Top 5 Head Coaches
- Thread starter YoungGun1952
- Start date
1A (only current HC)
Jeff Craddock, Tarboro HS- An easy selection and would be if we did and all classifications list. He and the Vikings have won multiple State Championships and nothing will change in the near future. His teams are disciplined and wow do they play hard.
Neil Blakenship, Swain HS-Coach Blakenship and the Devils are year in and year out the team to beat in the west 1A. He has been able to adapted to his personnel and get so much out of each student athlete that plays for him.
Paul Hoggard, Holmes HS- He will be in the NC Hall of Fame it is just a matter of time. Multiple State Championships and will play for a few more at Holmes in the coming years. His ability to motivate is second to none and players appear to love to play for him.
David Gentry, Murphy HS- You cannot talk about 1A Football without talking about Coach Gentry and the Bulldogs. Multiple State Championships and those expectations will not change anytime soon. He is a first class Coach and did a great job leading last years NC Shrine Bowl team to another victory.
Robert Cody, Plymouth HS- Feels like he is either winning or playing for a state championship every year for the past 10 years now. One of the coaches and programs you know will be playing there best football in November and December.
Jeff Craddock, Tarboro HS- An easy selection and would be if we did and all classifications list. He and the Vikings have won multiple State Championships and nothing will change in the near future. His teams are disciplined and wow do they play hard.
Neil Blakenship, Swain HS-Coach Blakenship and the Devils are year in and year out the team to beat in the west 1A. He has been able to adapted to his personnel and get so much out of each student athlete that plays for him.
Paul Hoggard, Holmes HS- He will be in the NC Hall of Fame it is just a matter of time. Multiple State Championships and will play for a few more at Holmes in the coming years. His ability to motivate is second to none and players appear to love to play for him.
David Gentry, Murphy HS- You cannot talk about 1A Football without talking about Coach Gentry and the Bulldogs. Multiple State Championships and those expectations will not change anytime soon. He is a first class Coach and did a great job leading last years NC Shrine Bowl team to another victory.
Robert Cody, Plymouth HS- Feels like he is either winning or playing for a state championship every year for the past 10 years now. One of the coaches and programs you know will be playing there best football in November and December.
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Those 5 you posted are as good as it gets in 1A or any level for that matter. No need to discuss any further really.
I think arguments can be made with JK Adkins and Kent Briggs. If Adkins can carry his program builder success over to Mt Airy and elevate them to the next level, he will be an all time great in the state. Briggs has brought Cherokee back to prominent times and has done an awesome job there.
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Whoaaaa — Hold up Thunder struck!! I am very pleased with the hire of coach Adkins , I expect he will do a great job at MA. Wish him all the success in the world. But let’s not get carried away just yet. The program has storied success already, he is walking into a locker room already full of talent. Let’s hope he can carry on the success and momentum that coach Holder had put in place. Let’s win a few state championships and a string of conference titles before we put him in the top 5 .
Adkins is a good coach. He’s done a fine job as the East Wilkes HC. He’s different than Kelly although both are winners. Kelly had several opportunities to leave Mount Airy but he never left.
I don’t know if he’s a top 5 coach but definitely top 20 if not top 10.
Had Diamont still be the East Surry HC I would have him in the top 5.
I don’t know if he’s a top 5 coach but definitely top 20 if not top 10.
Had Diamont still be the East Surry HC I would have him in the top 5.
LOL Dave Diamont only made it once to the western finals and lost in
2001 NCHSAA 1AA Regional Finals Football David Diamont..
Coach Holder made it to the state Championship 3 times ,winning 1 and State runner up twice sense 2008 and also made it to the Western Finals several times..
2017 NCHSAA 1AA State Runner-Up Football Kelly Holder
2016 NCHSAA 1AA Regional Finals Football Kelly Holder
2009 NCHSAA 1A State Runner-Up Football Kelly Holder
2008 NCHSAA 1A State Champions Football Kelly Holder
2006 NCHSAA 1AA Regional Finals Football Kelly Holder
Diamont is no long term match to holder who beat the legendary Murphy head football coach David Gentry in 2017 . Holder beat Diamont more times then Diamont beat Holder. You my non-friend only watch and copy posts on other threads to make everyone think you know more the you do and only joined less then a year ago. they're is Fake News everywhere. I been watching you so every western conference repeating what others post a few days/weeks later. They call it monkey see monkey do.Holder is in the top 5 in the last 10 years and Diamond in the top 20 . Holders record is far better then Diamont's ! ! ... Holder has won like 71% 0f his games to Diamont's 69% .... Everyone watch this guy's posts.He loves to personal attack people that know more then he does and acts an expert on every conference in the west. Everyone knows Mount Airy has always advanced futher the East Surry 75 % of the time. Diamont is a good coach ,but has 75% of the time caved under pressure of a closs game.
Diamont is and would never be in the top 5.
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Notice how I never said at thing about Coach Holder other than Coach Adkins will replace him? Never commented on whether he deserves to be in the top 5.
Coach Diamont had nearly 300 career wins. He built up the East Surry program at two separate tenures without the advantages that Mount Airy has in place.
Of course I am not a Mount Airy homer who discredits other programs. That’s why I can praise a stellar coach like Coach Diamont and keep my ego intact.
Diamond and Holder both were big fish in a small pond. Saying either one was a big fish in the big pond would be a stretch. Both were very good coaches and helped a lot of boys become men.
I think Mount Airy has an advantage of being in a city school system. Both programs attracts talent outside of their school lines but more so for Mount Airy. I feel its easier to win at Mount Airy than at East Surry.
I was referring to Adkins and not Holder. Read my entire comment. Another dude suggested that Adkins was a top 5 coach. I thought that was way too high for him at this time.
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For someone who despises personal attacks and constantly rants about them you sure didn’t have a problem leveling one in this post.
As for the Holder/Diamont comments, both are solid coaches and even better men. If I had a son playing football I would be blessed and honored to have either one coach him. In the past 10-11 years Mt.Airy has absolutely had more talent than East Surry, although ES has had years where they have also been pretty talented. During that time ES had the clearly better teams only in 2014 & 2015, winning the conference outright. Coach Holder definitely deserves credit for the tremendous job he did with his teams and all of his success but don’t discredit Coach Diamont so flippantly. At least acknowledge that winning is a combination of talent AND coaching.
In fact, you may want to go back and look at 2016 when Diamont outcoached Holder with a ground-and-pound strategy, milked the clock, and ES beat a far superior MA team to gain a share of the conference championship (MA went on to make adjustments and destroy them in a playoff rematch a few weeks later). Coach Holder won Coach of the Year that season, yet Diamont guided the 3rd most talented team (behind MA & Walkertown) to a 3-way tie for the conference championship. Do I think that Holder was better than Diamont - probably so overall. But Diamont did a pretty dang good job with what he had and was much better than your all-knowing assessment as a “top 20 coach in 1A.”
Great post and I agree. That other poster simply took exception to my post because I called him out on another thread for not telling the truth. He has been outwardly nasty to me and others because we do not denigrate others outside of his homogenous mindset. He is entertaining for sure.
Had he (or she) asked, I would have also said that Coach Holder would be a top 5 coach. It’s much harder to coach football than to take a photo.
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I’m not taking up for anyone, just giving my input on the previous posts in the thread. I’m not going to get into the “beef” aspect of the posts between you and others - I don’t have a dog in that fight and don’t care.
My main points were directed towards your comments on Diamont (which were a more than “he couldn’t take the pressures of the playoffs”). There were 2 early exits for ES in the 10-12 years that probably shouldn’t have happened, but also several years where they advanced further than expected. I’d say the most honest reason they didn’t advance further or have more trips to the western finals is that most years they weren’t more talented than the teams that made it. The exception would be 2015 when they lost to Walkertown for the right to face Mitchell in the Western finals. ES was as talented as Walkertown or Mitchell, but had 4 uncharacteristic turnovers that night which doomed them against a talented Walkertown team (who went on to barely lose to Mitchell in the western finals).
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and perspective. I was simply trying to give factual information to put the coaching discussion into context. That’s not a personal attack, that’s discussion rebuttal.
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You gave a great response. This guy (or gal) attacked you because you did not attack me. He (or she) attacks others when they don’t agree with him (her). And God forbid if you ever “like” a sensible and logical post made by someone. He (or she) will start screaming “blah blah fake news blah blah”. He (or she) will not tolerate anyone with a varying viewpoint. He (or she) has to be right with and emphasis on right.
This was the post with proff TLM did say Mount Airy was top 20 & maybe top 10 & never said top 10.I said top 5
Once Again ,His post that he says he meant defferent: Needs to post what he believes sense he is such an expert on all the western conferences that he posts what others say.....
HE said:"Adkins is a good coach. He’s done a fine job as the East Wilkes HC. He’s different than Kelly although both are winners. "Kelly had several opportunities to leave Mount Airy but he never left.
I don’t know if he’s a top 5 coach but definitely top 20 if not top 10."
Had Diamont still be the East Surry HC I would have him in the top 5." End
Me: I still say Diamont was a great coach but not in pressure games of the playoffs. And that is not me putting him down at all. Hall Of Famer for his many years & wins.
As I said and he did not,Holder a 5 & Diamont with no western championships or State , only between 10 & 20... JMO and if holder had coached as many games as Diamont he would most likely won as many or more games and maybe more state Championship games ,win or lose. 3D has made a bad person out of you The Lake Man/Everhard Forever. Like A kid hanging out with the wrong kid.He claims he did not say the above and I should have ask if Holder should have been in the top 5. ... The Man needs to say what he means which he has trouble doing at times.... I belieave he is older then I am and that is old. LOL
Now delete this one whom ever did the last one I posted and read it then it was gone....
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The Lake Man may be Earnhardt Forever but he has changed his writing style and wit if it is the same person.
Does anyone think East Surry has had more talented teams than Mt Airy on a consistent basis? No. Does not mean Holder is not the better coach but I think Mt Airy was the favorite based on the talent levels about every season. Granted, Coach Holder and his staff molded them. Also, agree that Mt Airy got more talent coming to the school than East Surry did but that may have had to do with the coaches or possibly a more accepting system. Nothing definitive, just thoughts.
Does anyone think East Surry has had more talented teams than Mt Airy on a consistent basis? No. Does not mean Holder is not the better coach but I think Mt Airy was the favorite based on the talent levels about every season. Granted, Coach Holder and his staff molded them. Also, agree that Mt Airy got more talent coming to the school than East Surry did but that may have had to do with the coaches or possibly a more accepting system. Nothing definitive, just thoughts.
Holder will coach again, won’t get involved in the debate , but I will say this , been an awful lot of talent come thru both schools , holder should have had at least one more state title possibly 2 not including the loss to wrh in 2010. The other has had a little league and middle school program second to none, a awful lot of talent flowing thru the program and roll up in the playoffs as a 1 seed and get knocked off by a 16 . Both are amazing coaches and made a whole lot of difference in quite a few life’s , that’s irreplaceable in my opinion . Both are top 5 or top 10. But my gut tells me holder will coach again, could be across the river, could be west or east in the state , but I definitely see him back on the sidelines somewhere in a few years.
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He first accused me of being 3Daughters. Then an “NC Plant” and Sportsnut.Now someone else.
Thought this thread was about the top 5 coaches in 1a football, geeezzzz kids ,, oooops I mean men it’s football season almost, our favorite time of year and all we can talk about is crap, admins might as well lock this thread to. Smh
I look at whether the head coach improved a program or not. As such win/loss records are not always a good indicator about the quality of coach. A coach that can go .500 at a school such as North Stokes might be just as good of a coach as a coach that wins 75% of their games at Mount Airy.
This is one reason why I think Coach Diamont is often overlooked as a stellar coach. More often than not East Surry’s talent base was not as strong as Mount Airy’s talent base.
This is one reason why I think Coach Diamont is often overlooked as a stellar coach. More often than not East Surry’s talent base was not as strong as Mount Airy’s talent base.
I did not take ,Who are the top 5 coaches as that could only win a 500 season. If he was a good enough coach he would be at a school that can win 70% of their games more offten than not. To everyone his own I guess. But if only can win 50% then IMO not even a top 20 coach. He has to be reconized as a great coach and picked by a A good school to be given a chance to prove his self. .500 just don't do it for me as a top 5 coach. Sorry that does elimanate you as Everhard Forever ! !
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I totally disagree on the talent base. I live in the area and see these kids from little league to middle school till graduation. East Surry has as great feeder program / parent base in the state. Atmosphere and support in pilot for their cardinals is awesome. Even at the jv level the cards win conference year in and year out. Something happens at the varsity level in mt airy that doesn’t happen in pilot come playoff time. It’s a toss up last game of the year no matter what anybody brings to the table, coach diamont has won more than his share. Should be the same with the new coaches this year. Both teams are loaded with talent. Gosnell is as good a 1a high school qb as you will find, got a lot of weapons as well. Ma is stacked in the back field and as good as you will find at the slot and wide receiver position. I’ve said this before this year, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see an all northwest regional final this year. I know North Stanly and Murphy fans will have a say in that. But we have a couple VERY GOOD football teams in Surry county this year. Gonna be a fun season to say the least
So talent-wise you see no difference between the two programs? If so we can agree to disagree. More years than not MA appears a notch ahead of ES with talent.
Like I said , I watch and follow these two teams year in and year out. I don’t see it. I watch these kids from little league to high school. I don’t know the numbers or the head to head but I can almost guarantee you that the pilot Mtn ravens in middle school hold a heavy edge over the mt airy cubs, I would also bet it runs the same way in little league. I would also bet it runs the same way at the jv level. I don’t know what changes at the varsity level but it does. Regular season toss up between the two regular season , don’t matter if ones up or down . The bears just preform better in the playoffs.
I can’t intelligently comment about the middle school years at any location in the state. But sure, the high school varsity level I am up for it.
2003 both teams were good teams at best. East Surry beat Mount Airy by less than a TD.
2004 Mount Airy was by far the more athletic team and destroyed East Surry. East was not not that good.
2005 both teams were pretty much even. East won a close one.
2006 I would say East Surry was the better team athletically. East Surry won but then lost early in the playoffs while MA had a good playoff run.
2007-2012 Mount Airy had much better talent than ES and it was not even close in any year.
2013 the teams were close to even in talent. MA beat ES in the regular season and ES beat MA in the playoffs.
2014 the teams were fairly even in talent. East Surry won a close one.
2015 East Surry had the better talent and depth. East Surry easily defeated MA.
2016 and 2017 I felt MA had the better talent. ES defeated MA in the 2016 regular season.
In the past 15 years I would say ES had the better talent twice and MA 9 times.
2003 both teams were good teams at best. East Surry beat Mount Airy by less than a TD.
2004 Mount Airy was by far the more athletic team and destroyed East Surry. East was not not that good.
2005 both teams were pretty much even. East won a close one.
2006 I would say East Surry was the better team athletically. East Surry won but then lost early in the playoffs while MA had a good playoff run.
2007-2012 Mount Airy had much better talent than ES and it was not even close in any year.
2013 the teams were close to even in talent. MA beat ES in the regular season and ES beat MA in the playoffs.
2014 the teams were fairly even in talent. East Surry won a close one.
2015 East Surry had the better talent and depth. East Surry easily defeated MA.
2016 and 2017 I felt MA had the better talent. ES defeated MA in the 2016 regular season.
In the past 15 years I would say ES had the better talent twice and MA 9 times.
For getting the most out of their natural talent I would go with Aaron Wheeler. He was small but pound for pound he was one tough hombre.
So per your post it looks like your difference in talent was 2007 thru 2012. Will go back and look at those particular years. With what I’m reading is that East Surry wins with a lot less talent at the high school level most years against the bears, that’s not my argument, my argument is that something changes come playoff time in mt airy vs pilot mtn. Not talking about head to head , talking about what the coaches receive from their middle school program to jv to varsity. I can assure you the cardinals are on the same level when they leave high school and you can see it in the head to head stats year to year , the difference is what the coaches get out of their talent come game time. How does a Chris Griggs and a 2001 cardinal team compare to a 2008 bears team , who wins that game? I’m a granite bear die hard but I can assure you that there’s no lack of talent in pilot mtn, and yes the wheeler boys were some of the best high school players I’ve ever seen play. Luke wheeler to this day is the best football player I have ever watched in our area , not best position player but an old school all around football player
I place little emphasis on the win/loss records of middle school and jv teams. Some coaches are more likely to place 9th and 10th graders up to varsity than others. I look more at developing talent before the players reach varsity level.
Other factors include utilizing the weight room, net transfers into program, and whether the coach has full support from school administration.
Other factors include utilizing the weight room, net transfers into program, and whether the coach has full support from school administration.
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