The Way I Heard It... Bear Bryant and Adolph Rupp

Pikeville QB Camp, 2022- If you want to find a QB, head to the mountains of eastern KY

It has been so long, this is either a first hand story or second hand. I do know this, the KY HS Assistant Football Coach in this story was a good friend of my Dad.... so he may have very well told me himself.

Here is the story...

A KY HS Football staff is on a campus visit with Coach Bear Bryant at Alabama, for spring football practice. Coach Bryant's staff meetings start at peculiar times, like 5:03 am, etc. This young assistant coach does not want to show up late for the Alabama football staff meeting. He gets to the meeting extremely early. He ends up sitting in there with Coach Bryant. Somehow, Adolph Rupp comes up in conversation.

In so many words, Coach Bryant said this.... He had no problems with Coach Rupp or basketball. In fact, says they were friends. He said the problem with Kentucky was that during his time, there were so few KY High Schools playing football, therefore, there were so few KY HS football players. He said it was tough to compete with the best of the best with such low numbers. He did NOT say KY HS Football was bad... he just said there are not enough guys. 

For what it is worth, I believe this story and believe this is what Coach Bryant said. 

Coach Bryant left UK after the 1953 season.  President Eisenhower did not begin the Interstate Highway system until 1956. Not only were the football numbers low, it was tough to get somewhere in a hurry, especially in the state of Kentucky. The shape of the state and the terrain make that tough. And, of course, communication was all mail, telephone, or telegraph. There was no internet, cellphone, or email. 

I think it is safe to say, Coach Bear Bryant would be pleased and impressed with the current state of UK football in regards to on-field performance, coaching, players, facilities and the commitment from the administration & athletic department.  I also believe he would be pleased to see the quality of HS football in this state. We have a bunch of good players and coaches.  I would think our numbers are much better now than during his tenure. 

Tonight and this fall, we will see some awful good football played under the lights across the Commonwealth, as well as at Kroger Field on the Saturdays coming up.

Go CATS!

2005 KY All Star Coaches hat- we kicked Tennessee's tail