is why he scores so many runs. That is why he steals so many basses.

Sandidge was invited to attend the prestigious Minnesota Vikings, Sevens Showcase. It was played in the Vikings’s US Bank Stadium. Guess who was the showcase’s MVP?

I think you already know. It was Madisonville’s Ryder Sandidge.

Look, we are on the cusp of opening another season in the KHSAA. We will be tracking, monitoring, and reporting on Kentucky’s foremost football playing talent as we progress through the ’25 season. We won’t cover a more talented nor more versatile football player in western Kentucky’s 5A classification than Madisonville’s Ryder Sandidge.

We just thought we would share this bit of information. Use it accordingly. You can thank us later.

This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball and KPI Newspaper Group, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!

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