The Bounce Back Season of the 2005 Royals....It's All Day Baby!

We just got back from the beach. I always enjoy wearing this t-shirt for a week.  

This t-shirt was made by Spectrum Graphics, Jim & Julie Brown. They kept our players & coaches in great gear for 19 years. Their top employee..."Murph"... Mike Murphy. Awful good people... all 3.

2003 was the best team in school history at Mason County. In 2004, we still had some really good players, but we were super thin.

We opened the 2004 season in the Recreation Bowl with the 2003 2A State Finalist, Elizabethtown. They were loaded. DE/OL Brandon Deaderick (Alabama / New England Patriots), TE/DL Zipp Duncan (University of Kentucky), & QB Chris Todd (Auburn) were all seniors on that team. AJ French was another really good player and they had a stud RB as well. We actually scored first and held the lead in the early part of the game. We eventually lost 35-21, but it was one of the guttiest performances one of our teams has played in 30 years. 

Sundown @ the Recreation Bowl, a GREAT KY HS Football tradition

No one likes to lose, but we had played well enough versus an excellent team that we knew we had a ball club. 

The next week, disaster struck. Ty Sargent, one of our top leaders, our QB, and an excellent athlete, had a season ending injury. In that particular game, we battled back from a 3 TD deficit and won. But, that was our only win that season.

Our last game of 2004 was against Middletown, OH... yes, the Middies, Cris Carter was an alum, etc. Before Andre Amos played for the National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes and defeated Miami, he played a HS football game at Mason County. When I put in the video the Saturday morning before we were to play the Middies, they looked great against many of the best teams in Cincinnati. And, we were 1-8. Our kids had hung in there and battled all season. I had to find a way to give them some hope. I doctored that video like you wouldn't believe so our guys wouldn't get discouraged.  That was the most cut up tape since the Watergate hearings.  It worked. Cody Pollitt came up to me before kick off that night and said, "I think we can get these guys." I agreed with him and felt great about our mindset. I think it was 10-0 at halftime.   One of the nicest things my father in law ever said to me, "If a guy walked into that stadium with 2 minutes to play in the 4th quarter, he would never dream that was a 1-9 team out there."  He was correct. Our kids busted their tails and I was very proud of their effort. 

I will always be thankful for the 2004 Royals. They hung in there and battled for each other. It was awful tough, but those kids got us through maybe the toughest stretch we had in 19 seasons at Mason County. I owe those guys and will always be appreciative of the young men that kept walking through that lockerroom door, day after day, week after week. 

1-9. Miserable. BUT.... one thing about a tough season, all of the bandwagon jumpers are GONE! All that are left are the kids that really care about football and each other. The same applies to the adults.  2003, alot of folks wanted to part of our program. A bunch of those folks disappeared in 2004. And, that was not all bad. 

That offseason was pretty intense. More than once, a guy that was working his tail off wanted to fight a guy that was loafing. I wouldn't let them fight and I would separate them. But, that level of accountability, although extremely uncomfortable at times, is special.  Ty Sargent was rehabbing and learning to live with a titanium rod in his leg. He worked like a mad man. His dedication and work ethic inspired his teammates.  We weren't just a family. We were a family that would pour our guts into our teammates and fight for each other. 

By the time we got to the preseason for 2005, our roster had thinned out. We had guys that could play, loved football, and cared about each other. 

You know what else happened.... Darius Miller... yes, THE Darius Miller, came out for football! How many high profile basketball guys come out for the football team after a 1-9 season?!?!?  That doesn't happen. But, that gives you an insight into Darius. He is a wonderful young man. Very unselfish. He was one of the finest blockers I ever coached in 30 seasons. It is not a coincidence, when he is on a basketball team, they win championships. 

Speaking of basketball, Mikah Turner went on to be a great 3 point shooter at Berea College. I would guess he is the leading scorer for all offensive tackles in the history of both sports. How does that happen... a great basketball player is an offensive tackle? Mikah's body changed. By the time I should have moved him to TE, we had to have him as an offensive tackle. He was too valuable in that spot. We didn't always use a TE. Mikah could not come off the field on either side of the ball. Again, I am talking about a very special young man. Incredibly unselfish and team first...ALL THE WAY. 

For our Blue-White scrimmage that summer, we were barely able to split our very small squad into offensive & defensive units. Mikah Turner was on defense.  I can't remember who it was, but he had knocked the snot out of one of our best players the snap before. While the offense is in the huddle, trying to figure out what to do, Mikah is getting after them and let's them know what to expect. He tells them, "It's All Day Baby!" That was probably the most intense, physical, preseason scrimmage in 30 years as a head coach. Our guys really got after each other that day, and they set the tone for the entire season.  "It's All Day Baby!" became our battle cry and the kids had those t-shirts made. 

Mikah Turner in the 2004 Rec Bowl. I got to coach Brandon Deaderick in the 2005 KY-TN All Star game (we won 41-27). Brandon couldn't sleep one night and stayed up talking to me. He brought up Mikah. He said, "Who was #64? He was really good but he never shut up the whole night!"    :)

Our final preseason scrimmage was against Ryle, a very good 4A (biggest class in 2005) program. I did something I had never done before, and never did again.... I tried to "win" a scrimmage. We needed the confidence. I know I looked stupid, calling timeouts, calling plays to eat clock, etc. But, that night, that team, needed to WIN. I was never so happy to "win" a scrimmage in my life. And, it was a huge boost for our kids.  They walked off that field with alot more confidence than when we had started that evening. 

In 2005 we finally got a win in week 2. In week 3, we were huge underdogs to Fleming County's best team since at least 1996. Their QB was Jordan Fritz, tremendous player and winner. He had some studs around him as well.  In November, two points separated Fleming, Russell, and Newport. Russell went on to win the state title.  Chuck Hamilton was writing for the Ledger Independent and predicted the Panthers to kick our tail, which was a logical prediction that made alot of sense. Our guys played their guts out, and executed the game plan with minimal mistakes. We squeaked out a one TD win that was one of the best Friday nights, ever.  The Panthers had a ballclub and knew how to win. They didn't go away. It took everything we had to get that victory.

After that win, our guys really enjoyed themselves and it was like a huge cloud was lifted over our program. On one of those days that you love HS football, it was sunny, not a cloud in the sky, temperature around 70, and I was having a blast with the defensive line on the sled. I made the comment, "Guys, can you imagine anywhere that you could be right now, better than being right here with me and hitting this sled!?" Kyle Carpenter responded, "Yeah, on the beach with _______ _______'s Mom!" That quote has lived on for 17 years and I don't think we'll ever forget it!

Our two defensive interior guys were Carl Dearing and Kyle. Not real big guys, but had to start both ways against a very tough schedule.  They both did a good job for us. When watching film one time, Carl pulled on a play he was not suppose to pull. I asked him, "Where are you going Carl?"  He said, "Coach, I didn't see anyone to block so I was going to find somebody!"

Kyle, Mikah, & Carl.... STUDS

We had alot of momentum going into the Ashland game at Putnam Stadium. It was a big challenge but we had a great game plan. We saw an opportunity to block a punt. The kids did a super job and we blocked it! But, it was not enough and the Tomcats got us. 

2005 at Ashland
61- Richard Wells, 64-Mikah, 22-Ty, 42- Caleb Mullikin, 63- Carl, 59-Kyle
see if you can pick out which guy is Darius Miller.      :)

Our last regular season game was a loss to a very good Johnson Central team. Our guys played their guts out. Unfortunately, I made a big scheme mistake in prepping for that game and it really hurt our chances. I had to own that one after the game. It was not fun, but if I want the kids & assistants to be responsible, I have to do the same.  Johnson Central was better than we were, but I didn't help us. 

Our last Friday night was a first round playoff game at Rockcastle County who had an awful good team. They got us 20-19. That one was tough to take, but once again, our guys fought like mad men and played their guts out.  We were the only team to give them a game until the state champs, Lexington Catholic, defeated them the Friday after Thanksgiving. 

We finished 7-4. We weren't world beaters, but it was a huge improvement over 1-9 and we had played some excellent football in spots.  From 2005 until 2014, we only had one season under .500, and that was another year we were crippled with injuries. 

Often, being the head coach is not near as much fun as being a player or assistant coach. 2005 was the most FUN I ever had as a head coach.  That season was special.  We had been through so much together and had some big personalities on that team. 

Wish I could get that defensive line back on the sled, just one more time. If I could, I would tell them, "It's All Day Baby!" 

**Writing this on a Sunday night, the night I always go for a run before starting the week.  Sunday night, July 10, 2005 listened to this during my run: Sting- Brand New Day .

No team for 2022... tomorrow will definitely be a "Brand New Day" for me.  Hopefully will have a team for 2023. Whatever happens, will praise and thank God!