Hoosier Hills Conference

[Frozen Tundra]

1 hour ago, HSFootballCoach said:

Jennings is still in the HHC? Thought there was talk of them going independent and their schedule on JH doesn't designate any games as conference games. 

They’re going the Notre Dame route. They’re independent in football but still an HHC member in every other sport.

[Fkfootball]

22 hours ago, HSFootballCoach said:

What is your coaching background? 

No kidding. Coach Bragg is the only coach in Floyd Central history that has won more than 1 sectional. He’s won 2 of the last 3 Conference Championships. He has a good chance to win his 3rd conference title and 3rd sectional this season. And hopefully their 1st regional, finally. It’s fair to say that they aren’t on the level of top 7-8 5A programs. I don’t think they can even be considered a top 10 5A program, and I’m not super high on 5A football. But what he has done is he has maintained a level of consistency and competitiveness in our region. There is definitely still a long ways to go to be considered amongst the top 5A programs.

[Pantherfootball1957]

On 5/18/2026 at 10:54 AM, HSFootballCoach said:

What is your coaching background? 

Was D-cord on two state winning teams in Arkansas in the early 2000’s, hung up the whistle not long after.

[HSFootballCoach]

13 minutes ago, Pantherfootball1957 said:

Was D-cord on two state winning teams in Arkansas in the early 2000’s, hung up the whistle not long after.

So you have coached and you feel it is appropriate to publicly bash another coach on a public forum? Coach Bragg can coach football and do it well. I personally coached with him as a fellow assistant when he first moved to the area. I have seen him work. He has the highest winning percentage, the most wins per season, and the most sectional titles in school history as a HC. His career winning percentage is nearly 10 points higher than school's overall winning percentage as a program. Saying he has done a poor job is absolutely B.S.

[gonzoron]

2 hours ago, Pantherfootball1957 said:

Was D-cord on two state winning teams in Arkansas in the early 2000’s, hung up the whistle not long after.

*coord*

[Pantherfootball1957]

2 hours ago, HSFootballCoach said:

So you have coached and you feel it is appropriate to publicly bash another coach on a public forum? Coach Bragg can coach football and do it well. I personally coached with him as a fellow assistant when he first moved to the area. I have seen him work. He has the highest winning percentage, the most wins per season, and the most sectional titles in school history as a HC. His career winning percentage is nearly 10 points higher than school's overall winning percentage as a program. Saying he has done a poor job is absolutely B.S.

I’m not saying he’s a poor coach, just I think he has underperformed with what he’s been given. I think a lot of that success can be attributed to him riding off Glesing’s tailwind, and a weakening conference. You’re acting like he should be in the same conversations as Gaddis and Stowers.

[HSFootballCoach]

49 minutes ago, Pantherfootball1957 said:

I’m not saying he’s a poor coach, just I think he has underperformed with what he’s been given. I think a lot of that success can be attributed to him riding off Glesing’s tailwind, and a weakening conference. You’re acting like he should be in the same conversations as Gaddis and Stowers.

I am not putting coaches in any tiers. You are. All I said is he is good football coach and has not in anyway done a "poor" job. The word you used. In what ways is Coach Bragg having success off of the tailwind of another coach? He has been the head coach at FC for close to the decade and continues to have sustained success. In no way is that working off an previous coach's "tailwind". You're just saying stuff. 

[Pantherfootball1957]

39 minutes ago, HSFootballCoach said:

I am not putting coaches in any tiers. You are. All I said is he is good football coach and has not in anyway done a "poor" job. The word you used. In what ways is Coach Bragg having success off of the tailwind of another coach? He has been the head coach at FC for close to the decade and continues to have sustained success. In no way is that working off an previous coach's "tailwind". You're just saying stuff. 

I’m gonna go a limb here and say I’ve won more state championships than you and have coached longer than you’ve been alive, I know what I’m doing, I’m not just saying stuff.

[HSFootballCoach]

11 minutes ago, Pantherfootball1957 said:

I’m gonna go a limb here and say I’ve won more state championships than you and have coached longer than you’ve been alive, I know what I’m doing, I’m not just saying stuff.

Your success as a coach has nothing to do with your comments. I asked about your background because one would think those who are in the coaching fraternity would refrain from cutting others in it on a public forum. You publicly cut a coach that is the most successful coach in regards to post season runs and wins and losses that school has ever had. Calling the job he has done as "poor". Explain. How has that program underperformed what it should be? How far should that program have gone? What exactly has been lacking. If you are going to make those comments, defend them.

 

Mind you the team he had this year lost to a team in tournament that lost to New Pal the following week by 42 points in the Semi game. How much further was that team supposed to go? The year before they lost to a team that won their sectional and then lost in regional. The year before, to a team that won their sectional and then lost their regional game by 3 TDs. Over the last 5 seasons they have won more games than anyone in their conference. 

 

Based on other comments you have made, I don't think you are as plugged into the happenings of this region of football as you may think you are. 

[Pantherfootball1957]

2 hours ago, HSFootballCoach said:

Your success as a coach has nothing to do with your comments. I asked about your background because one would think those who are in the coaching fraternity would refrain from cutting others in it on a public forum. You publicly cut a coach that is the most successful coach in regards to post season runs and wins and losses that school has ever had. Calling the job he has done as "poor". Explain. How has that program underperformed what it should be? How far should that program have gone? What exactly has been lacking. If you are going to make those comments, defend them.

 

Mind you the team he had this year lost to a team in tournament that lost to New Pal the following week by 42 points in the Semi game. How much further was that team supposed to go? The year before they lost to a team that won their sectional and then lost in regional. The year before, to a team that won their sectional and then lost their regional game by 3 TDs. Over the last 5 seasons they have won more games than anyone in their conference. 

 

Based on other comments you have made, I don't think you are as plugged into the happenings of this region of football as you may think you are. 

I’ve kept up with the conference since the 80’s. If Sexton had the the talent that several of these teams now have back when he was coaching in the 70’s we would be looking at several more state championships for East mark my words. 

[HSFootballCoach]

2 hours ago, Pantherfootball1957 said:

I’ve kept up with the conference since the 80’s. If Sexton had the the talent that several of these teams now have back when he was coaching in the 70’s we would be looking at several more state championships for East mark my words. 

1) Not sure how Coach Sexton nor East plays a role in this specific conversation. 

2) You didn't answer any of my questions. You are just randomly dropping new names and schools into the conversation that have no bearing on this topic we are discussing. 

3) Just saying stuff. 

[Pantherfootball1957]

5 hours ago, HSFootballCoach said:

Your success as a coach has nothing to do with your comments. I asked about your background because one would think those who are in the coaching fraternity would refrain from cutting others in it on a public forum. You publicly cut a coach that is the most successful coach in regards to post season runs and wins and losses that school has ever had. Calling the job he has done as "poor". Explain. How has that program underperformed what it should be? How far should that program have gone? What exactly has been lacking. If you are going to make those comments, defend them.

 

Mind you the team he had this year lost to a team in tournament that lost to New Pal the following week by 42 points in the Semi game. How much further was that team supposed to go? The year before they lost to a team that won their sectional and then lost in regional. The year before, to a team that won their sectional and then lost their regional game by 3 TDs. Over the last 5 seasons they have won more games than anyone in their conference. 

 

Based on other comments you have made, I don't think you are as plugged into the happenings of this region of football as you may think you are. 

Coaching isn’t a fraternity, it’s an ecosystem, and coaches with a mindset like yours are at the bottom of the food chain .

[HSFootballCoach]

13 hours ago, Pantherfootball1957 said:

Coaching isn’t a fraternity, it’s an ecosystem, and coaches with a mindset like yours are at the bottom of the food chain .

And what exactly is my mindset? I'd say I've been pretty successful at my job. 

Edited May 22 by HSFootballCoach

[Pantherfootball1957]

1 hour ago, HSFootballCoach said:

And what exactly is my mindset? I'd say I've been pretty successful at my job. 

What’s success have you had? I’m gonna guess not as much as me young man.

[Fkfootball]

On 5/21/2026 at 10:10 AM, Pantherfootball1957 said:

I’m not saying he’s a poor coach, just I think he has underperformed with what he’s been given. I think a lot of that success can be attributed to him riding off Glesing’s tailwind, and a weakening conference. You’re acting like he should be in the same conversations as Gaddis and Stowers.

Bragg is a better coach than Glesing IMO. Braggs teams actually play defense and can throw the ball effectively.

[Pantherfootball1957]

11 hours ago, Fkfootball said:

Bragg is a better coach than Glesing IMO. Braggs teams actually play defense and can throw the ball effectively.

Not a crazy thing to say, just not in the same conversation as Gaddis and never will be.

[Pantherfootball1957]

On 5/22/2026 at 7:31 AM, HSFootballCoach said:

And what exactly is my mindset? I'd say I've been pretty successful at my job. 

Still yet to hear your success fella 

[Fkfootball]

On 5/22/2026 at 10:55 PM, Pantherfootball1957 said:

Not a crazy thing to say, just not in the same conversation as Gaddis and never will be.

Not many coaches in Indiana history that are in that conversation. He was like High School Cignetti.

[Frozen Tundra]

4 hours ago, Fkfootball said:

Not many coaches in Indiana history that are in that conversation. He was like High School Cignetti.

You all know I love Coach Gaddis but I have to be honest here. New Pal coach Kyle Ralph is more like Curt Cignetti. It took Gaddis four years to find postseason success at East and 13 years to win a state title. For Kyle Ralph, he got New Pal to semistate in year 1 and won a state title in year 2. That’s akin to what Cignetti did in two years at IU.

Before Gaddis came to East in 2001, he was a head coach for 21 years at five different schools.

-He spent two seasons at Tri-County (1980-1981) where he was 2-18 (.100). The state tournament didn’t go to an all-in format until 1985 so no postseason appearances and no conference titles.

-He spent three seasons at South Putnam (1982-1984) where he was 12-18 (.400). No postseason appearances and no conference titles.

-He spent four seasons at Danville (1985-1988) where he was 28-15 (.651). He won a 2A regional title in 1986 but that’s it. Never won a conference title.

-He spent two seasons at Pike (1989-1990) where he was 12-8 (.600). No postseason titles and no conference titles.

-He spent ten seasons at Evansville Reitz (1991-2000) where he was 64-42 (.604). He won a 4A regional title in 1992 and a 5A sectional title in 1999 but that’s it. Never won a conference title.

So in 21 years, Gaddis was 118-101 (.539) with only three seasons of postseason hardware and no conference championships.

Then he goes to East and his records the first three seasons are 6-5, 5-6, and 7-5 for a cumulative total of 18-16 (.529). No postseason hardware and no conference championships. His record after 24 years is 136-117 (.538).

Then, in the last 17 years of his career, he goes 194-27 (.878). He wins 17 straight conference titles (2004-2020) and only loses to two HHC teams in that timeframe (Seymour in the first round of sectionals in 2005 and BNL in the regular season finale in 2006). He wins a 4A regional title in 2004, a 4A regional title in 2006, a 4A sectional title in 2007, a 4A regional title in 2008, a 4A regional title in 2011, a 4A regional title in 2012, a 4A state title in 2013, a 4A regional title in 2014, a 5A semistate title in 2016, a 5A state title in 2017, and a 5A regional title in 2018.

Long story short, Gaddis was a decent coach in the 21 years prior to East but wasn’t anything fantastic. Then he gets to East and, after three years of building up the program, he finally has a roster full of kids in 2004 who have only known him as the varsity head coach at East. The rest is history.

I always wondered what it was about Columbus East that worked so well for him. Historically, Danville and Evansville Reitz have done a lot of winning but he never really took off there. East had won a state title before but that was in 1979 and they hadn’t even won a sectional title since then. Shortly before Gaddis arrived, East went 0-20 total in 1997 and 1998. So it’s not like East was a powerhouse when Gaddis got there.

If I ever bump into Gaddis again, I’ll have to try and remember this time to ask him why it all worked so well at East. The only thing I can guess is that all the pieces in the puzzle fit. It was a perfect marriage for two parties that were decent, at best, without each other but perfect when put together.

[Impartial_Observer]

Some factors:

Honda and an influx of Ohio residents into the area. 
PAAL program was at its zenith prior to starting “travel ball”.

Quality coaching at the MS level.  We’ve discussed in the past, I’m not pumping up any egos here  

There was an influx of cash from somewhere. I’m not saying anything underhanded. But athletic money was flowing in Columbus.

The Peyton Manning effect  

 

[Frozen Tundra]

1 hour ago, Impartial_Observer said:

Some factors:

Honda and an influx of Ohio residents into the area. 
PAAL program was at its zenith prior to starting “travel ball”.

Quality coaching at the MS level.  We’ve discussed in the past, I’m not pumping up any egos here  

There was an influx of cash from somewhere. I’m not saying anything underhanded. But athletic money was flowing in Columbus.

The Peyton Manning effect  

 

You’ll have to let me know who the Ohio residents were because that went underneath my nose.

[Fkfootball]

19 hours ago, Frozen Tundra said:

You all know I love Coach Gaddis but I have to be honest here. New Pal coach Kyle Ralph is more like Curt Cignetti. It took Gaddis four years to find postseason success at East and 13 years to win a state title. For Kyle Ralph, he got New Pal to semistate in year 1 and won a state title in year 2. That’s akin to what Cignetti did in two years at IU.

Before Gaddis came to East in 2001, he was a head coach for 21 years at five different schools.

-He spent two seasons at Tri-County (1980-1981) where he was 2-18 (.100). The state tournament didn’t go to an all-in format until 1985 so no postseason appearances and no conference titles.

-He spent three seasons at South Putnam (1982-1984) where he was 12-18 (.400). No postseason appearances and no conference titles.

-He spent four seasons at Danville (1985-1988) where he was 28-15 (.651). He won a 2A regional title in 1986 but that’s it. Never won a conference title.

-He spent two seasons at Pike (1989-1990) where he was 12-8 (.600). No postseason titles and no conference titles.

-He spent ten seasons at Evansville Reitz (1991-2000) where he was 64-42 (.604). He won a 4A regional title in 1992 and a 5A sectional title in 1999 but that’s it. Never won a conference title.

So in 21 years, Gaddis was 118-101 (.539) with only three seasons of postseason hardware and no conference championships.

Then he goes to East and his records the first three seasons are 6-5, 5-6, and 7-5 for a cumulative total of 18-16 (.529). No postseason hardware and no conference championships. His record after 24 years is 136-117 (.538).

Then, in the last 17 years of his career, he goes 194-27 (.878). He wins 17 straight conference titles (2004-2020) and only loses to two HHC teams in that timeframe (Seymour in the first round of sectionals in 2005 and BNL in the regular season finale in 2006). He wins a 4A regional title in 2004, a 4A regional title in 2006, a 4A sectional title in 2007, a 4A regional title in 2008, a 4A regional title in 2011, a 4A regional title in 2012, a 4A state title in 2013, a 4A regional title in 2014, a 5A semistate title in 2016, a 5A state title in 2017, and a 5A regional title in 2018.

Long story short, Gaddis was a decent coach in the 21 years prior to East but wasn’t anything fantastic. Then he gets to East and, after three years of building up the program, he finally has a roster full of kids in 2004 who have only known him as the varsity head coach at East. The rest is history.

I always wondered what it was about Columbus East that worked so well for him. Historically, Danville and Evansville Reitz have done a lot of winning but he never really took off there. East had won a state title before but that was in 1979 and they hadn’t even won a sectional title since then. Shortly before Gaddis arrived, East went 0-20 total in 1997 and 1998. So it’s not like East was a powerhouse when Gaddis got there.

If I ever bump into Gaddis again, I’ll have to try and remember this time to ask him why it all worked so well at East. The only thing I can guess is that all the pieces in the puzzle fit. It was a perfect marriage for two parties that were decent, at best, without each other but perfect when put together.

That’s a lot to text just to disagree with me. Lol. Regardless, Gaddis was great. No doubt about that.

[southend]

Thanks Tundra, good info on a dedicated coach who stuck with it. But yes it wasn’t like he had a manic formula that produced every where he went. He just kept at it until he finally broke through. His success formula seemed to be trial and error method. 

[Frozen Tundra]

1 hour ago, southend said:

Thanks Tundra, good info on a dedicated coach who stuck with it. But yes it wasn’t like he had a manic formula that produced every where he went. He just kept at it until he finally broke through. His success formula seemed to be trial and error method. 

Agreed but I’m not sure I’d call it trial and error. He just seemed to be a really good fit for Columbus East and Columbus East seemed to be a really good fit for him. I’d compare it to me and my wife. We’d be terrible for anyone else and everyone else would be terrible for us. But it seems to work very well for us being with each other.

[Impartial_Observer]

10 hours ago, Frozen Tundra said:

You’ll have to let me know who the Ohio residents were because that went underneath my nose.

I seem to recall an influx of management types showing up as coaches in PAAL. Most were gone by the end of the 2000’s. I would guess 4-5 different guys who were coaching and did a good job. They ended up in Columbus commuting to Greensburg.