Troy Davis out as Louisville Leopards Head Coach

doubtme said:
Honestly, Those communities in the MAC are great places to live and raise a family. You can still coach kids hard and the vast majority come from 2 parent households which is a huge advantage. Actually heard Chip Otten mention that once as one of the reasons he feels they have consistent success. Why Schimdt or Whiting (even though he is a stark county guy) would want to leave situations like that would be crazy to me. Plus the competition down there is top notch.
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100% agree. That's why I ended with all three are probably unlikely but you need to make the call just to be sure.
 
doubtme said:
Honestly, Those communities in the MAC are great places to live and raise a family. You can still coach kids hard and the vast majority come from 2 parent households which is a huge advantage. Actually heard Chip Otten mention that once as one of the reasons he feels they have consistent success. Why Schimdt or Whiting (even though he is a stark county guy) would want to leave situations like that would be crazy to me. Plus the competition down there is top notch.
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Louisville fans have very high expectations. Everyone mentioned would be a good hire. But most are in better situations than Louisville. 8 years ago this was a great job- but now??
 
NBC 1988 said:
All good choices but is Louisville a good enough situation to lure any of them?? I know It will be extremely hard to lure Lancaster away from Indian Valley. He has a great program, brand new stadium and his teams are as excellent yearly. Louisville is probably not a big jump for him, if at all. They had a big game with Steubenville Saturday night- when Minerva played them in 2017 and 2018 they were by far the best team we played those years.
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Louisville is definitely a significant jump. You are now playing DI and DII schools every week instead of TV, SV and Newcs. Indian Valley played one game all year (Dover) that was on the level of Louisville when they are winning. Having said that, I doubt he would go but I still call and see if I can get a sit down with him.
 
BelowTheLine said:
Louisville is definitely a significant jump. You are now playing DI and DII schools every week instead of TV, SV and Newcs. Indian Valley played one game all year (Dover) that was on the level of Louisville when they are winning. Having said that, I doubt he would go but I still call and see if I can get a sit down with him.
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That is true but the situation in Louisville is pretty volatile with no league and playing up. It will be a tall task to get that program back on track. It will take an good coach but most importantly good scheduling decisions by the AD. At least they have a legitimate shot at the playoffs if they go 6-4 when they started taking 16 teams
 
BelowTheLine said:
Louisville is definitely a significant jump. You are now playing DI and DII schools every week instead of TV, SV and Newcs. Indian Valley played one game all year (Dover) that was on the level of Louisville when they are winning. Having said that, I doubt he would go but I still call and see if I can get a sit down with him.
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The schedule Indian Valley played is smaller but had some quality teams too. Also, they are playing in week 14 and have an extremely good program. IMO Indian Valley is more attractive than the Louisville job-
 
TheSpy81 said:
So who are some of the people you would like to see as the new head coach at Louisville? Obviously the success of AJ Sarbaugh and Dial make them intriguing prospects. Who else? Any coordinators? Any coaches not from Stark County?
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Salem and West Branch have some young up and coming coaches. I think it would be worth the phone call to some of the staff at both of those schools.
 
BelowTheLine said:
So I'll throw out 3 names that I would kick the tires on if I was Louisville. All 3 may not be interested but I would at least look at all 3.

#1 - Matt Lancaster (Indian Valley) - Lancaster has built a very solid program at Indian Valley. The Braves play a more traditional, physical style of football that is very fun to watch. They are very fundamentally sound and most importantly he has built a really good youth program that serves as a consistent feeder program. He's been at IV for 16 years so he may not be interested but Louisville would be a huge jump in teaching pay for him from Indian Valley.

#2 - Seth Whiting (Minster) - I would check on this just because of his connection to Stark County. He may not be willing to come back especially since he mentioned one of the reasons to go to Minster was to be nearer his parents but you never know. I'd at least call.

#3 - Chris Schmidt (New Bremen) - The New Bremen turnaround has been one of the most impressive things in Ohio football. To take a program that was nearly shut down and turn it into a state championship level winning program (with a big roster) in the toughest conference in Ohio is crazy. Obviously, that school district has done a lot of things right considering their success across multiple sports in the last decade and perhaps Schmidt would be willing to try and replicate that at a bigger school.

Once again, all three are probably unlikely but until you call you never know.
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I'll add to this

1. Broc Dial (Dalton) - The premiere name for any openings in Stark and Summit county for a reason, does all the right things and clearly has the skills required to build a program

2. Robert Mahaney (Shelby) - Out in Richland county Mahaney had quietly built up one of the most underrated programs in the state since taking the reigns in 2018. With his ties to the area and a successful track record his energy could be exactly what the leopards need

3. Ron Johnson (Salem) - If the Leopards decide to go the route of the established veteran nobody is more qualified than Johnson. With both kids graduated and Salem reaching likely as far as they can go during his tenure could a job like Louisville have the ammunition he would need to secure that elusive state title?

4. Andy Hake (Valley Christian) - Is there anyone more like a shot of adrenaline to the program than Hake? All the man does it win, but ....... Is he worth all the baggage?
 
ShootNation said:
I'll add to this

1. Broc Dial (Dalton) - The premiere name for any openings in Stark and Summit county for a reason, does all the right things and clearly has the skills required to build a program

2. Robert Mahaney (Shelby) - Out in Richland county Mahaney had quietly built up one of the most underrated programs in the state since taking the reigns in 2018. With his ties to the area and a successful track record his energy could be exactly what the leopards need

3. Ron Johnson (Salem) - If the Leopards decide to go the route of the established veteran nobody is more qualified than Johnson. With both kids graduated and Salem reaching likely as far as they can go during his tenure could a job like Louisville have the ammunition he would need to secure that elusive state title?

4. Andy Hake (Valley Christian) - Is there anyone more like a shot of adrenaline to the program than Hake? All the man does it win, but ....... Is he worth all the baggage?
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Boy would Ron Johnson be an ironic hire. Salem had some personal foul and unsportsmanlike filled games with Louisville!!
 
ShootNation said:
I'll add to this

1. Broc Dial (Dalton) - The premiere name for any openings in Stark and Summit county for a reason, does all the right things and clearly has the skills required to build a program

2. Robert Mahaney (Shelby) - Out in Richland county Mahaney had quietly built up one of the most underrated programs in the state since taking the reigns in 2018. With his ties to the area and a successful track record his energy could be exactly what the leopards need

3. Ron Johnson (Salem) - If the Leopards decide to go the route of the established veteran nobody is more qualified than Johnson. With both kids graduated and Salem reaching likely as far as they can go during his tenure could a job like Louisville have the ammunition he would need to secure that elusive state title?

4. Andy Hake (Valley Christian) - Is there anyone more like a shot of adrenaline to the program than Hake? All the man does it win, but ....... Is he worth all the baggage?
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Louisville is not just a coach away from a state title. Way too many teams with great athletes to leap frog for that/ Johnson would have a better chance at D4 Salem for that
 
NBC 1988 said:
Louisville is not just a coach away from a state title. Way too many teams with great athletes to leap frog for that/ Johnson would have a better chance at D4 Salem for that
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Oh I agree but I do think Louisville has a higher ceiling than most other public schools in the area
 
I do not dislike Lous
ShootNation said:
Oh I agree but I do think Louisville has a higher ceiling than most other public schools in the area
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yea, but some of the names mentioned are probably in better situations currently-but it's always fun banter- I remember when Minerva was searching some of the names that came were more dreams than reality, like Farrah and Miley!!
 
As long as Louisville remains without a league and has to play half of a Federal League schedule, that may give coaching prospects a moment of pause, realizing it will be tough to have the kind of success Louisville expects. Will coaching prospects want to thrust themselves into a situation where expectations are so high but the schedule is so very, very challenging in regard to winning a lot of games? We will see.
 
balllady64 said:
Don't need inside hire...no experience...same as Davis had no head coaching experience...need to clean out staff and start over.
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Listen, this is high school football. Cleaning out a staff for a job like Louisville is not possible. Maybe you'll get to bring in two or three other guys with your coach but you're not clearing it out 7-12. Find out who on staff is the best, introduce them to the candidates you have it narrowed down to, and figure out your program structure together
 
ShootNation said:
Listen, this is high school football. Cleaning out a staff for a job like Louisville is not possible. Maybe you'll get to bring in two or three other guys with your coach but you're not clearing it out 7-12. Find out who on staff is the best, introduce them to the candidates you have it narrowed down to, and figure out your program structure together
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You couldn't be more right! This is Louisville and not the Wisconsin Badgers. Louisville fans have to realize that this job is not going to lure someone like Lancaster from Indian Valley. They will always be an average D3 team with occasional talent but the expectations of the fan base are to make deep playoff runs every year. This is a decent job, not a great job
 
As a former Louis-villian myself, who lived through the 90s and 2000's runs and saw talent levels for that city that may never be topped again, the thing that made the team best was that the boys in blue played Little Leps together for 4 years and didn't worry about beating Canton South's 6th grade team or what not. There is no program like this in Northeast Ohio where at the end of the 8th Grade season, you now have 4 QBs with playing experience and 20+ OLinemen with playing experience. Mentor and Medina is similar because they have so many Middle Schools. Whoever becomes the coach, fix the foundation and get kids out the way the youth basketball program is doing. Just my two cents.
 
halifax8 said:
As a former Louis-villian myself, who lived through the 90s and 2000's runs and saw talent levels for that city that may never be topped again, the thing that made the team best was that the boys in blue played Little Leps together for 4 years and didn't worry about beating Canton South's 6th grade team or what not. There is no program like this in Northeast Ohio where at the end of the 8th Grade season, you now have 4 QBs with playing experience and 20+ OLinemen with playing experience. Mentor and Medina is similar because they have so many Middle Schools. Whoever becomes the coach, fix the foundation and get kids out the way the youth basketball program is doing. Just my two cents.
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I agree with all of your observations, but will add this: The NBC made a special provision to allow Louisville to maintain their own Little Leopards' program and not play any junior high football against other league members. Moving forward, I'm not so sure a prospective league Louisville may want apply to would accept that provision. I know the former NBC members were not keen on the fact Louisville, a league member, could have its own youth program while the rest of the league members had to abide by the normal rules of having their junior high teams play one another. Again, I agree with what you're saying, I just don't know if any new league the Leopards may join would adjust their rules for a brand new member. I guess we will find out sometime in the future.
 
It is time to kill little leps, honestly 7-8 grade barely had enough kids out this year, last year had 9 man football. To much Daddy ball going on and stacking of teams. Might be able to keep 5-6 but 7-8 is so bad they are going to struggle to get a freshman team.

The irony of what we had on the coaching staff that were teachers was only a few. I think for the most part they brought little leps coaches up and non teachers to pull together a staff because Troy wasnt given an option to hire anyone.
 
Lewis43D said:
It is time to kill little leps, honestly 7-8 grade barely had enough kids out this year, last year had 9 man football. To much Daddy ball going on and stacking of teams. Might be able to keep 5-6 but 7-8 is so bad they are going to struggle to get a freshman team.

The irony of what we had on the coaching staff that were teachers was only a few. I think for the most part they brought little leps coaches up and non teachers to pull together a staff because Troy wasnt given an option to hire anyone.
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You and I have mirror opinions on LL program. It’s time for a 7th and 8th grade team and the staff for both would have to be board approved and no more of this “bringing guys on staff” so their kid(s) are on the team. It’s gonna piss off the “I won a little league trophy” crowd but the reality is the way that program is being run is why it’s in the toilet. If they can’t find some bodies that want to play next year in that 8th grade class, I can’t see how you field a freshman team. I want to say there’s 18 8th graders and you have to figure a few never intended to play freshman. So if you’re left with 15 ??? Can’t waist time scheduling games and then canceling. It’s going to cost some of these kids valuable reps in a sport where you’re limited to begin with. This is definitely a subject that the new head coach will need to address.
 
Lewis43D said:
It is time to kill little leps, honestly 7-8 grade barely had enough kids out this year, last year had 9 man football. To much Daddy ball going on and stacking of teams. Might be able to keep 5-6 but 7-8 is so bad they are going to struggle to get a freshman team.

The irony of what we had on the coaching staff that were teachers was only a few. I think for the most part they brought little leps coaches up and non teachers to pull together a staff because Troy wasnt given an option to hire anyone.
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Sounds like an adult problem. There are countless communities doing modified versions of football in younger age groups. Take Aurora for example... Flag up until 5th-6th grade but at 3rd grade there are padded options as well. I just want to see the program thrive and you don't do that by making less people want to play youth ball by creating travel teams or teams whose only goal is to beat the 6th grade team from Canal Fulton.
 
halifax8 said:
Sounds like an adult problem. There are countless communities doing modified versions of football in younger age groups. Take Aurora for example... Flag up until 5th-6th grade but at 3rd grade there are padded options as well. I just want to see the program thrive and you don't do that by making less people want to play youth ball by creating travel teams or teams whose only goal is to beat the 6th grade team from Canal Fulton.
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Little Leopards is a mess, specifically 7 and 8 grade. One team/coach has ruined it. Doesn't want to work on teaching the entire group the right way to build a strong unit. Would much rather make himself and his coaches look good. What a bunch of egomaniac. So sad the kids are being led this way.
 
Lynus24 said:
You and I have mirror opinions on LL program. It’s time for a 7th and 8th grade team and the staff for both would have to be board approved and no more of this “bringing guys on staff” so their kid(s) are on the team. It’s gonna piss off the “I won a little league trophy” crowd but the reality is the way that program is being run is why it’s in the toilet. If they can’t find some bodies that want to play next year in that 8th grade class, I can’t see how you field a freshman team. I want to say there’s 18 8th graders and you have to figure a few never intended to play freshman. So if you’re left with 15 ??? Can’t waist time scheduling games and then canceling. It’s going to cost some of these kids valuable reps in a sport where you’re limited to begin with. This is definitely a subject that the new head coach will need to address.
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I pity the next HC who inherits the toxic mess.
 
Hopefully someone can bridge the gap between the Nick Saban of 7/8 football and the benefit of the entire program. The throne at the Eagles is hard to give up.
 
halifax8 said:
As a former Louis-villian myself, who lived through the 90s and 2000's runs and saw talent levels for that city that may never be topped again, the thing that made the team best was that the boys in blue played Little Leps together for 4 years and didn't worry about beating Canton South's 6th grade team or what not. There is no program like this in Northeast Ohio where at the end of the 8th Grade season, you now have 4 QBs with playing experience and 20+ OLinemen with playing experience. Mentor and Medina is similar because they have so many Middle Schools. Whoever becomes the coach, fix the foundation and get kids out the way the youth basketball program is doing. Just my two cents.
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Does Louisville have the numbers to support this type of a youth program?
 
halifax8 said:
As a former Louis-villian myself, who lived through the 90s and 2000's runs and saw talent levels for that city that may never be topped again, the thing that made the team best was that the boys in blue played Little Leps together for 4 years and didn't worry about beating Canton South's 6th grade team or what not. There is no program like this in Northeast Ohio where at the end of the 8th Grade season, you now have 4 QBs with playing experience and 20+ OLinemen with playing experience. Mentor and Medina is similar because they have so many Middle Schools. Whoever becomes the coach, fix the foundation and get kids out the way the youth basketball program is doing. Just my two cents.
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After 8th grade you have 4 or more QB's who think they are good because they play against a bunch of kids who will never see the varsity field. Sure they played against one or two decent defensive players but overall they took advantage of fair to poor athletes that didn't challenge them. Play against better competition with more speed of play and bigger stronger players to develope elite players at each position.
Oh, and find a coach who knows how to prepare players for a games and be a good leader to his assitant coaches.
 
Stark county said:
After 8th grade you have 4 or more QB's who think they are good because they play against a bunch of kids who will never see the varsity field. Sure they played against one or two decent defensive players but overall they took advantage of fair to poor athletes that didn't challenge them. Play against better competition with more speed of play and bigger stronger players to develope elite players at each position.
Oh, and find a coach who knows how to prepare players for a games and be a good leader to his assitant coaches.
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I'm missing your point on the taking advantage of poor athletes... we're talking about 8th graders. Many of who are playing positions they never would play in varsity level because who knows what they will turn out to be yet. I always laugh when I heard that Justin Boudler, who was an unbelievable WR, played OL in Little Leps. Too heavy I guess for the weight limit. Is that bad coaching? Should he have played against better competition? What about teams like Kirtland... what is their youth program like? Or Avon, Chardon, Coldwater, etc... smaller publics with continued success. What do they do do get more youth out and stick with it? Playing other cities and schools may be part of the solution for sure.
 
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