Coach Dantzler took a legend’s place (Ty Scroggins) and became (or was already) legendary
Marvin Dantzler is among the very best HS football coaches in today’s game. Dantzler has his Yellow Jackets from Central High in Louisville, seemingly, in the title chase every single season. Dantzler has won championships in multiple sports, and in multiple commonwealths/states. This fact alone makes him elite amongst active coaches in the KHSAA. Dantzler followed a legend at Central (Ty Scroggins) and was able to somehow keep the program at the top, where he found it. Any legendary coach will tell you staying on top is even more difficult than the climb. There isn’t a finer person, man, or coach leading a program in the commonwealth of Kentucky at the high school level. We are proud of the relationship we have with Coach Dantzler and look forward to seeing what he continues to accomplish.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
Louisville, KY: Dantzler came into Louisville to succeed one of Kentucky’s all-timers, Ty Scroggins. We have already featured Coach Scroggins in this series. Here’s a link.
From his early time at Louisville Central High, Dantzler has preached taking the “Hard right, over the Easy wrong.” That is what he has done as a person. That is what he expects from his teams.
Succeeding a legend like Ty Scroggins was anything but easy. It is hard to follow a legend at any school, Louisville Central High was no different.
Dantzler didn’t shrink from this task. Dantzler didn’t distance himself from the specter of the looming shadow that was the Scroggins legacy.
Dantzler could have thrown shade at his predecessor. That would have been easy. Lot’s of coaches in similar situations do that very thing.
Instead, Dantzler embraced Coach Scroggins, his legacy, his achievements, and became his brother. Instead of shying from his comment and advice, Dantzler invited Scroggins’ comment, Scroggins’ input.
The two were even more than mere brothers. The two were virtually inseparable.
Dantzler did the right thing. Dantzler did the hard thing. It has always been a Dantzler trademark.
Dantzler trademark: doing the hard “right” over the easy “wrong” thing
Friday Night Fletch
It didn’t take Dantzler long to be thrown straight into the fire. His first season at Louisville Central High (hereafter, “Central”), Dantzler was to face Belfry High, and its legendary coach, Phillip Haywood, in the semi-finals in 2017.
We have also featured Coach Haywood in this series. Here’s a link.
That would prove a game which Coach Haywood would never forget. Belfry was riding a 40-game win-streak into the game (against Kentucky opponents) and was a (then) four (4) time KHSAA, 3A football champion.
The game was a rout. Central put a 60-spot up on the scoreboard (60-21).
Maybe Dantzler was too new to the KHSAA to know to be scared of his adversary. Whether or not Dantzler should have been afraid, Dantzler wasn’t.
Dantzler was building a champion. Dantzler was doing it the hard, right way; not the easy, wrong way.
People who knew Coach Dantzler from his “Oklahoma” days could have warned Belfry. Dantzler had similarly defeated two-time, 6A Oklahoma State Champion, Bixby High, 52-7 in 2015.
This victory would lead Dantzler’s 2015 Booker T. Washington squad to an undefeated regular season. This win would propel Booker T. Washington to a 6A District Title.
Dantzler led Booker T. Washington to an undefeated regular season in Oklahoma
Friday Night Fletch
Dantzler won the 2018, 3A title over Corbin, making Coach Dantzler 16-1 over 3A, KHSAA opponents and 1-1 against the mighty Corbin Redhounds. Central wouldn’t rout Coach Justin Haddix (now at Boyle County) and his Redhounds for the title. The Yellowjackets narrowly won, 20-19. However, they won just the same.
This Central team finished the year 13-2. The Yellow Jackets played any and all comers.
The Yellow Jackets two (2) loses, that year, were to KHSAA 6A powers, Ballard (27-20) and St. Xavier (20-19), in successive September weekends. Why even schedule those two teams, three classes larger?
Won’t that prove too hard? Aren’t there easier fish to fry?
Sure, there were; but, it was the hard right, over the easy wrong. It prepared the Yellow Jackets to overcome adversity and roster talent. When they faced Corbin for the title, those lessons learned would prove valuable, indispensable.
Dantzler had a hand in winning championships in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. Along the way, he has always chosen the “hard right, over the easy wrong.” These were attributes drilled into the soul of Coach Marvin Dantzler early on in his Monroe, Louisiana rearing.
Dantzler was a product of Wossman High, a Monroe city school. Wossman believed that with the support and participation of its community, its graduates, would make its progeny productive citizens through the provided educational and social opportunities.
The Wossman High Wildcats had won a football title in Louisiana (1986), a championship in baseball (1977), and basketball titles in boys (2004, 2008) and girls (2022, 2023, 2024) play. Wossman had famous alumni. We contend none any more notable than Marvin Dantzler.
Dantzler then attended Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and got his Masters Degree in Management from the University of Phoenix.
Dantzler’s 2018 YellowJacket defense was christened the “Darkside Defense”
Friday Night Fletch
Dantzler is a defensive coach. That is why when called upon to coach an All-American game in Dallas, Texas, Dantzler was tasked with coordinating the defense for the West team.
Dantzler has built some impressive defenses. Do you remember the defense for the 2018 Central Yellow Jackets? Were they not named the Darkside Defense? Didn’t they surrender, on average, only six (6) points a game while scoring 14-defensive TDs in its 15-contests?
That tracks with our memory. Does it with yours, the reader’s?
We can’t tell you Dantzler’s overall record at his various stops. We know he is approaching 130 or so wins, all-told.
We know Dantzler’s overall winning percentage is in the neighborhood of 67-70%. We know Dantzler builds All-Americans, All-Staters, Next Level players, and champions, and includes present and/or former members of both Division I, Power Four, college football and the NFL.
Writing the features we have, in this Slow Motion Replay series, there are a few things we have learned. The great ones may run different schemes; formations. They may align differently, slot personnel differently, use different “football terminology.”
There are some undeniable similarities. All the great ones believe in hard work, grit, determination, taking the long, hard road over the shortcut, doing things the right over the easy way. All the great ones are consumed by the sport of football.
Greatness exacts a price in any endeavor. Football is no different. High School football is no different.
Some men and players are willing to pay the piper, some are not. Should you not be willing to pay the price; don’t show up to the dance, without your ticket, thinking you’re going to be admitted.
You won’t be. You shouldn’t be.
Coach Marvin Dantzler, and his fraternity of “great ones,” all know one thing, if nothing else. You have to take the hard right, over the easy wrong to excel at this game; in this life!
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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