2024 Record – 5-6
Head Coach – Tim Mattingly
2024: Last season, new head coach Tim Mattingly came over after a successful tenure at Central Hardin to replace Keith Graham, who took over for Bryan Walker and with a roster stacked with 13-seniors (mostly starters) took off to a 4-1 start before a 1-4 finish slowed down the Eagles momentum and a heartbreaking one-point loss to Russellville ended their season in the playoffs. 2025 could be a transition season with a crop of new players coming through and plenty of spots open in the starting lineup.
Offense: Mattingly loves to run a Wing-T style attack offensively and the Eagles piled up 1,185-yards, but this season only Jalen Del Valle will be back among the major runners in the offense with Ryan West, Cal Yates, Garrett Lanham and Nick Osborne gone. Thomas Mudd was the only other runner in the top six. Junior Jack Bradley will be back to sling the football as he threw for 1,380-yards and 17-TDs. However, he will be throwing to an entirely different group of wideouts with the top five receivers gone as well. The Offensive Line did a good job, but there will be changes there as well with only Matt Stephens and Grand Robinson back.
Kicking: Derek McKinney should be back to handle the kicking duties going 17-for-17 in PATs and 2-for3 in field goals.
Defense: The defense was also did much better allowing just 250-points compared to 317-points in 2023 and that side of the ball also was hit by graduations as well. The Defensive Line and Linebackers will return Thomas Mudd, Ryan Fabek, Matt Stephens, Grand Robinson and Jalen Del Valle and the secondary will return Ryan Fabek and Thomas Mudd from a defense that intercepted 11-interceptions, 19-quarterback sacks and 10-fumble recoveries.
Schedule: The Eagles start off on the road on August 22nd @ Marion County (5-6) and new coach Ross Brown, then a home game on the 29th against Washington County (8-4), then back on the road to Seneca (5-6). A home game on Sept.12th against Frankfort (4-6) and then two straight road trips to Garrad County (8-4) and then Campbellsville (11-3) before coming home to face John Hardin (9-3). A Bye week follows before another road game against KCD (10-3) before finishing up at home against Holy Cross (Louisville) (6-6) and then Hancock County (8-3). It truly is a challenging schedule with six teams with winning records last season.
Summation: Last season was an introduction for the players to understand Mattingly’s style of coaching and conditioning and it did go well to start with. Now, with a group of younger players we’ll see how long it takes for them to adjust.