With the focus now on the search for a new Head Coach at Bishop Kelly, it strikes newcomers (and some oldtimers) that the school recently conducted a similar search.  Twice.

In the winter of 2006, longtime assistant coach Jack Parker was elevated to the head coaching job to follow Tim Brennan.  Parker coached BK for two seasons, and in his second and final season the Knights grabbed an appearance in the 4A State Playoffs, where they lost by three points in the quarterfinals to eventual state runners-up Nampa.  In 2009, Lee Leslie was hired by BK and began an impressive two-season run.  The Knights were 20-2 under Leslie and entered post-season play both years, collecting a quarterfinal loss and championship game victory.  Leslie’s 2010 team achieved a perfect 12-0 season record and secured the school’s fourth official IHSAA State Football Championship.

So BK begins its third coaching search since 1992, and it makes some people wonder “what is normal?” for the duration of a high school football coach to hold the Head Coach title.  One thing we know, the idea of coaching two seasons and leaving is not unusual at BK.  There is no way to know how it compares nationally, but five of BK’s 11 coaches (since 1964) coached just two seasons. That’s 46% of the head coaches since the school opened in 1964 that went two-and-out.

BK COACH	SEASONS	TOTAL GAMES
Tim Brennan	15	160
Chuck Forrestal	6	55
Ken Krahn	5	54
Ray Wilmot	5	45
Kevin O’Hara	3	30
Wil Overgaard	3	29
Lee Leslie	2	22
Bill Schmidt	2	21
Mush Stevens	2	21
Jack Parker	2	19
John Wargo	2	19

The typical head football coach at Bishop Kelly keeps the position for 3 seasons or less. In fact, seven of the school’s 11 coaches (64%) held the job for three years or less.  The record for the shortest term as head coach in school history is shared by five coaches at two years each: Bill Schmidt; Mush Stevens; John Wargo; Jack Parker; and Lee Leslie.

The outlier on the list is Tim Brennan, a BK grad who guided the program for 160 games over 15 seasons.

Setting the outlier aside, the typical BK head football coach serves in that role for 31.5 games. That’s the average when you eliminate the unusually long run of Brennan.  Only Ray Wilmot, Ken Krahn, Chuck Forrestal, and Brennan have exceeded that number (31.5).  The median is 29 games. The higher mode is 21.

So, aside from the outlier, the coaches pretty much come and go at Bishop Kelly as the wins stack up like cord wood. Maybe this particular program is more about the student-athletes, and the tradition that never graduates.

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