Encouragers

I want to be like these guys.

When I say these guys, I am talking about Rick Litton & Mike Murphy.   You can make a long list of accomplishments for both of these men.  You can find hundreds of people that will give you a story on how Mike or Rick helped them in a time of need.

The plaque in honor of Murph we hung in the Mason County Football Locker Room

In particular, these guys had a special gift of encouragement. I could be at the  end of my rope as a coach. It might be a Saturday morning after a loss or maybe a day in the middle of a long & tough offseason following a disappointing fall.  Since I know God is the source of all good things, I don't think it was a coincidence that during those tough times, my path would cross with Rick or Mike. I could be very discouraged, but after 5 minutes with these guys, I felt totally different/better about the job I was doing as a coach. Those guys could make you feel like you were the best in the business.   It wasn't a rah rah type of talk. Their words were genuine. They believed in me, and helped me to hang in there.

JCB with Rick just a few days before we moved to Harrodsburg in the summer of 2015

Mike died in February of 2011. Rick passed away this past Christmas Day. These guys have left a legacy in how they touched others. I hope that I can be an encourager for others like they were for me and so many people. I hope I can make other people feel better like these two made me feel better. As the new year begins, I want to challenge all of us to be those encouragers and the type of people that look to help others.  Mike & Rick were guys that left a large, positive, & powerful impact on the people that crossed their paths. I hope that can be each of us in 2017.

Christmas Gifts for an Old Football Coach

I am tough to buy for. I don't fish, hunt or golf. And, one positive from that is that I don't spend a dime on any of that stuff. Football is my job, hobby & obsession. Stephanie always does a great job finding me something. 

One gift was a throwback jersey from Packer great Bart Starr!  Before I was a Tarkenton & Viking fan, I was a fan of Lombardi's Packers and their Quarterback. When I opened my jersey, I was very surprised and it was emotional for me.  I can't think of the old Packers without thinking of my Dad. It always makes me think of him and when I was a little guy. 

Not the Lombardi You thought You Knew- Maysville Ledger Independent

Stephanie & I, Christmas, 2016
Wearing my new Bart Starr jersey!

The other "football" gift was Daarik Gray's photo of Alvis Johnson Field. We just completed our first season playing at our new home, which was the home of Harrodsburg HS football and their great coach for so many years, Coach Alvis Johnson. No one has a better place to play than the Titans. 

I am excited to have this in our house, along with our "Flatwoods" sign, the picture of our old Mercer field, and the picture of the entrance to "Blanton Collier Stadium", the home of the Paris Greyhounds. We've got a bunch of stuff from our old stadium at Mason County as well.

Stephanie has a year to figure out another present. As long as she keeps me and doesn't get too frustrated being married for 25 years to an old football coach, I will be happy. God bless the saintly women who remain married to old football coaches like me. They have a special place in heaven!  

Exit Interviews

I try to have exit interviews with every player at the end of the season. I ask all of them four questions:
1- What did you like about playing football here?
2- What did you not like about playing football here?
3- If you become the head coach here today, what will you change?
4- What do you see as your role on the team for 2017 and what are you going to do to make it happen? (grades 9-11) or What are your plans for next fall? (seniors)

Their answers give me some good feedback going forward to make our program better. They may hesitate a little on #2, but question #3 usually gives me some good insight.

I like hearing what our guys think and this is a good way to give them input and a voice in how we do things.

If you have a better plan for exit interviews or a better approach all together, please email me at david.buchanan@mercer.kyschools.us.

Merry Christmas!

A great gift & shooting the elephant in the room

This past Thursday at our football banquet, Gabby Banks & Morgan Reed gave me one of the nicest gifts I've ever received at the end of the season. It was an engraved, framed picture from their appearance on the Scholastic Ball Report.  It is already hanging up in my office at home and I am very proud of it.

I saw recently where an older coach was fired for "failing to adapt."  The elephant in the room for all of us old coaches is our resistance to change. Gabby & Morgan shot that elephant between the eyes for me and Titan football. I can be the old coach. They handled the social media, represented our program in a variety of ways, and made Mercer football modern & current.

To all the old coaches & to the people that are helping them to "adapt", Merry Christmas!

Finding something positive..... at Notre Dame

In the fall of 2011, our Mason County Royals finished the season at 2-8, on October 21st. Forget about Thanksgiving Day practice... we didn't even make it to Halloween.

It was depressing. John Combs had just completed his freshman season of HS football. We had been spoiled by winning, and so this was tough to take. 

We decided that we needed to make it a positive. What was something that normally we did not do, that now we could do, because we had plenty of time on our hands?  I kept telling myself (hoping).... 'In the future, we will be busy in November. Now is the time to do something we normally would not be able to do."

As long as I can remember, I have been a Notre Dame fan. My sons have become Notre Dame fans as well. We decided we wanted to see the Fighting Irish play. Dustin Grutza had played for Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly at UC. Dustin helped us to not only get tickets but to get to take the recruit tour on game day.  We got up there Friday afternoon so we could attend the Friday Pep Rally on campus.

JCB & Trosper, November 2011

We got to see the Irish defeat Boston College and it was one of the best things we have ever done. It was so good, we decided we would go back. As it turns out, we have attended the last Notre Dame game of the season, six seasons in a row. And, fortunately, our Novembers have been much busier. In three of the last five seasons, our teams have reached the state quarterfinals ( 2012 & 2013 at Mason and 2016 at Mercer).  

Notre Dame vs. Boston College, 2011

Trosper is still recovering from a football injury and travel is very difficult for him, so John Combs and I made the trip this past Saturday.  By the time we arrived, my brain was spinning. Our season had come to an end the night before. It had been a great November to that point with an outstanding group of kids & coaches.  I am very proud of the way our guys finished the season in the playoffs.  The emotions of the previous 24 hours combined with making that drive on 3 1/2 hours of sleep makes me look back on that particular game, and even the entire season, and think, "did all of that really just happen?"

Being on that campus and in that stadium is like being on holy ground for a football guy. It is overwhelming to think about the great teams, players, and coaches that have worn the navy & gold for so many decades.  The wind chill was 27 degrees and the snow was blowing pretty good in the stadium lights. It was very cold, and it was great. We stayed for every play.  We watched a great game, but unfortunately the day did not finish with an Irish victory.

November 2016

We are already making plans to return for the 2017 Navy game. I am hoping that one day I will return from our Notre Dame trip and prepare for a semifinal game.  That would be the ideal November!

Whenever a coaching friend has a season end sooner than they expect, I share this experience with them. We took a miserable November, and turned it into a huge positive.

I think if Stephanie ever wants to get me out of coaching, she will have to put an end to these November trips to Notre Dame. The tradition I see before my eyes takes me back to being a little boy and watching the Irish on TV with my Dad. It reminds me of when my love for the game of football developed at a very young age. It reinforces for me so many things about the game of football that I love.  It helps me to appreciate the kids I have coached over these past 25 years and all the coaches & players that have crossed by path since I was first on a sideline at four years old.  It makes me very thankful I get to coach football and helps me get more excited about getting home and getting back to work.

Happy Thanksgiving, Count Your Blessings, Go Irish.

Titans, Colonels, & Rebels- in search of something to help us win

One of the things I have enjoyed with the move back home is the proximity to the Boyle County Rebels & Centre College Colonels. The Rebel head coach, Chuck Smith, runs a great program and we have been friends for over 30 years. Andy Frye is the Centre College head coach and also does an outstanding job. I was a scout team QB at Centre many years ago and now my son, John Combs, does video for the Colonels. I have enjoyed over the past two years getting to visit both programs and watch practice.

These guys know how to coach football. Their staffs do a good job. They are very organized and efficient with their time.  Their players are attentive, well-coached, and give a very good effort in practice.

I was able to visit Centre's practice on Tuesday. I wanted to find/learn ONE thing that I thought would benefit our program and help us win on Friday night. I found it. I don't know if it will be enough with everything else that must be done to beat an outstanding Rockcastle County football team. But, it was worth the effort and time to visit practice and watch the Colonels.

Tomorrow night, the Rebels play another very well-coached program, Louisville Central, in the 2nd round of the playoffs. The Colonels will play Berry on Saturday for the conference championship and a NCAA Playoff berth.

It is very convenient that in 15 minutes I can visit those programs.   Sometimes I wish I didn't love football like I do, but it is like an addiction. I could be addicted to worse things.... so I guess I am ok.... but don't ask Stephanie if I am ok.  :)

Good luck to the Titans, Rebels & Colonels this weekend!

Lessons from Labor Day Football Practice

Mercer @ Anderson, 2021

Friday night before our game with Anderson County(2016) got started, Todd Thompson, a former HS teammate,  came by to say hello. It was great to see him and I appreciated him making the effort. It got me to thinking about Labor Days from the past and why football is a great game. 

Mercer @ Anderson, 1982

Labor Day in 1981, Coach French rolls in just in time for practice, pulling his boat behind his truck. Our starting QB is Todd and he has hurt his ankle and unable to practice. As the backup, I get snaps with the first team offense. That night, we practiced full gear in a driving rain storm. My football pants are saturated with rain and the thigh pad slides down my leg. I took a helmet to the top of my thigh that turned in to a pretty good deep thigh bruise and made it very difficult for me to run the next few days of practice.... and I was pretty slow to begin with.

It was all I could do to get through those practices that week. They were very painful, but our starter was out and I had to do the best I could.  I fought through those practices and by Thursday I started to feel better. But, Todd's ankle was also better. So, after fighting it out and practicing all week, I was back on the bench and Todd was the starter. It was absolutely the right thing for Coach French to handle it that way. But, that was  a great life lesson for me.   Some times even when you endure and fight through tough times, you may not get the personal return you want. But, it was a great illustration for me that the team comes first. If that is what I needed to do for the team, I need to do it to the best of my ability, regardless of whether or not I get what I want.   That lesson is taught frequently on the football field and is one of the many benefits my sons and the kids I coach gain from playing football.  It was a lesson that I needed and I still draw on that experience today when my attitude is not what it should be.

Russell @ Mason, 1997

The other Labor Day that came to mind was from 1997 at Mason County. The previous Friday night we had lost to Rowan County, 12-7. Neither team was very good. I was so frustrated because our kids had played so hard but it seemed like we made every dumb mistake you could make to lose a football game.  To make things even better on Saturday morning, our brand new silver pants had the blue stripe fade and we now have turquoise pants!  I was sick to my stomach about everything. 

Mason @ East Carter, 1997

That Sunday night, I never went to sleep. I was too frustrated and angry. The next morning at practice, we introduced "WIN Drill."  From that point forward during the season, we would break the huddle on "WIN" to remind us to do all the little things right necessary for us a win. The drill works like this..... the entire team starts on one sideline and runs a half gasser. Skill has 20 seconds, big guys have 25. All toes are on or behind the line. After the half gasser, I call out a goalline offensive play. The offense takes the field, runs the play perfectly, and returns to the sideline. If there is a mistake, we run 5 grass drills and immediately run another half gasser. If someone does not completely run past the line after completing the play, it does not count. We run 5 grass drills, another 1/2 gasser and do that play again. We have 3-4 goalline plays that must be run perfectly before we end practice. After a successful play, we have 30 seconds to rest before running the next half gasser. If we mess up, there is no 30 second rest. 

Since that Labor Day in 1997, we have ended every Monday practice with "Win Drill". Some days we get it done quickly. Some days we do not. But, it helps our kids focus and do their best. It makes them fight through something they don't want to do. 

It has become a tradition, every Labor Day practice, I tell the story of the 1997 Mason County Royals. I always tell my current set of players, you can thank those guys for this drill.  I think the drill has made us a tougher, more disciplined, and more focused football team over the past 20 years.... and helped our conditioning.  And, the 1997 Royals were the first football team in school history to beat Russell, Newport, & Erlanger Lloyd.... 3 opponents I was told we would NEVER defeat. To say I am proud of the 97 Royals would be an under statement.

That week in 1981 was tough.  That Labor Day weekend in 1997 was a long one. But, the same things that make football tough are the same things that make football great.  I want my sons to play football. They don't get many of those tough lessons and illustrations in any other area of their life.  Most other things they do are much easier and they are often told how good they are. 

I am getting old, but I am thankful I got to be at football practice for one more Labor Day this morning. Hopefully I have a few more in my future.

Mason @ Lawrence, 1997

Labor Day weekend, Mercer vs. Anderson... always remember this song from the 1980 trip to Lawrenceburg. 

I'm Alright - Kenny Loggins (Caddyshack)

Great photo.... remembering my favorite old coach

Mercer & Boyle County- Photo by Morgan Reed

We did an OTA with the Boyle County Rebels this morning and it was very productive. When we got done, Coach Chuck Smith and his team were kind enough to take a picture with my team, the Mercer County Titans.

My Dad was the head football coach at both schools when I was growing up. First at Boyle and then Mercer. My Dad passed away on October 1st in 2015. Some days are tougher missing him than others, but the last few weeks have been especially tough. I think the start of football season and being back at his old game field (now our practice field), every time I turn the corner, I see something that reminds me of him. 

Yesterday, Commonwealth Attorney Richie Bottoms spoke to our team. Richie played for my Dad at Boyle. What he told my kids about playing for my Dad meant alot to me. 

The Titans & Rebels had two great hours of football today. I thought we both did a good job and I enjoyed working with their program because their kids and coaches are outstanding. 

My Dad would have enjoyed the day. I really miss him and wish he could have been there. But, I will count my blessings and be glad for the many days that I WAS with him on the Rebel field and Mercer field when I was growing up. For just a moment today, I felt like a little kid and he was with me. 

I am thankful for this picture. There is one person missing that needed to be in it, but at least there were moments it felt like he was there. 

21st Century HS Football for Old School Coaches

" A new broom sweeps clean." I heard Coach Roy Walton from Tates Creek say that several years ago at a clinic. He explained it is relatively easy to show progress and generate interest in taking  over a football program in years one and two. But, what will your program look like in year five, or ten, fifteen and even 20 years? It is tough for a head football coach to stay in one place for an extended time, especially in the instant gratification climate of the 21st century. 

I experienced that first hand in my 19 seasons at Mason County.  In those 19 years, we were making progress in building our program, but it kept getting tougher to do so.  When I talk to other coaches who have been in the same program for an extended period of time, they share the same concerns about keeping their program new and fresh.

I am excited because we have come up with some great ideas to help keep our program fresh, modern & relevant.

Mercer County Titan Football will have a Twitter  & Instagram account. I understand a lot of coaches have a Twitter account. I will not. But, our football program will have one. It will be run by our administrative assistants, Morgan Reed & Gabby Banks. Morgan and Gabby are outstanding young ladies/student-athletes in our high school. 

If I tried to do Twitter or Instagram, it would appear old and dated. Obviously, with Morgan & Gabby, both of those accounts will have much more appeal to our students, fans, and younger kids in our school system that we want to recruit to our football program.  These accounts will be great for Mercer Titan Football.

Gabby Banks & Morgan Reed

Another way we will keep our program current  & fresh will be with the graphics in our locker room.  At Mason County we would permanently fasten motivational signs to the wall. Action photo posters would be placed in large frames and hung on the walls.  At Mercer County, our locker room was very generic at the beginning.

The Harrodsburg Herald has taken the motivational signs and action shots and turned them into vinyl banners with grommets.  We had a couple extras made so that every few weeks, Morgan & Gabby can switch out signs and photo posters and change up the look of the locker room. During the season, we will have some current in season action shots turned into vinyl banners that can be hung up as well. 

Finding a good system to switch out the banners was tough. Gabby & Morgan kept a sense of humor about it and I didn't have to worry about it.

In the way we run our program, I am still confident in our plan, schemes, fundamentals, and most importantly, how we treat kids. But, especially in the 21st century, there is more to it than that.  What we will do with Twitter, Instagram, & our locker room will be a big part of keeping our program relevant & appealing.

As a head coach it is critical to surround yourself with good people who can do some things better than you can. Morgan & Gabby will be much better at all of this than I would be. And, I really like that I can still do what I like doing as a football coach and they will do all of the work with our social media and the locker room. In my old age, I am trying to do a better job of delegating.  That will be tough. But on these items, this will be a little easier because I don't want to do this stuff myself and I know these projects will significantly enhance our football program. 

I would be interested in hearing from other coaches. If you incorporate these ideas, or if you have similar ideas after being in the same school for an extended period of time, please email me and tell me about it at david.buchanan@mercer.kyschools.us. 

The more I can recognize my own weaknesses and get help with those areas, the stronger our program will be.  I believe Coach Walton would like what we are doing!

Coaches' Sons & Old School Music

I had a great visit with Boone Goldsmith the other day. He came by school and hung out in the office while I got some work done and we talked a little football.

What was different/cool was that Boone enjoys the same old music that I like. We are both coaches' sons and grew up listening to the same music our Dad's listened too.  Trosper & John Combs are the same way. They enjoy most of my old music that I like because that is about all they have heard when they are around me and we are traveling in the car together.

I think for all of us, growing up with our Dad's coaching football was a great experience. This music keeps those memories alive for us.... and also keeps us addicted to the great game of HS football and all that goes with it. 

These coaches' sons have inspired me to do a Black Shoes & White Shoestrings Old School playlist.  That will be a fun & easy project to put together over the next few weeks. 

Here is a great old song from the fall of 1971 that even young guys like Boone, JCB, & Trosper appreciate!!

Whatcha See is Whatcha Get-The Dramatics

Destination: Flatwoods

Richie Cox & Billy Kouns came to visit me today. Then, tonight at the baseball game, we ended up talking about Flatwoods & the Russell Red Devils. I got so fired up I am not sure I can go to sleep tonight.

Christmas gift from Coach Bill Shower- like the road sign we would pass every other year.

Because the Russell Red Devils were so good, they were the most important game on our schedule. If we could beat them, we could probably win our district and beat everyone else. Ivan McGlone's Red Devils, their wing-t offense, and Garry Morris's odd front defense drove much of our program at Mason County. We worked on the Red Devils all year.   We worked our reads and fundamentals versus a two TE wing-t every spring and preseason as part of our base defense. We called it November Drill, but it could have been Red Devil drill.... working against the blitz in the red zone.... every week... spring, summer and fall.

Flatwoods became my favorite place to play a football game. It is nice to play a home game, but there is something special about going into your rival's home stadium, especially when your rival is good. It probably was not as hostile as I tried to make it. But, I always talked myself and my team into believing it was a hostile environment and that we were beyond prepared for a challenge that would bring out the best in our team.

My coaches at Mason would tease me that the over/under for me saying "Flatwoods" that week was around 40... or higher. I loved to talk about Flatwoods and usually had to say the words right after the previous week's game on Friday night when we gathered as a team. They also would tease me about getting there too early. But, I loved that place and that game. I wanted to get there as quick as I could on those Friday nights and soak it up.

As much as I enjoy the flame coming from the devil on the scoreboard, it is definitely a bad sign if you are seeing a lot of that during the game. Pregame is good! Usually when we were in Flatwoods, it was cold, raining, and we got a heavy dose of the Rolling Stones & Led Zepplin before the game.

2008 Kick Off- cold, steady rain, wind.... perfect

Pregame speeches are overrated. My favorite one was the night I told our guys that we were going into the Devil's Den. We were going to look the Devil in the eye, stick our hand in his chest, rip out his heart, and watch him bleed and die. The Red Devils got us in a close one. But, as I got on the bus, I get a phone call from Ray Graham, then the coach at Harrison County. I had shared my pregame speech with him before we had left. Ray proceeds to tell me that they had upset Franklin County and he had used my speech.  I said, "Ray, that doesn't make any sense. Franklin County is the Flyers." He says, "I know. I used it anyway!"

It took us TWELVE YEARS to win in Flatwoods. But, we finally did it and then won 3 in a row.

Trosper will be a senior in the fall of 2021.  I am hoping that for week 10 we can go to Flatwoods and play the Red Devils. The travel will be tough, but it would be great preparation for our team going into the playoffs. Hopefully by that time Boyle County will be in our district and week 10 will be open.  Hopefully we will BE a playoff team in 2021. It would be great for our team, and it would be cool if Trosper could experience again the trip to Flatwoods and getting to play there like his big brother did.

JCB w/ a big tackle in the 4th quarter, 2012. We came back from 3 TDs behind in the 4th to win it. 

One last time, it would be great to walk down those steps with my football team at Henry R. Evans Stadium in a cold October rain, with Kashmir ( Led Zepplin) blaring on the sound system.    Great atmosphere, venue and opponent.  Flatwoods. My favorite place of all.

Billy Kouns & Richie Cox

Billy Kouns, me, Richie Cox

What a wonderful blessing today, getting to see Billy Kouns & Richie Cox!  Billy was JCB's first football coach. Billy & Jonathan Thomas (current Mason County head coach) turned JCB into a football player when he was in Knights football. Billy has remained a wonderful family friend and his son, Andrew, played for me at Mason County.

Richie was my QB at Mason County in 2006 & 2007. He is a Harvard graduate and has started his own business, Veritas.  I am very proud of Richie & enjoyed introducing both of these guys to everyone I could find at Mercer County HS today.

If any old Royals or Greyhounds (players, coaches, & managers) see this blog, your old coach would love to see you. Football is a great game, but the best part of coaching football is the people!

Danny Weddle

I enjoyed visiting with Danny Weddle last night at the Sweet 16. I can still remember my first interview with him in 1996 when I became the football coach at Mason County.  Wonderful friend and a legend behind the microphone. 

Meeting Coach Tony Dungy

Meeting with Coach Dungy, 3/9/2016

On Wednesday, 3/9, I had a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget. I got to meet Coach Tony Dungy.   This is the way it happened.....

I first experienced All Pro Dad Day at Mason County Intermediate School in the fall of 2014 with Trosper.  All Pro Dad is Coach Tony Dungy's program which is part of the larger organization, Family First.  When I became the Random Drug Test Coordinator at Mercer County Schools, I wanted to start All Pro Dad Day here. Matt Stanfield, the Principal at Mason County Intermediate, helped to point me in the right direction and we were able to start a chapter here at Mercer County this fall.

My Dad was a huge fan of Coach Dungy. Coach Dungy is open about his faith in Jesus Christ. He is also a tremendous role model for coaches, husbands, & fathers.  When I would be a knucklehead and struggling in all 3 roles, my Dad pushed me toward Coach Dungy's materials.  My Dad & Steele Harmon got me copies of Uncommon & Quiet Strength, both written by Coach Dungy. The books did make a big difference for me and my family.  They were so good that we used them as Bible Studies at Trinity United Methodist Church in Maysville.   Coach Dungy's commitment to Christ and his family, in addition to being a great football coach, earned my Dad's respect and admiration. For me, my connection to Coach Dungy was my Dad. He was the one that pulled me in that direction and gave me those books that helped me be a better person, husband, father, & coach.

John Combs with my Dad after a ball game at Mason County

When I became the head football coach at Mercer County, I made our helmet decal a sword. I told our kids that the sword was symbolic of the sword that David used to chop off Goliath's head.  Coach Dungy had shared the story of David & Goliath prior to their victory over the Patriots in the AFC Championship game leading up to the Colts Super Bowl XLI Championship in 2007.  Coach Dungy had told the Colts to be themselves, like David had been when he defeated Goliath. He also told them to have their swords ready, to be able to "FINISH".  I told our guys that the sword was to remind them to "FINISH" a drill, a play, a practice, a game, and especially the 4th quarter. I was coaching back in my hometown, following in my Dad's footsteps, and Coach Dungy was impacting our program. 

My Dad passed away on Thursday evening October 1st, 2015.  October 2nd was understandably a brutal day with all that went with saying good bye to my Dad.  It was also a Friday, which meant that we had a ballgame to play that night, on the field my Dad had coached his teams 40 years earlier. I finally got home that Friday around 2 pm.  I had a couple hours to rest before getting ready for our game.  As I sat there, listening to the rain hit the roof, I felt overwhelmed by the loss of my Dad, what I was facing in taking care of my mom, returning to my hometown to be the head football coach of a football program that had fallen on hard times which had a current record of 1-5, and all that went with everything I was experiencing.   Thoughts like ...."I can't do this."...."How will I do this?" filled my mind.

As I sat there, absolutely in over my head & overwhelmed with grief, my cellphone began to ring and it said "Tampa, FL".  I answered the phone. It was a young lady named Kaleigh and she asked me how I was doing.  I told her not very well and why. With incredible grace, she expressed her sorrow & sympathy. Then, in the best way she could, she informed me that I had won the All Pro Dad Day Back to School Contest. I told her I didn't know there was a contest. She said I had won, and that I had a choice of prizes. One choice was they would fly me to Tampa to meet Coach Dungy. I told her, "You can stop there. That is the prize I want." 

When I got off the phone and told my family, it was a mixture of tears, joy & disbelief. It was a moment that had my Dad written all over it. It seemed like my Dad had only been in Heaven a few hours but had begun pulling strings for me.  I definitely got the message that God loved me, that He was in charge, and that He could do anything he wanted, whenever He wanted to do it.  

As I made the trip to Tampa, while there, and the return trip, I thought about my Dad. I wished that he could be with me. It felt like he was with me.  

When I arrived in the office on Wednesday morning, before meeting Coach Dungy, I got to hug Kaleigh and Candice, who had set up the meeting for me. Another young lady told me that she was sitting next to Kaleigh while we talked on the phone, October 2nd. I felt like I was meeting family members for the first time. 

When I got to meet Coach Dungy, Pat encouraged me to tell him the story about the phone call on the 2nd. Coach Dungy looked at Pat and asked. "How did he get picked?"  Pat told him that it was 100% random. I had shared with Coach Dungy about our helmet decal, his sword.  Coach Dungy concluded, "this was a God thing." 

Coach Dungy then shared with me that his Dad was alot like mine.  He shared stories that I could relate to as a father, husband, son, coach, and most importantly, a follower of Jesus Christ. 

My meeting with Coach Dungy was brief. But, it was powerful.  I really can't put into words what it was like or the impact it made on me. 

The way that the staff at Family First treated me also got my attention. Their kindness was genuine and sincere.  Those wonderful people made a big impression on me in a very short period of time. 

There is no one I admire & respect more than Coach Dungy. If you had asked me "Who would you most like to meet?", the answer would have been "Coach Tony Dungy." 

As I began the flight back that sunny morning, I was overwhelmed with joy.  I thought alot about my Dad, Stephanie, my children, my family, my players, the coaches and experiences that God has used in my life to draw me closer to him. 

God is good. He is faithful. He is trustworthy. He is bigger than anything we will ever face. He is the source of every good thing. 

I am thankful that at a time I was at the end of my rope, God chose such a wonderful way to communicate His love. I don't know what the future holds, but I know the same God that allowed me to meet Coach Dungy will be there for every step of the way.   

Did this really just happen??..... meeting Coach Tony Dungy

Meeting with Coach Dungy in Tampa

I will share more about this later, but today was a day I will remember as long as I live. I had the opportunity to meet Coach Tony Dungy.  Thank you to Candice Butner, Kaleigh Bowman & Patrick McDermott for making this happen. Thank you to Kaleigh who made that phone call on October the 2nd, less than 24 hours after I had lost my Dad, to tell me this was going to happen. I was overwhelmed by the kindness of the staff at Family First.  Coach Dungy was kind, gracious, and shared stories that that I could relate to as a coach, son, husband, father, and servant of Christ.  God Bless Coach Dungy & the staff at Family First.  And, THANK YOU for a once in a lifetime experience.  

Calling out Coach French...who wants ice cream?

Me getting instructions from Coach French, 1982

A running joke in our family is John Combs getting Coach French an ice cream. When JCB was a manager for Coach French in the East-West All Star Game in 2009, most meals ended with him going to get coach a serving, or two, of ice cream.

JCB would hang on every word that Coach French said.

Coach French  refers to modern football practices as an "ice cream social"... not very tough or physical.   One day when his mom picked him up after football practice, JCB said he had watched another sports team have practice. He told his mom, "that is not a practice, that is an ice cream social!" 

I have challenged Coach to a bet for the Mercer-Southwestern (where he is now the head football coach) basketball games tonight. I bet him an ice cream that we will win both games. JCB will be at the game, so whoever has to pay, at least he can go pick up the ice cream just like in 2009.  :)

Parenting: Coerce what you want ..... or Model it

November of 2012, 3 GenerationsJohn Combs, me, my Dad

As parents, how do we get the character traits we want from our children?  How do we develop them to become the best they can be?

It is always good to talk to our kids. Certainly talking about honesty, discipline, toughness, unselfishness & other character traits we value has a place.

When I was growing up, my Dad talked about things like that at times, though not a lot. But, he lived those things on a daily basis. I got to see what it meant to be tough, honest, disciplined, & unselfish. 

I am 50 years old and still working on being all of those things. But, at 50, I WANT to be those things because I saw them in my Dad.

As a parent, MODEL the behavior you want from your kids.  If you want your child to be disciplined, you be disciplined. I do think kids, both at home and in the lockerroom, gravitate to the behavior they see in adults, as opposed to what the adults TELL them they should do.

If your child does something you don't like, ask yourself, where did he get that?  When my kids overreact, everyone looks at me!  :)

Going forward, as a coach and dad, when I want my team or child to be tough, I am going to try to be tough. When I want my team to be unselfish, I am going to try to be unselfish. 

Colossians 3:23

Super Bowl Sunday Service on Youtube: Crosspoint Community Church

Crosspoint Community Church- Super Bowl Sunday Service

Thank you to Pastor Kevin Jack & Austin Berry for allowing me to be part of the Super Bowl Sunday Service! 

Perfection Workouts: 2016

We started Perfection Workouts several years ago at Mason County. These were offseason workouts to help our guys "perfect" their skills. Originally, these were player-led workouts. When the KHSAA rules changed, we then had our position coaches run the workouts.

At Mercer County, we have an indoor complex with turf, which is great for these workouts. Instead of workouts twice a week for one hour each week, we now have the workouts for two hours, one time a week. All of our guys are getting their strength training in weightclass or Mondays & Thursdays.

This is my first season at Mercer and I have been very pleased with how our kids and coaches have responded to the workouts. This past Wednesday, we had 59 kids at our workout. This includes everyone except our basketball guys. 

Here is the schedule we are currently using:

3:30 Stretch/Warm up

3:35-3:55   Split groups for 10 minute sessions. One is speed training. The other is change of direction.

3:55 Offensive Skill work

4:25 Water

4:27 Defensive Skill work

4:57 Water

5:00 Rugby or Heads Up Tackling

5:10 Competition

5:20 Finisher

5:25 Stretch

These workouts will continue through February. In early March we will give our guys a break, then bring them back in mid-March for spring football practice. We do this to get our guys back to spring sports ASAP and so that if we get some guys banged up, they have time to heal before June camps & combines, as well as the season.

We have also tried to use Hudl video, our playbook online, etc. to complement what we do in our workouts so that we can maximize learning. 

We think this preparation will help our guys make the most of spring practice. These Perfection Workouts are a big piece of the puzzle for us when it comes to Player Development. Player Development is a major component of what we want to accomplish as a program.  

If you want to learn more about our Perfection Workouts or have questions, comments, or suggestions, email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com.

Dedicated Individuals & Human Progress- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable...Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

photo by Ron Bailey, Mr. Jerry Gore (#30)
Maysville HS, 1965

The following excerpt is from the American Football Coaches Association, A Coach's Influence Beyond the Game.  Jerry Gore from Maysville did a great job with this experience for our kids.  We heard story after story of "dedicated individuals" who made a difference for others and for "human progress." 

Mr. Jerry Gore

As we move forward, I hope that many of  us will be the "dedicated individuals" Dr. King described.

Jordan Gilbert- Asbury Basketball

We enjoyed watching point guard Jordan Gilbert lead Asbury to victory today. Jordan is finishing his senior year and is working to become a health & PE teacher/ coach.  I started working today to get Jordan to be a Titan.  It was a blessing to be Jordan's HS football coach and I am very proud of him. It was great to get a pic today with him. Not often that you can get two former 1st Team All State Royal football players in one photo.  John Combs & Jordan missed being teammates by one season.

JCB, Stephanie, old coach, Jordan, Trosper

Coach Alvis Johnson & Sonny Collns

After my blog post on my Dad as a young coach, knowing how to stop OJ Simpson, I got this from Harrosburg HS legend, Coach Alvis Johnson. Thanks for sharing this coach!:

Great story. I was that guy in 1971 when I told my head coach that if he let me have the defense against Madisonville Friday night I would shut Sonny Collins down. 6 touchdowns later he called me a d*%$  liar.

Coach J

Sonny Collins at Kentucky

Mercer County Football Field- A great Christmas present / a lifetime of memories

My favorite Christmas present this year was a picture of our football field at Mercer County. Stephanie had it made from a photo that Caitlin Pendygraft took with her phone on a Thursday night while they were prepping the field.

2015 Mercer Football Field/Christmas Gift

My first time at the field was when my Dad was coaching at Boyle. It was September 22, 1972.  I can remember getting to the field and noticing that the lines were marked with powder (lime) instead of paint. I thought that was strange. I was 7 years old. My grandparents were at the game and I also thought it was unusual that the Mercer band sat on the track in folding chairs to the right of the Mercer sideline as you looked at it from our side of the field. 

Boyle won the game. We had a player ejected and I remember the bus pulling up to the front of the HS, my Dad getting off the bus, and going in to meet with the officials in the Principal's office. I was in that Principal's office a time or two myself!  :)

Later, my Dad would become the head football coach at Mercer and I spent alot of time at that field with him.

Check out the helmet logo. My Dad's attempt to make
the Scottie ferocious.  1977.

The date I will always associate with the Mercer football field is September 24th. In 1970, Robert Allen Yankey, my Dad's quarterback, played his last game on that field in a Rebel victory over the Scotties. Then, in 1982, I played quarterback versus the Rebels on the same date. In my chapter/column on Ed Rall, I shared how incredible the experience was for me to get to the sideline as the captain, see those gold helmets on the sideline, and think about being on that sideline with my Dad, and of course remembering Robert Allen and that he played his last game on that field. I can remember finding my Dad at the gate waiting on me after my game. I had played as well as I could play (I really wasn't very good but I loved HS football and this was my best game.)  10 years earlier, that spot was near the Mercer band. Now, it was my Dad waiting to see me after the game. 

Robert Allen remembered.
September, 1972

September 24, 1982. Mercer vs. Boyle.

In 2015, we used the gamefield for practice every Wednesday & Thursday. And, everyday on that field, I would look at the sideline and think of my Dad & Robert Allen. I would think of being there with my Dad 43 years ago. After starting the season at 0-5, our guys battled to win 6 games in a row and grab a district title. We won that championship on our field.

As we move forward with Titan football, I am looking forward to my old gamefield becoming our practice field. I will be on my old field everyday. I will think of my Dad, Robert Allen, and the guys that have played on that field over the years. From a practical standpoint, this is a great thing for our program. We get to play in a great venue, Alvis Johnson Field, that has new lighting, a new track, new red/blue bleachers & a recently installed bermuda field. Harrodsburg HS had a great football tradition and it will be great to resurrect football in an historic setting. We will gain a much needed full length / width practice field that we do not have right now. The bonus is that we will have lights on this practice field.

There probably aren't many coaches that have their practice field hanging up as a picture in their house. My practice field is a special place. I wouldn't have it any other way.