[Norm Peterson]

While I realize Coach Stephens had a good year with this group and appears to be a likable guy, do the players and program not at least deserve the appearance of a search for top notch coach?

Most anyone could have taken this group and done what he did. They were super talented and were merely limited by what they coaches were willing to let them do. After Coach A left, Jim Girdler continued to call defense and Chad Girdler continued to call offense, just like when Coach A was there. What Stephens did do what keep the group focused and enjoying playing the game.

Ask any player on the team if they worked any extra on passing defense the week of the Anderson Co game for a team who had thrown for 2500 yards? Ask them if they worked more on our passing game or if we just thought we were going to run it down Anderson Co's throat because we beat Harlan Co? They shut Powell down and we weren't prepared. We don't view passing as necessary for football unless you are 3rd and long. They had a good passing quarterback and we weren't prepared. We don't teach our kids man-to-man in the secondary because we don't know how. We are as one dimensional as we were when Coach A was there, if not more so. Stephens made the comment on the radio that bad things happen when you pass the ball. What??? Come into the 21st century. This isn't 1950's football anymore. That's why the mountain teams never get out of the mountains.

I ask this. How come the boys basketball got to do an extensive search and find Steve Wright, a state championship coach with lots of recruiting connections to help our boys go on to college? The football program settles for a nice guy who had one winning season in his life before this year. Ask all our D1 senior prospects how their college contacts and offers have progressed since Coach A left !!:please:

Just how many D1 prospects do you think the Warriors have? There might be one, maybe 2 at the most. Otherwise I agree with your post.