The Coaches Office: Behind the Scenes of HS Football w/ Chuck Smith & David Buchanan: Season 3 Episode Menu

Inseason

1: Dale Mueller - Championship Culture - Highlands - Homer Rice - Best Approach to Conditioning

2 : Sean Thompson - Paducah Tilghman - Mayfield - Under Center v. Shotgun - Should QB play defense?

3 : Mike Jackson - Wing T - Public & Private School Coaching - Male - Pikeville - Corbin

4 : Tyquan Rice - Orange Turf - Tempo - Coaching in your Hometown - QB Mechanics

5 : Sam Harp - Danville - Anderson Co. - Elite Organization - Building a Program

6 : Luke Salmons - Corbin - KY & WV HS Football - 30 Tite - 4-2-5 - HFC Compensation

7 : Chad Pennington - Under Center - Starting a Program - Oklahoma Drill - Bull in the Ring - NFHS

8 : Randy Borchers - Cooper - Northern KY HS Football - Youth Football (Win vs. Develop)

9 : Listeners Episode - Jesse Bacon - Chris Jones - Dan Brown - Abbey Road, Side 2

10: Mike Kirschner - Warren Central - Blueprint to become a HFC - Tough Topic (Administrator)

11: Doug Charles - Mike Salmons - LCA v. Raceland - When does a HFC know it is time to leave?

12: Jay Fallin - Owensboro - Jeff Reese - Joe Prince - Increasing Football Participation Numbers

13: Phillip Hawkins - Bryan Station - Postseason Adjustments - HFC Shelf Life

Choices, Mindset, Freshmen, Money, Jeff Lynne, Leadership, the Fire Hose & the little guy at Homecoming, 1970: Year 32 as a HFC

 

Be careful what you wish for. 

This time, two years ago, I was really missing football, being a head coach, having a team, and wanted to coach again. As God will do, not only will He answer prayer, He may even have a sense of humor about it. I can almost hear Him.. "You want to coach football? How about drinking it out of a fire hose on full blast?" 

Well, it has worked out great. I love being a football coach. And, I have plenty to do. Not necessarily easy, but certainly a WIN-WIN.

My second year at Anderson County HS concluded my 32nd year as a head football coach. Already excited and working toward year 33, I really don't see an end in sight. I have joked, sort of, that the plan is to be a head coach until I am 80, then may be a position coach until I hit 85. We got to see Jeff Lynne in Nashville not long ago. At 76, he is still rocking and rolling. Most certainly a inspiration. When I am 80, if I can smile as big as he did after each song, I will be doing well. 

Jeff Lynne, he's still got it!

So... what are the takeaways from year 32?

1- You can have a great job, love your job, work with wonderful people, and still HATE losing. The results were better in 2024, than 2023. The improvement was significant. But, it will never be ok when the clock hits 0:00 and the other team has one more point than your team. The difference in old me and young me is that I have more discipline in regards to my post game thoughts. In the old days, I just stayed mad and thought about the loss for way too long. Now, I can force myself to get in the mindset of, "Losing is not ok, so how do we get better? What can we take from Friday night and how can we use it to make sure our team is better going forward?" 

2- Focused on playing one play at a time, LOOKS LIKE, we know we are gonna win. In both wins and losses,  for the most part, we played very hard. Some times, we got back in games, even when our fans had left.  When a team "quits", often it is because they have given up on winning the game. Our guys have done an exceptional job of focusing on playing each play and not letting the scoreboard influence their effort and execution. Ironically, we had the most struggle staying focused when we were experiencing success. In four of those games, we won two and lost two. But, we have become a fun team to watch because of our effort and never quitting, regardless of the circumstances and the score. To continue to grow in this regard, we will have to make a deliberate effort to continue to think the right things. And, we can work on that thinking through out the offseason. 

3- "People" continues to grow as the most important part as opposed to "football" and "stuff".  Each year, our postseason inventory / clean up process becomes more streamlined and more is delegated. Usually, I will do a December scouting report for every defense we will face in the next season. For 2025, that assignment has been delegated. More of my time will be spent on building relationships and player development ( Strength, Conditioning & Skill Development). 

4- If you love coaching, building a program is for you! As a staff, we constantly worked to make our schemes and practice processes the best possible to help our guys win. We could take some sound/conventional concepts, apply a new formation or approach, and significantly improve the likelihood our players would experience success.  Although I believe football is more cyclical than evolutionary, there is an infinite number of combinations you can use in regard to schemes, concepts, fundamentals and teaching that can be applied to give your team their best chance to win. That challenge can certainly help make you a much better coach as well. This theme continues... we do the same things over and over, but in a little different way and they can look different than they ever have before. That trend will continue in to 2025 & beyond. 

5- The year away from football continues to pay dividends. Spending a season with a great coach like Kevin Wallace at St. X, scouting their excellent opponents, and being around the Tigers as a whole, it has become much easier to recognize what our opponents do well and not so well. It is also easier to know what information is important, and what is not as critical. And, that same lens can be applied in evaluating our own team and making improvements.  The other benefit, as much as I hate losing, there is always a focus on moving forward and getting better. Not coaching, not having a team, is much worse than losing a ballgame. 

6- After one of our games, the back judge told me that our guys did a good job of self-policing.  He said they held each other accountable. That really gets me fired up because that type of leadership will raise our ceiling significantly. Like our mindset, we will have to be deliberate in developing that type of leadership and what it will look like. But, when players lead players and hold each other accountable, there is an opportunity to build something special. 

7- Choices are critical. In particular... what we allow in our mind, who we allow in our circle, and how we spend our time. Circumstances matter, but they can't touch those 3 choices on a daily basis. For most of us, our circumstances have a mix of good and bad. Don't be a yo-yo. 

8- I shared with our guys one day after practice about Abbey Road, side 2. As great as the Beatles were, their very last work, was incredible... potentially their best ever. Each day we go to work, we should be the best version of ourselves that we have ever been. Experience & lessons learned help to give us that opportunity. That gets me fired up... each day I go to work, I go with the expectation that I have never done my work better, than I will today!

2024 Freshmen- Conference Champs!

9- Don't underestimate the choices and decisions you make in regards to your freshman program. It takes extra effort to get it right. I am not sure there is a coach in the entire program more important than the head coach of the freshman/JV program. Unconventional approaches may be necessary to get kids out and keep them on the team. But, if you can continue to stack years of a successful freshman program and freshman teams, your chances of future success will increase dramatically. 

10- Don't waste money, but don't be afraid to spend it. Be too tight/too cheap... you may be fired before the rainy day hits. Spending money for meals to facilitate team building...important. Spending money for gear that appeals to kids...essential. New technology that can facilitate teaching, performance and winning, crucial. 

I am beyond thankful that I have another football season to prepare for. Walking into ACHS, or the lockerroom, office, on to the field...I still feel very much connected to my Dad, his teams, and my teams, going back these 55 years. I don't want to give up that connection and that feeling when I am in those places. Believe it or not, 2024 at Anderson County, feels alot like Boyle County 1970, or Mercer County 1982, or Paris... Mason County, etc. 

How this will all end, I really have no idea.  But, if you could go back to 1970, find me at the Boyle County homecoming at 5 years old, and tell me how my life was going to play out, that little boy would have told you, "that is too good to be true." 

Big Jack, 1986 & the Football Team That Loved An Old Coach

1986 Mercer Staff: Chuck Smith, Dick Straten, Jack Robertson, David Buchanan
Front: Head Coach, Larry French

You had to be TOUGH to be on the Mercer Staff in 1986. That is, if your name was David Buchanan. As soon as I would walk through the door for practice, Big Jack was on me. He would have that sweatshirt tied around his neck, and want to know if I had played tennis with Muffy & Buffy at Centre College that day. That was a GOOD day.  The tough days... I can't put in print what he was saying. I can't even describe the birthday cake he got me one year. But, the crazy part, 1986 might have been the most fun, ever, any of us had coaching football.  That season was the first District & Region Championship at old Mercer County HS.  We were a close-knit staff, worked like dogs, and were coaching kids that we had to scrape off the field every Friday night because of the effort they would give when the lights came on.  Chuck, Coach French and I are still coaching almost 40 years later. 1986 is a big reason we have struggled to give up this game and way of life.  Big Jack is a substantial reason that was a great time and he still looms larger than life when I look back on that staff.  

Before we coached together, I knew Jack as a great player at Harrodsburg HS. He played against my Dad's Boyle County teams and I remembered him.  If you were around Jack and started talking about how good the Yeasts were carrying the ball, he would be quick to remind you that he was the guy blocking for them!

In 1987, Jack & I were still at Mercer with Coach French. Chuck was the head coach at Allen County Scottsville. Coach French would call Chuck every week to get help with the defense. It would make Jack mad. He would say, "I don't know how Chuck does it. He is the head coach at ACS & the DC at Mercer County!" So, 20 years later, we are all eating together, including the families. I decide to have a little fun.  I make the comment, "I don't know how Chuck did it when he was the DC at Mercer and the head coach at ACS." Jack shoots me a look like he is going to kill me. Silence. Finally, Coach French speaks up, "I HAD to call Chuck, David doesn't know anything." Jack gets fired up.. "That's right! David doesn't know anything!" Lol 

Just a few years ago, Jack was in the hospital in pretty rough shape. It did not look like he was going to make it. I went to see him. I was emotional. He was as well. I thought it was the last time I would ever see him. A few days later, my phone is buzzing and it says, "Jack Robertson." I answer and say, "Jack?"  He says, "David, I got a problem! These nurses won't keep their hands off me!" 

We all love Jack, but we also know he could be a handful at times. As he got older and as his health continued to deteriorate, he thought more about others than himself. I would call to check on him. He did not want to talk about that. What he did want to know...Was I having any luck finding a job?  How was my team doing?  He wanted to make sure that I was ok!

We would talk often on the phone. One of our last conversations, I got to tell him that the 1986 staff really helped me learn how to coach. If you really want to coach, if you really want to learn how to coach, BUILD a football program. I learned alot about the nuts and bolts of coaching football from Jack, Chuck & Coach French back in 1986. The winning was great. But, it was the perfect setup for a young guy to learn how to coach from 3 guys that knew their stuff. 

In another conversation over the last few weeks, I got to tell Jack how proud I was of him. As his health issues got tougher, he responded by thinking of others. It was awkward. He didn't really know what to say. But, I could tell he appreciated me saying so. And, I wanted to make sure that he knew that his old friend admired him as he fought some very difficult battles that would have defeated many of us. 

At the very end, he really enjoyed being a Bearcat. He would come to practices and games. Our guys were crazy about him.  He really clicked with our kids. He would check in often to see how we were doing. One practice, he was right on the sideline with us. For games, he liked to sit near the locker room door so he could talk to the kids when they would come off and on the field. He would tell our guys to make sure the guy across from them on Friday night will be sore on Saturday morning. My bosses took great care of Jack on a Friday night and their efforts sure did mean alot to me.  There have been an awful lot of good things come out of becoming the head football coach at Anderson County HS. One of the biggest ways that I have seen God's Work was when He put Jack with the kids that play football for the Bearcats. That was not a coincidence. That was God telling Big Jack, "I love you."

The last time we talked in person was after the Henry County game, a tough loss. He said, "David, you didn't lose that game." I looked at him like he was crazy.  Take out a couple plays, you win the game." Now, he and I BOTH knew that was absolutely wrong and we lost. But, in that moment, he was trying to make me feel better. He was trying to encourage me. He was less than a month away from a surgery that was critical to his health and even being able to continue living. But, he was thinking about his old friend, the one that use to play tennis with Muffy & Buffy (not really). 

When his back was to the wall, when he had less than a month to live, he was thinking of me. And, that is EXACTLY how I will remember Big Jack Robertson. 

Top 40: November 8, 1986

 

Leadership Lesson: Side Two of Abbey Road

What about it... could you be the 5th Beatle? Whatever it is that you do... what will your last day look like?

Like alot of people my age. I've got an emotional connection to the Beatles and their music, especially their work from the late 60's. Whenever I hear that music, I see those gold Boyle County helmets and think of the time with my Dad. When I worked for Roger Gruneisen at Paris, it was like having Paul McCartney as a Boss and Head Coach. He loves the Beatles and knew their work, inside and out. 

Then, my sons loved the Beatles. John Combs had a class on the Beatles at Centre College. Trosper's last highlight tape from his HS football days has "Get Back" for the soundtrack. Emma did not inherit a love for my music. But, she did not ride in car with me for 19 years going to football practices, workouts and games. Maybe that explains it. My sons like their stuff, but they definitely love and appreciate their Dad's old music, and the Beatles, late 60's,  are near the top of that list. 

Over time, side two of the last album produced by the Beatles, Abbey Road*, has really made an impression on me. Some of the lyrics really hit me hard after my Dad died. 

'Once there was a way to get back home." - Golden Slumbers 

We moved back to Mercer County for me to be the head coach, July 7 of 2015. My Dad died on October 1, 2015. I had moved back to my hometown and was coaching on the same field he had coached, 40 years earlier, I could sure relate to those words. Yes, I was back in Mercer County. But, my Dad was no longer here. He is by far the biggest influence on my life.  Geographically, I might have been home, but emotionally, mentally, in my heart, right after his death, I felt like I had landed on a planet, galaxies away. And, there was no way to get back home. 

"Boy, you're gonna carry that weight, Carry that weight a long time." - Carry That Weight

When we got started at Mercer County in 2015, it was rough. We started out 0-5. We got better, but man, we were at rock bottom. We bounced back and won our district. I remember that December, someone asking me, "I guess you can relax a little now." As politely as I could say it, my response was, "Relax? Absolutely not. This is my hometown. This where my Dad built a program. This is where Alvis Johnson poured his heart/soul and guts into building a great program and helping young people. Failure is not an option here. We HAVE to get the job done." That was my mindset, every single day. We didn't win a state title, but WE did a great job building Titan Football and left it in great shape and primed to be even better going forward. 

The other "weight" was and is a burden no one put on me but myself. My Dad was heart broken when Robert Allen died. He never recovered. I worked like a dog to please him, make him happy and to make him proud. If I could make him smile, that was a huge reward. If I could make my Dad happy, and maybe forget for just a second the large burdens that he carried each day, that was as good as it gets.  I could never be Robert Allen, or as great as he was. But, that was my mission and in many ways, still is today. This self-imposed burden has been enormous, overwhelming at times. It still is today. Somedays I would really like for that burden NOT to be there. But, God has used it over and over. Every now and then, I can even have a little peace about that burden. Not often, but when it happens, I am thankful. And, there is no doubt in my mind, that burden has made me a much better person, husband, father, and football coach. 

The two nicest things anyone has ever said about me:

“During Covid, you were like FONZIE! The coolest guy in the room. You always kept your head and you never got rattled." - That was Rob Reader in December of 2020 when we were celebrating the completion of the fall HS football season in KY. I had served as the KFCA President and we all, coaches and players, and just pulled off an accomplishment most people thought was impossible. Rob was a wonderful man and football coach. I am so thankful we became friends and I sure do miss him. 

Rob on my left, Kaelin Drakeford on my right, December 2018

The other though, means even more.
Lee Glasscock played for my Dad and was one of Robert Allen's best friends.  He told me, over 50 years after he played for my Dad, " Sometimes I think that your dad viewed Robert Allen as someone he would like to see his son grow up to be like. He knows his wish came true."

Monty Wilkerson, Trosper, Lee Glasscock- July 2021

So.... what is this Side Two of Abbey Road Challenge & Commitment?  

The Beatles had a phenomenal career with unrivaled success. But, as incredible as they were, they were their absolute best at THE END (the last song on side two of Abbey Road). Music is a combination of your personal preference along with the memories and people we attach to the music. Still, if you have never done so, I would give side two a listen:

You Never Give Me Your Money

Sun King

Mean Mister Mustard

Polythene Pam

She Came In Through The Bathroom Window

Golden Slumbers

Carry the Weight

The End

Abbey Road - Side Two

Wow. Crazy good. These old guys, on their last day, were ELITE. They were the best they have ever been.  

What does that mean for me? It means that tomorrow when I walk through that coaches office, or hit the field, or walk into that HS... it needs to be my best day ever, my best work ever.  I don't know when the end will come. The Beatles did. But, I am 1000 % committed to making sure my last day, my last moment, will be my absolute best. That, in that moment and work, God will be glorified. I will be serving others, better than ever. 

It also means this...if I realize that I am no longer capable of being my absolute best as a head football coach, it will be time for me to move on. I am not going to die a slow death of mediocrity. I am going to go 1000 mph until the day I can't. When that day comes, I will thank God for what has been an incredible experience coaching young men and KY HS Football, and all that goes with it. 

Now, one part the Beatles got wrong... 

"The love you take, is equal to the love you make." - The End

No, because of Jesus Christ, the love and eternal life we receive if we choose to follow Him...well, no lyrics can do that justice. Not even Paul McCartney or John Lennon can write those words. 

*Let It Be was the last Beatles album released, but was produced before Abbey Road. 

That Can Change Tomorrow

Our first picture, summer of 1990

Anderson County HS will have their graduation ceremony on May 23rd. May 23rd, 1990 we had our graduation at Paris HS at Blanton Collier Stadium. That one changed my life!

In the winter of 1990, I was eating at Hardee's between a football workout and an FCA meeting that evening at Paris HS. I was our sponsor.  This tall, grey headed guy and his short, pretty, dark haired wife, approach my table.  He introduces himself, "My name is Ernie Trosper and this is my wife, Jan." He continues to talk and eventually gets out his wallet and says "this is my daughter, Stephanie." He continues to talk about Stephanie. Me, being full of myself, thinking.... "He wants me to ask her out & be his son in law. She is pretty. She doesn't need any help!"

Fast forward to May 23rd. I am sitting in the Superintendent's office, waiting to meet with Mr. Chumbley to get my summer painting assignment. They would pay the coaches to paint to help us make a little extra money. Next to me are a bunch of old yearbooks. After all of these weeks, I think, "I wonder if Stephanie Trosper is in any of these?" So, I start looking, and of course, there she was! Beautiful. 

After my meeting,  I remember the rest of the day very well. Even though I was an assistant, I was building my playbook to be a head coach. At Paris HS, we had ONE computer and it was in the football office! I spent all day working on my future playbook. Late afternoon, I went for a run. Then, came back to shower and dress for graduation. 

We had a killer sound system in the weightroom/lockerroom. I can remember looking out the doors of the weightroom, fixing my tie, and seeing the sky get darker...looked like we might get rain. I can still remember this classic from HEART blasting over those speakers as the clouds rolled in. 

Coach Gruneisen was w/ me the first time I saw Stephanie

Coach Gruneisen & I went up to the top of the press box and took our umbrellas to watch graduation. And, there she was .... Stephanie Trosper! She was more beautiful in person than any picture could do justice. 

After the ceremony, we were putting stuff in the weightroom. I knew one of my, now former, students, was friends with her. I asked her, "What is Stephanie Trosper like?" Her response, "She has a boyfriend!" My response was, 'THAT CAN CHANGE TOMORROW, is she a good person?" The answer was obviously yes!

The next day I asked a mutual friend to find out if I could call her. She said after Memorial Day, she would do so. 

That Memorial Day weekend was spent painting the football facility at Paris HS. I was working 12 hours a day. WKQQ's Rock & Roll 500 kept me company all weekend. That was it. Paint, sleep, paint... other than go to church on Sunday. I had to make some money and my window was small because I was going to take 9 hours of graduate courses at UK that summer. Plus, I had to make money to pay for the courses. In those days, 3-4 nights a week, I was eating Ramen noodles or cereal. A good night was a 99 cent pizza. A great night was a Chuck Wagon sandwich & Heath bar Freeze(the original "blizzard") at Homer's, just a walk up the street from Blanton Collier Stadium. Good grief those were great days. 

Finally, I got a chance to call her and ask her out. She said, Yes!  Her Mom asked her... "What are you doing?" She told her Mom, "I had to say yes. This might be the guy I am suppose to marry."

When I went to the house for our date, her Mom answered the door. I could read her face, "Oh no, this one is a MAN!" I am 5 years older than Stephanie. She is still more mature than I am, by a long shot. But, I did not look like anyone she had been out with before. Later, when I asked my Mother in Law if I read her face correctly, she told me, "That is EXACTLY what I was thinking!"

That night was May 31, 1990. On May 30, 1992, we were married. 

Any single guys at graduation... pay attention.  You may see your wife!

Christmas Eve, 2023

The Night That Made Me Crazy : September 12, 1986

Steph, Chris, me & Larry... "celebrating" the 1986 Mercer vs. Paris game

From Black Shoes & White Shoestrings (published November of 2014).

I tell people all the time, since I know I am crazy, I am fine. I worry about the people that are crazy and don’t know it. Well….not only do I know I am crazy, I can pinpoint the date that started me on the path that lead to where I am today. That date is September 12, 1986 and I was an assistant coach at Mercer. As you probably guessed, it was a Friday night. But, the surprise is that we WON on the night that started this madness. The final score was Mercer 13, Paris 9.

 

To understand how it came to be a life changing experience, you have to know some of the background information. Our Mercer team had just graduated the best class of football players in school history. 1986 was going to be a rebuilding year. On the night in question, we started four freshmen. We were fortunate to have won our first game versus Knott Central, but in week two, Anderson County had whipped us pretty good.  I wasn’t at the Anderson game because I was at Paris, scouting the Greyhounds.  Paris had been the preseason #1 team in Class A. They were still very good the night we played, but they were playing without their best player due to a broken arm. You probably know his name….Larry Harris. Yes, that Larry Harris that coaches here at Mason County on our staff and became one of my best friends.   His cousin, Lanie Fomas, was still playing for the Hounds. To this day, the fastest & quickest football players I ‘ve ever seen were Lanie and Joseph Jefferson, who would go on to play for the Colts.

 

The bottom line, when the Mercer Scotties rolled into Blanton Collier Stadium we were a huge underdog. Our AD predicted in school that day the final score would be 55-14. And, it got worse. We had two starters in a car wreck the day before. They were ok, but the doctor would not release them to play.  And, it got even worse. Ray Caton, our starting center and defensive lineman who played both ways, sprained his ankle in PE class on gameday. I used at least a roll and half of tape on his ankle when we arrived in Paris.  Our starting corner was already on one leg with a bad ankle. We were in big trouble.

 

The Paris Greyhounds were a dynasty, coached by a GREAT coach and man, Randy Reese.  The atmosphere in that stadium was indescribable. When it worked out that I got to be a small part of Greyhound football two years later, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life and one that means more to me than I can put into words.

 

The Greyhounds were a great wishbone option team. But, our kids did a super job of being disciplined and attacking their assignments. Chuck Smith and our head coach, Larry French, had done a great job getting our guys ready for this game and our kids were all over the Paris option game. Had they been able to pass the ball effectively, we would have been in trouble.

 

To start the 2^nd half, Coach French told our kicker to kick it anywhere but to Fomas. The kickoff hit Lanie in the chest. I don’t know how we tackled him, but we did.  We got to the 4^th quarter and still the score was 9-0. We somehow manage to score, and take the lead 13-9!  The Paris cheerleaders were asking themselves, “Mercer who?  Where is Mercer County?”  I know this for a fact because one of those cheerleaders (Stephanie) turned out to be my wife and the mother of our 3 children!

 

Finally on a 4^th down at the end of the 4^th  quarter, the Paris QB took off on a called pass play. We chased him out of bounds. The officials measured.  Paris had come up short. When Dennis Davis came to the sideline (our QB, one of my best friends, and currently the Mercer County superintendent) I put up my thumb and finger, about a quarter inch apart and said, “Was it this close?”  He said, “Coach, it was closer than that.”

 

That win lead to a district and region championship season, the first ever at Mercer County HS.  It was an incredible experience.

 

So….why did it make me crazy?   Because, since that game, my mindset on EVERY Friday night has been, IF THAT TEAM CAN WIN THAT GAME, THERE IS A WAY THAT WE CAN WIN TONIGHT.  When we don’t win, it is always tough to take and I immediately try to figure out what I should have done differently.

 

Jeff Reese (a sophomore Greyhound in 86), Randy’s son, has become a very good friend. I called him a couple years ago to tell him after teasing him about that game all these years, that I realized that game had ruined my life. His response was, “Good.”  I was exaggerating, but he knew what I meant.

 

Chris Haney was on that team as well and has become a very good friend in addition to Larry and Jeff. And, it is incredible to think Stephanie was cheering on the opposite sideline.  Although, I have to admit, I am not sure I like the idea that Emma may marry a COACH from the opposite sideline.  That thought alone is enough to make me even crazier!

The Three Monsters and one BEAST : When a Coach Changes Jobs

October 1995- Paris

I can't be sure, but I think I have seen them, all three, over the last three months. At a minimum.... feel pretty confident I saw Monster #1, twice. I really don't know for sure, but it looks like even if you make alot of money, those monsters are still there. 

Most of the time, when a coach changes jobs, there are 3 monsters fighting in the coach's head and heart. 

Monster #1: The grief over leaving the previous job, most of all, the people and relationships. 

Monster #2: The excitement and anticipation of a new opportunity. 

Monster #3: The overwhelming amount of work that goes w/ starting over...day 1. 

JCB, me, Trosper, Larry Harris

Along with the 3 monsters, comes the moment my Dad always warned me about. Paris, Mason & Mercer, he told me, "At some point, you will ask yourself, 'What in the hell have I got myself into?' When that happens, don't worry about it. Just keep going. Keep working." 

For my Dad, those moments were when he came home from his first scrimmage at both Boyle and Mercer.  He was overwhelmed. But, both of those programs got much better and much faster than he would have anticipated in the moment. 

I can remember that moment, for me,  at all four places when it happened.  At Paris, it was in the weightroom (Lance Cordray was in there lifting) right after Mr. Goins had told me I was going to replace Coach Gruneisen, who was leaving for Bourbon Co. HS. As bad as I wanted to be a head coach, that was not a good day. At Mason, I was sitting in the office w/ Coach Hester, ordering equipment. At Mercer, it was walking up the sidewalk of the complex, looking over at the practice field... realizing that starting over after 19 years at one place, was going to be a workload like I couldn't imagine.  

At Anderson County, it was a year ago, today, April 11th. I had just got my keys. Without going into detail, the dang equipment room was a nightmare. A couple old coaches bailed me out. I called Sam Harp, a KY HS football legend who had been at Anderson. He is also incredibly well-organized and I knew he would have figured out how to make it work. He started laughing. I said, "I've got to put what's valuable in the equipment room and the rest in the laundry room." He said, yes, that is the only way to make it work. 

The other old coach that got me through that moment was my Dad. Although he is no longer alive, I could hear his words and hear him laughing at me. I could also hear him saying to me, simultaneously,  "You are nuts for jumping back into this" and "You are right where you need to be, doing what you were meant to do."

Back to these three monsters. For me, the day I left a program,  Monster #1 was by far the biggest.  The emotion of the ending is hard to put into the words. The relationships. The shared trials and triumphs. The collective accomplishments and disappointments. The sheer number of hours and days! When a shared mission that is pursued daily, with all you have in your heart, soul and guts comes to a sudden end...no words can do it justice. 

One of the positives about leaving Mercer without a job was that I only had to fight Monster #1. Taking the Anderson job meant that I only had to deal with two monsters. Amazing how much that helped both situations. 

Leaving Paris for Mason, and then Mason for Mercer...brutal. 

Ledger Independent: Interview from Office- The Day I resigned at Mason Co.

My former Pastor, Paul Gibson, told me once, "The bigger we love, the bigger the grief." Monster #1 is tough beyond words... but turns out....that is a great thing. 

Monster #3 can eat Monster #2. Monster #3 needs strict parameters. For Anderson County, this was improved. But here is the foundation of the : Transition Plan .

To me, only a fool would start a new job without a very clear, organized plan for day 1 and week 1, in addition to what must be done ASAP.

October, 2023- Anderson Co. 

So, which monster wins?  For me, they grow into one single BEAST.  That Beast only gets bigger every year. But, it is a GOOD BEAST!  This Beast becomes all the people you love, going back 55 years to my Dad's first team at Boyle. It grows into hundreds of stories... the people at ACHS are learning to avoid me or they are in for at least two stories per conversation.  The conversations and interactions with the players and the coaches on your team stir memories.... didn't this happen in 1994?  Is this the same conversation from 2003?  The Beast is so powerful, it reminds me on a daily basis of how incredibly blessed I am that I still get to do this.  When you are paying attention, you see God's love wrapped up in the totality of this good beast. But, as good as this beast is, it can also be exhausting and overwhelming. That is why I call it a Beast. But, it is a wonderful beast. I can tell you this.... I am going to keep it alive as long as I can. 

I really don't know, but I sort of think Coach Saban and Coach Cal may have felt the same way. 

*Nick Saban photo by David Carpenter

The "Time Machine", Deny the Ball Drills, Casey Kasem & the "Chuck Smith" of Basketball

#32 Alan Hendren, Joey Webb in the middle was good, I am #52, sweating alot

Most days, when I am at Anderson County HS, I get to walk through a time machine. And, most of the time, if I really think about where I am, I smile real big.

ACHS has a pretty good size gym. But, in the winter of 1980, it looked humongous.   That winter was the last time my class in HS had much success in basketball. Our coach was the "Chuck Smith" of basketball, Greg Schepman.  

Coach Schepman & my HS basketball coach/7th grade science teacher, Gene Middleton*. 

I was a freshman at old Mercer County HS. Our 6th period class everyday was freshman basketball practice with Coach Schepman.   While I remember him making sure we knew our plays, most of our time was spent on two drills : 1) deny the ball; 2) box out/ blocking out to rebound.  The best news about both of those drills... they required very little athleticism and talent. They did require a great effort and doing exactly what Coach Schepman told you to do. That was perfect for me. I could check both those boxes. We were only in there for less than an hour, but he worked our tails off. He demanded a great effort and that we do exactly what he told us to do. I loved it. When we did not meet his standard, he let us know about it real quick. But, if you were pouring your guts into being the best you could be, he had a way of making you feel like he had respect for you.  If you had Coach Schepman's respect, that meant the world to me in those days and it still does today. I tried like crazy, everyday, to do a great job for him and meet that standard.  

Mercer County Freshman Basketball Team, Winter of 1979-1980

Even though I was the least talented player on the team, by the end of the season I was a starter... the only one who was not also on the JV team. I was not very good, but Coach Schepman and I got along great.  I would like to think I was his personality on the floor.  He knew he could get after me, push me and that I would respond well. He was right. I would run through a brick wall for Coach Schepman. 

Early in the year, Boyle, Danville and Harrodsburg all beat us pretty bad.  When we played them the 2nd time, we beat Boyle and Danville. Harrodsburg** barely beat us... and they were the best of the three... very good. We played Anderson twice, late in the season, and won both games. One was at Anderson. When I walked in that gym last spring, the first time in 43 years, I could not help but smile and remember how much fun we had that night. The only thing, the gym was not near as big as I remembered it.  I guess that is what getting old does to you. Had you asked me to rank gym sizes in 1980, the Bearcat gym would have been ranked only behind Rupp!

After my freshman year, basketball was a struggle. Coach Schepman was no longer my coach. I stunk as a sophomore. My junior year, we were awful, and I was the worst player on the team. I fouled out in less than a quarter my first varsity game. I loved my HS basketball coach, Gene Middleton. He was super to me. During that tough junior year, we had two meetings. In one, he started with, "David, I think we both know your game is football." Another meeting started with, "David, I think we both know basketball is not your game." He was right!  And, I appreciated the honesty and no BS. 

 The day of my last football game in HS, I went by to see Coach Middleton and tell him I was not going to play basketball my senior year. He was super to me as always and told me because I was a good boy, he would save me a uniform and I could come out later in the season. That meant alot to me and I never forgot that conversation. Ironically, just in the past year, I have realized missing that basketball season was a mistake. We were bad. I was worse. But, I still missed out on being on a team and all the experiences that go with it.  Most of the time, if your pride is making your decision, you are going to be wrong. I did not want to go from starting quarterback to the last guy on the bench of the basketball team. But, that would have been better than not being on the team. And, experiences that teach me humility are not always fun... but they can help me be a better person. 

Last weekend our coaches were riding together to the AFCA Convention in Nashville. We enjoyed hearing Casey Kasem countdown the top songs of 1970 (#80 thru #41), most of them were really good songs that I remember well. I explained to Coach Lucas Shouse, this website is a like a time machine: 

https://top40weekly.com/ 

For example, if I am at practice on our gamefield, and start thinking about being there with my Dad in September of 1971, I can go to this link and listen to the songs that were on the radio that week.  Very cool and I sure do enjoy being able to remember that moment so well. 

Here's a good one from the winter of 1980, that starts running through my mind when I walk through that gym with the Bearcat on the wall: Don't Do Me Like That- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Even cooler.... when I walk from the back hallway, through the gym, and through the gym doors.... I enter another time machine. But, I'll save that story for another time. 

In the meantime, I am thankful for that big gym, deny the ball drills, Casey Kasem and Coach Schepman. 

*In 7th grade science class, Coach Middleton & Coach Schepman would get me to pick college and NFL football games. We had a blast. 

** Keith Currens was a great basketball player at Harrodsburg High and is the same age as me. His son, Jesse, is my AD/Boss at Anderson County HS... super person and Boss....Chip off the old block, for sure.  I don't think Keith played in that 2nd freshman game in 1980, he was probably Varsity only by that time if not sooner. 

It's best when no one see's it coming: The end of being the Head Football Coach at a program

 

1/14/22 Trosper talking to the incoming freshmen

Wednesday (1/10/24), at 9:14 pm, my good friend and former DC, William Harris, sent me this tweet and the following message: "Reminds me of you, work as the HC until the moment he isn't! Just like you. That day is still etched in my brain."

So, why is that the best way to leave?  Why are you going a million miles an hour until the moment you are no longer the head coach?

January 20, 2022 (Thursday) was my last day as the head football coach in my hometown.  There are certainly obstacles when you coach where you grew up, but never equate easy with good. It was an absolutely great experience.  

A decision like this.... it can take weeks, or even months, to work through the details in regards to... is it best for the program that there be a change, and if so... when?

This is how those last few days went....

By January 13th, I had become fairly certain my time had come to an end as the HFC at MCSHS. On January 14th, we had the absolute BEST Recruit Night we ever had at either Mason or Mercer. It was a packed house of incoming freshmen with both talent and excitement in regards to Titan Football. Both the kids and their families were fired up. Without a doubt, it was one of the very best nights I ever experienced as a football coach.  I knew my clock was probably about to run out. And, that made me enjoy it even more. Maybe the term "bittersweet" is on target. 

1/14/22 Packed House @ Recruit Night

As a professional courtesy, I told both my Superintendent and AD on the 18th that I was going to resign, after brief meetings with them individually. And, I sure do appreciate both of them keeping that to themselves until the moment I told the coaches and team. That was best for the program and selfishly, I really was able to enjoy my last two days as the  HFC at Mercer County HS. I was going to resign on the 19th(after a workout), but my AD asked me to wait until our team meal that we had scheduled for the 20th so I honored his request. 

On January 19th, our Perfection Workout was excellent. Our coaches and kids worked their tails off. It was a great day. By this time, I knew 100% this was my last day to coach our kids and be with our coaches. Once again, bittersweet is the best word to describe it.  Man, I had a great day. WE (much more important) had a great day. The kids had a blast. The coaches were in their element and doing what they loved to do. Everyone was excited about what we were doing and the 2022 season.  That was EXACTLY the way it should have been. 

The evening of January 20, we had schedule a team meal and leadership meeting at the Olde Bus Station. Ironically, our leadership talk that evening was to come from WILLIAM HARRIS. William was super.  After William was done, I talked to the team. In summary, my message was that, "The Team Always Comes First. And, right now, what is best for the team, is a new head football coach." 

1/20/2022, William Harris speaking to the team

So, what are the advantages of working like a mad man up until the second you are no longer the head football coach? Why keep it quiet when you realize what is about to happen?

1) It is the right thing to do. If you are in a role, you give it your all... for the team, community, coaches, etc.  There is never an acceptable length of time to coast. There is never an acceptable time to make it about yourself and not the team. 

2) No one, including the head coach, is bigger than the team or the program. The Titans needed to have a great recruit night. We did. The program needed to have a great workout on 1/19. We did. The team comes first. Nobody needs to be walking around, thinking about if the head coach is going to leave, etc. That is a distraction that is never ok. 

3) I was selfish! I wanted to ENJOY my last days coaching those kids and being with those coaches. That last recruit night and that last Perfection Workout were two of the best days, EVER, in a lifetime of HS football. I will never forget those days and I will always be thankful for them.  If I had let my intentions leak out, it would have been miserable. But, I got to watch, up close and personal, a group of players and coaches, go about their business, at a pretty high level. They were excited and full of energy. What that meant to me in those moments....no words can do it justice. 

A bunch of us, for decades, have watched Nick Saban to learn from him.  Coaches are the biggest group of thieves you will ever meet... we steal and copy everything! And, even when it comes to walking away from a program that you have poured your heart, soul & guts into, once again, Coach Saban is on target.  Best wishes Coach, and THANK YOU!

1/23/22 Anna Weaber & Laci McGinnis made our facility PERFECT for the next coach