A graduate of Logan County High School will be named the new head football coach at a western Kentucky high school this week.
     Graves County High School will formally introduce its new head football coach at a press conference at the Graves County Board of Education office on Monday, April 13 at 10 a.m. when students have returned from spring break. Lance Gregory, an assistant coach and defensive coordinator at John Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, will be named the school’s fifth head football coach in its 23-year history.
     Former LCHS teacher and coach R.B. Mays is athletic director at Graves County. That played a role in his decision to hire the former Cougar standout.
     Gregory, a 1995 graduate of Logan County High School and five-year member of the Union College football program, has been an assistant at John Hardin since the school opened in 2001 and has been an integral part of building what many consider one of the better large school programs in the state.
     John Hardin’s head coach is Mark Brown, who while head coach at Nelson County won the only state championship by a non-Louisville school since 1992 in the largest schools division. Gregory has coordinated the weight training program since 2002 and became defensive coordinator for the varsity program in 2004. During his tenure as defensive coordinator beginning five years ago, the Bulldogs have accumulated a record of 48-14, which has included two district championships, one regional championship, and a state final four.
     “I contacted (former LCHS head coach Les May) when our coach resigned,” Mays explains. “I told him I wanted a winner who could develop a strong 6A program, who took pride in the classroom, who modeled the right values, and who honored Christ. He talked to Lance, got Lance interested, and then got us in contact with one another.
     “There were lots of other factors that really helped, but there is always a Logan connection, and that is exactly what made this happen. I have always had great respect for the job Les did while a coach at Logan and thought he worked hard in the classroom as well. That is why I respected his opinion.”
     Lance is the son of Steve and Vickie Gregory of Lewisburg.
     The Eagles’ football program at Graves County has enjoyed a resurgence of competitiveness and offensive excitement during the last five years relying on the Wing T offensive system, and Gregory’s offensive philosophy involves an expansion of that system to include shotgun and spread options similar to those run by the University of Florida. His defensive philosophy revolves around a simple system with relentless pressure and pursuit to the football with high repetitions in practice.
     The Eagles went 5-6 in 2008 under Coach Mike Rogers, including winning their first games. Among the teams they defeated were Paducah Tilghman, Marshall County and crosstown rival Mayfield, a traditional power. Graves County, however, lost six of its final seven games, including a 59-3 pounding by Louisville Trinity, which averaged 47 points points per game in winning the state Class 6-A championship.
     Mays notes that Gregory is also an accomplished teacher, winning a WHAS teaching excellence award as a U.S. history teacher at John Hardin.
     “We look forward to introducing Coach Gregory to our players, school, and community,” says athletic director R.B. Mays told the media in the Mayfield area. “We believe we have found a winner, a coach with exceptional football knowledge that embraces the most important values of athletics and the values of our county.”
     “He believes our first priority is to develop men of character. Academic success, integrity, a strong work ethic, discipline and fundamental development are the foundations of his football philosophy. A strong faith, commitment to family, classroom excellence, and modeling character before the players are his personal priorities.”
      Graves County sports have thrived with Mays as athletic director. The boys basketball tea, reached the state finals for the second time this year under his brief leadership. The Eagles lost 53-51 to a Louisville Central team which lost in double overtime in the state championship game.
     Gregory, his wife Allison, who is an assistant principal at North Hardin High School, and their two small children will move to the county in the near future. Graves County Schools began reimbursing Hardin County for a substitute beginning last Thursday, April 9, in order that Gregory could begin the process of interviewing and securing assistant coaches.
     He will be introduced to the team members on Monday, April 13 prior to the press conference, then meet further with the current team and others who desire to play after school on Monday. He will conduct the final four spring practice sessions during the remainder of that week.
     “I am so impressed with Lance, and I am really excited about working with him. I think he is exactly what we need, and I can’t wait for him to start investing in our kids,” R.B. Mays says. “I want to win, but I want to develop character, and everything I have heard tells me Lance is going to do both.”