WHO ARE SETX TOP 5 FOOTBALL COACHES?

[Dan The Man]

The definition of a good coach is someone who can consistently win with inferior talent. I am sure lots of coaches could win at WOS, PAM or Newton. Lets see those guys win at HJ or Orangefield. It ain't X's and O's - It's Jimmy's and Joe's.

[Guest EagleFan01]

How do you figure yall made it further in playoffs in two of last three seasons? Same round every year but this one well except 2010 i guess that counts since yall got a bye. I really dont have count that since you only played two games like we did


[quote name="ECBucFan" post="1372655" timestamp="1360608588"]
What do you mean fell to the ground? They have never missed a beat Barbay passed away they still made the playoffs that season and then Johnston came in and continued the success.
[/quote]

When Newton joined 10-2A three years ago, the presumption then was that Newton would be completely and totally unchallenged in this "weak" 2A district.  Since then, EC has been the District Champions 2 of those 3 years, and has gone further in the playoffs in the last 2 of 3 seasons, even [i]without the overall athleticism Newton always has[/i]. 

Taking nothing away [u]at all[/u] from Johnson, but why doesn't EC's Russ Sutherland get some recognition here?
[/quote]

[TradinUp BH]

[quote name="Mendlebalm" post="1372782" timestamp="1360636168"]
The definition of a good coach is someone who can consistently win with inferior talent. I am sure lots of coaches could win at WOS, PAM or Newton. Lets see those guys win at HJ or Orangefield. It ain't X's and O's - It's Jimmy's and Joe's.
[/quote]

True, but HJ fans are saying they do have a lot of talent, but don't have the coaching. ;D

just stirring the pot a little. ;D

[robanadana]

[quote name="TradinUp BH" post="1372606" timestamp="1360608265"]
[quote author=badndn link=topic=109141.msg1372581#msg1372581 date=1360604721]
ONe fan called him XBox Kenny. One F-A-N. PAM has talent, but compared to some of the other region 3 5A schools they aren't anymore loaded. Remember PAM was a combination of 3 schools, but they still have a rather small enrollment in the 5A ranks and it's shrinking. I think Kenny has done very well with PAM.
Jeff Mathews has done a good job with Vidor, but they are 2-3 in the playoffs the last four seasons and didn't win a DC, actually finishing 3rd twice and folks forget three years ago they were 2-8. In comparison Faircloth at PNG in that same time frame has one DC and two 2nd place finishes and went 3-3 in the playoffs, but folks remember only this past seasons 2-8 team. Faircloth's teams have been better than Mathews teams over that span, not by much.

            Overall      Dist        Playoffs
PNG      28-18      18-10        3-3            1 DC - 2 2nd
Vidor    28-18      17-11        2-3            2 2nd - 1 3rd

This is why I can't put Mathews in the top 5...Because I can't put Faircloth in the top 5. 
[/quote]

NDN, the difference is PNG historically has had decent teams with a state appearance in 99 along with several playoff berths recently before BF took over. Matthews took over a dead program and brought them to life. There may have been one F-A-N that said that about Kenny, but there were several that were bashing him. It's not like there are alot of PAM fans on here anyways. ;D
[/quote] 

Totally agree with BH Fan on his picks and comments here. Jeff took us from nothing, I mean nothing, to a contender in every sport we play. If the thread were about ADs, I would put Jeff at the top of that list. As a football coach, top 5. Hard to argue with Neumann and Harrison and their success. Thompson @ WOS stepped into a winning programs with D1 class athletes...I have issue that he needs to win state considering the talent he has. He has a hard time beating us. Coach Gage @ BH is a consistent winner in the same image as Vidor with minimal talent. Faircloth stepped into a well established program and it fell this year; he has to prove he can pull teams from the doldrums and build his own program from the ground up.

[CAL2TEX]

[quote name="TradinUp BH" post="1372628" timestamp="1360611582"]
[quote author=badndn link=topic=109141.msg1372616#msg1372616 date=1360609734]
[quote author=TradinUp BH link=topic=109141.msg1372606#msg1372606 date=1360608265]
[quote author=badndn link=topic=109141.msg1372581#msg1372581 date=1360604721]
ONe fan called him XBox Kenny. One F-A-N. PAM has talent, but compared to some of the other region 3 5A schools they aren't anymore loaded. Remember PAM was a combination of 3 schools, but they still have a rather small enrollment in the 5A ranks and it's shrinking. I think Kenny has done very well with PAM.
Jeff Mathews has done a good job with Vidor, but they are 2-3 in the playoffs the last four seasons and didn't win a DC, actually finishing 3rd twice and folks forget three years ago they were 2-8. In comparison Faircloth at PNG in that same time frame has one DC and two 2nd place finishes and went 3-3 in the playoffs, but folks remember only this past seasons 2-8 team. Faircloth's teams have been better than Mathews teams over that span, not by much.

            Overall      Dist        Playoffs
PNG      28-18      18-10        3-3            1 DC - 2 2nd
Vidor    28-18      17-11        2-3            2 2nd - 1 3rd

This is why I can't put Mathews in the top 5...Because I can't put Faircloth in the top 5. 
[/quote]

NDN, the difference is PNG historically has had decent teams with a state appearance in 99 along with several playoff berths recently before BF took over. Matthews took over a dead program and brought them to life. There may have been one F-A-N that said that about Kenny, but there were several that were bashing him. It's not like there are alot of PAM fans on here anyways. ;D
[/quote]
Common misconception that PNG was a perrinial playoff team before Faircloth took over. They actually went to the playoffs 3 times in the nine seasons before Faircloth. With several 3-6 and 5-5 seasons mixed in.

Also Mathews has been at Vidor for 10+ years (not sure how long) and only recently have they had any success. The guy has done very well in changing the overall sports culture at Vidor. Just not willing to say he is a top 5 local coach...Yet.
[/quote]

I lived in PNG for 12 years during those times.
04- 2nd rd playoffs
05- screwed by hurricane and coin toss
06- No playoffs
07- 2nd rd Playoffs
08- No playoffs

BF is a good coach no doubt, but most people were ticked because of  the old coach run left, right, middle, punt offense. With 4 teams going to playoffs, [b]I was a little thrown off by a BF coached team not making the playoffs when Neuman is making it year in and year out with all kinds of major injuries. BF had a chance to get creative and show his skills IMO and failed.[/b] I still think he's a decent coach when he has decent athletes there. He's about to go through a pretty dang good cycle.
[/quote]

I could not agree with you more.

[mypooh]

[quote name="Mr. Buddy Garrity" post="1372420" timestamp="1360534466"]
[quote author=TradinUp BH link=topic=109141.msg1372419#msg1372419 date=1360533884]
[quote author=Mr. Buddy Garrity link=topic=109141.msg1372390#msg1372390 date=1360525438]
1. Larry Neumann--Nederland
2. WT Johnston--Newton
3. Bryan Barbay--Coldspring
4. Kenny Harrison--PA Memorial
5. Jeff Mathews--Vidor
[/quote]

IMO Cornel Thompson and Kenny Harrison are about equal. They're good, but with the talent they have on those teams, they should be going deeper then one round in the playoffs. ie. PAM
[/quote]

Harrison Year 1- 1 round
Harrison Year 2- 3 rounds
Harrison Year 3- 5 Rounds
Harrison Year 4- 1 round

Talent has always been there before Harrison became HC, the coaching was the problem above his level.
[/quote]

This is so true no one says Nick Saban can't coach and he has had 4 of the top recruiting classes in the llast 5 years. You still have to coach the kids up. The talent has always been at PAM but it was never coached up.

[mypooh]

[quote name="TradinUp BH" post="1372541" timestamp="1360595873"]
My argument for list is this:

Larry Nueman- Ned (This coach has got the most out of his teams with major injury issues to previous teams and still finds ways to win games and make playoffs every year)

Jeff Matthew- Vid ( Vidor was the red headed step child until Jeff took over and planted the winning seed in the players at Vidor. He turned a bottom dweller program into one of the strongest programs in the area. The big thing is he's done it for the past several years. The question will be, Can he do it with Montana gone?)

WT Johnson- Newton ( This team fell to the ground after having so much success, and then came Coach Johnson and turned it around and now you have a powerhouse once again)

Barbay- Coldspring ( For a long time, nobody in this area ever heard of Coldspring. The school is hidden in the piney woods and didn't have much. In steps another Barbay, and BAM, he turns Coldspring into a legitimate powerhouse. Record speaks for itself)

Cornel Thompson- WOS ( A rich tradition school already, but was fluttering a little bit. Everyone knew coach Thompson was a great assistant, and then he was given the Head coach job after the great one retired. He has brought back that chain gang defense and the Mustang Swagger)

Honorable Mention:
Kenny Harrison- Memorial (I've always thought that PAM has underachieved since combining all three schools. We know they have talent  with 7 or 8 kids a year signing college scholarships, but I'm waiting for the continious long runs in the playoffs with atleast an appearance in a title game. There's no reason why PAM shouldn't go 3 to 4 rounds every year in the playoffs. Until that happens, IMO coach Harrison stays honorable mention. I remember when he first took over, PAM fans were calling him Xbox Kenny, ya'll do remember that right?)

I agree with your list but PAM going 3 to 4 rounds deep every year that's not reasonable. With talent there is replacments and growth that needs to take place. I think that once a team has had that long run you dealing with 16 to 17 yr old kids. The ones that come back he needs to find away to make them hungry year in and year out. Being in Regional 3 with some above average teams and normally 2 or 3 stud teams from the greater Houston area we must be reasonable with expectations. Numbers are nt everything in football but when you going up against schools with 3000-4000 kids with good coaching staff that's a uphil climb. I say PAM should be in postion to compete on the Regional level every other year. That's reasonable expectations. As good as Lincoln basketball was through it's history you coudn't expect to go to state EVERY year.
[/quote]

[mypooh]

[quote name="TradinUp BH" post="1372541" timestamp="1360595873"]
My argument for list is this:

Larry Nueman- Ned (This coach has got the most out of his teams with major injury issues to previous teams and still finds ways to win games and make playoffs every year)

Jeff Matthew- Vid ( Vidor was the red headed step child until Jeff took over and planted the winning seed in the players at Vidor. He turned a bottom dweller program into one of the strongest programs in the area. The big thing is he's done it for the past several years. The question will be, Can he do it with Montana gone?)

WT Johnson- Newton ( This team fell to the ground after having so much success, and then came Coach Johnson and turned it around and now you have a powerhouse once again)

Barbay- Coldspring ( For a long time, nobody in this area ever heard of Coldspring. The school is hidden in the piney woods and didn't have much. In steps another Barbay, and BAM, he turns Coldspring into a legitimate powerhouse. Record speaks for itself)

Cornel Thompson- WOS ( A rich tradition school already, but was fluttering a little bit. Everyone knew coach Thompson was a great assistant, and then he was given the Head coach job after the great one retired. He has brought back that chain gang defense and the Mustang Swagger)

Honorable Mention:
Kenny Harrison- Memorial (I've always thought that PAM has underachieved since combining all three schools. We know they have talent  with 7 or 8 kids a year signing college scholarships, but I'm waiting for the continious long runs in the playoffs with atleast an appearance in a title game. There's no reason why PAM shouldn't go 3 to 4 rounds every year in the playoffs. Until that happens, IMO coach Harrison stays honorable mention. I remember when he first took over, PAM fans were calling him Xbox Kenny, ya'll do remember that right?)
[/quote]

I agree with your list but PAM going 3 to 4 rounds deep every year that's not reasonable. With talent there is replacments and growth that needs to take place. I think that once a team has had that long run you dealing with 16 to 17 yr old kids. The ones that come back he needs to find away to make them hungry year in and year out. Being in Regional 3 with some above average teams and normally 2 or 3 stud teams from the greater Houston area we must be reasonable with expectations. Numbers are nt everything in football but when you going up against schools with 3000-4000 kids with good coaching staff that's a uphil climb. I say PAM should be in postion to compete on the Regional level every other year. That's reasonable expectations. As good as Lincoln basketball was through it's history you coudn't expect to go to state EVERY year.

[UTfanatic]

[quote name="badndn" post="1372508" timestamp="1360584990"]
1. Bryan Barbay - Coldspring (State Title and deep playoff runs make him #1 on list)
2. Larry Neumann--Nederland (longevity counts, but gotta get his team to a state title or others on list will pass him.)
3. Cornel Thompson - WOS (can't discount what he has meant to WOS program through the years)
4. Kenny Harrison--PA Memorial (had PAM on the cusp, will he get them back?)
5. WT Johnston--Newton (2013 could be the year of the Eagle)
[/quote]
who on your list will win a title and move him down the list? ??? ???

[TradinUp BH]

[quote name="mypooh" post="1372868" timestamp="1360680128"]
[quote author=TradinUp BH link=topic=109141.msg1372541#msg1372541 date=1360595873]
My argument for list is this:

Larry Nueman- Ned (This coach has got the most out of his teams with major injury issues to previous teams and still finds ways to win games and make playoffs every year)

Jeff Matthew- Vid ( Vidor was the red headed step child until Jeff took over and planted the winning seed in the players at Vidor. He turned a bottom dweller program into one of the strongest programs in the area. The big thing is he's done it for the past several years. The question will be, Can he do it with Montana gone?)

WT Johnson- Newton ( This team fell to the ground after having so much success, and then came Coach Johnson and turned it around and now you have a powerhouse once again)

Barbay- Coldspring ( For a long time, nobody in this area ever heard of Coldspring. The school is hidden in the piney woods and didn't have much. In steps another Barbay, and BAM, he turns Coldspring into a legitimate powerhouse. Record speaks for itself)

Cornel Thompson- WOS ( A rich tradition school already, but was fluttering a little bit. Everyone knew coach Thompson was a great assistant, and then he was given the Head coach job after the great one retired. He has brought back that chain gang defense and the Mustang Swagger)

Honorable Mention:
Kenny Harrison- Memorial (I've always thought that PAM has underachieved since combining all three schools. We know they have talent  with 7 or 8 kids a year signing college scholarships, but I'm waiting for the continious long runs in the playoffs with atleast an appearance in a title game. There's no reason why PAM shouldn't go 3 to 4 rounds every year in the playoffs. Until that happens, IMO coach Harrison stays honorable mention. I remember when he first took over, PAM fans were calling him Xbox Kenny, ya'll do remember that right?)
[/quote]

I agree with your list but PAM going 3 to 4 rounds deep every year that's not reasonable. With talent there is replacments and growth that needs to take place. I think that once a team has had that long run you dealing with 16 to 17 yr old kids. The ones that come back he needs to find away to make them hungry year in and year out. Being in Regional 3 with some above average teams and normally 2 or 3 stud teams from the greater Houston area we must be reasonable with expectations. Numbers are nt everything in football but when you going up against schools with 3000-4000 kids with good coaching staff that's a uphil climb. I say PAM should be in postion to compete on the Regional level every other year. That's reasonable expectations. As good as Lincoln basketball was through it's history you coudn't expect to go to state EVERY year.
[/quote]
I should've said MOST years, I was being a little silly with it. PAM plays in a district where almost every team in district goes to the playoffs. With the exception of last year, usually they get an easy first round (Pasadena schools), so that's where the 3 round statement came in. Now 3 rounds would be tough, but that would be the Regional Finals. I don't think that's unreasonable ecpectations for a talented team Most years. Just throwing that out there.

[mypooh]

Y you are right but that change with the realignment and Manvel and Pearland moved into that district. Know PAM needs to focus on winning district so they won't have to see those teams in round one like last year. Plus stay healthy there is always great talent but the backups always lack experiance on the varisty level.

[TradinUp BH]

[quote name="mypooh" post="1373018" timestamp="1360692758"]
Y you are right but that change with the realignment and Manvel and Pearland moved into that district. Know PAM needs to focus on winning district so they won't have to see those teams in round one like last year. Plus stay healthy there is always great talent but the backups always lack experiance on the varisty level.
[/quote]
Very true. I looked at the bracket and PAM being DII hurt. If you didn't get Manvel, you would've got Katy 2nd or 3rd game this year. It will be tough for this year again, and then realignment happens and who knows then.

[Txdragon]

I don't think a Cornel Thompson head coached WOS team has EVER gone just one round...not gonna take the time to fact check but what, 4 round deep his first season and 3 deep his second. That's pretty good. I will say one thing about Mathews in Vidor. Any coach that comes into a program with the rich losing tradition that they had and turned the program into one with a chance to have a winning tradition deserves to be mentioned as a top coach.

I think the one thing most of these coaches have going for them is discipline. I can assure you that some of the BEST football players at WOS probably never made the field.

[quote name="mypooh" post="1372857" timestamp="1360679149"]
[quote author=Mr. Buddy Garrity link=topic=109141.msg1372420#msg1372420 date=1360534466]
[quote author=TradinUp BH link=topic=109141.msg1372419#msg1372419 date=1360533884]
[quote author=Mr. Buddy Garrity link=topic=109141.msg1372390#msg1372390 date=1360525438]
1. Larry Neumann--Nederland
2. WT Johnston--Newton
3. Bryan Barbay--Coldspring
4. Kenny Harrison--PA Memorial
5. Jeff Mathews--Vidor
[/quote]

IMO Cornel Thompson and Kenny Harrison are about equal. They're good, but with the talent they have on those teams, they should be going deeper then one round in the playoffs. ie. PAM
[/quote]

Harrison Year 1- 1 round
Harrison Year 2- 3 rounds
Harrison Year 3- 5 Rounds
Harrison Year 4- 1 round

Talent has always been there before Harrison became HC, the coaching was the problem above his level.
[/quote]

This is so true no one says Nick Saban can't coach and he has had 4 of the top recruiting classes in the llast 5 years. You still have to coach the kids up. The talent has always been at PAM but it was never coached up.
[/quote]

[BellBiz30]

[quote name="bronco pride" post="1372423" timestamp="1360534569"]
I would say coach gage from bh. He has won state titles and continues to be competitive at bh with minimal talent.
[/quote] ;D ;D ;D

[TradinUp BH]

[quote name="BellBiz30" post="1373618" timestamp="1360773238"]
[quote author=bronco pride link=topic=109141.msg1372423#msg1372423 date=1360534569]
I would say coach gage from bh. He has won state titles and continues to be competitive at bh with minimal talent.
[/quote] ;D ;D ;D
[/quote]
Ouch! kind of like this years Dayton team, when they went home after the first week! ;D