By Rex Kirts
Kirk Kennedy, whose Lowell football teams used strong defense and a dominant running game to win seven straight sectionals, showed up at his interview for the South job with a purple and white tiet and told the story about an opponent who had a 6-9, 300-pound tackle.
"He was blocking like this," Kennedy said, indicating a passive-type technique. "If I had a 6-9, 300-pound tackle you'd have to call an ambulance after every play."
It was clear from this and other juicy tidbits that South can expects a different kind of football, a physically tougher one, in the future.
Kirk Kennedy, whose Lowell football teams used strong defense and a dominant running game to win seven straight sectionals, showed up at his interview for the South job with a purple and white tiet and told the story about an opponent who had a 6-9, 300-pound tackle.
"He was blocking like this," Kennedy said, indicating a passive-type technique. "If I had a 6-9, 300-pound tackle you'd have to call an ambulance after every play."
It was clear from this and other juicy tidbits that South can expects a different kind of football, a physically tougher one, in the future.
"That is a football coach," one member of the 18-man committee beamed. The committee was
Kirk Kennedy
over-whelmingly in favor in hiring the man who who a class 4A state championship at Lowell.
How potent is the coaching ability of this 46-year-old with a strong football pedigree? Well, his 2005 team won the state title after starting 1-4!
KENNEDY HAS A LOT of assets that fit South's needs. Number one, he will make the Panthers tougher physically. Number two, he is extremely personable but a disciplinarian.
"We play a sport that requires discipline. If you're not disciplined you beat yourself,' he explained.
And he is aggressive. "Our defense attacks. We don't read anything," he said.
Offensively, Kennedy, 161-70 in his 19 years at Lowell, represents a little bit of an opposite from Drew Wood, who resigned recently after six years as the Panthers' coach. Wood liked balance but also liked to throw the ball, and Kennedy insists on running it first. And second, and third.
"We'll be basic and fundamentally sound. We will work hard," he said.
Kennedy believes in the power of executing.
"One game one of our linemen said, 'Coach, they know all our plays.' I don't care if they knew our plays! So I called out (from the sidelines) , "Run (a certain play)."
He didn't say how that play fared.
"We don't have to out-athlete people," Kennedy said. We're going to out-work, out-prepare and out-last people."
HE CLEARLY IS a believer in the KISS system (Keep It Simple, Stupid). And he has been very good at motivating his players.
"You have to get the kids playing with passion, with great effort," he said. "Xs and Os are about fifth on the list. They must play hard for the uniform and the guy next to them. It's all about preparation, working hard, doing things right and keeping it simple. It's all about execution.
"We do what we do with a high degree of efficiency. We establish the run first." A balanced offense, he said, "is what you do at a high level of efficiency."
Kennedy's philosophy succeeded quite well at Lowell. The Red Devils won nine conference championships, 10 sectional championships, six regional championships, three semistate championships and one state championship.
He obviously can succeed quickly - his second Lowell team won a sectional.
WHY WOULD HE leave Lowell with the kind of success he's having there?
"We've built a very strong program. Things are rolling, there are great people here, a great staff and the kids work hard," Kennedy said. "But this (the South job) is an opportunity to be part of something special, to be a part of a great school and tradition. This is a positive change, to be part of a community and school system."
Kennedy applied for the job six years ago, when Wood was hired.
"I got to know Mr. Fletcher (Mark, the principal) and Mr. True (Jay, assistant principal) and Mr. Holmes (J.R., the athletic director and basketball coach)," he said. "They sounded like great people."
What Fletcher and True and Holmes and Panther fans will see on the field is basically an I formation offense and a 4-4 multiple defense. From these, Kennedy hopes to win big. To accomplish that, the Panthers will have to buy into his rigorous program."
"To people who hang around, we're going to be champions," he said.
Several times at the interview Kennedy said, "We will do things right," and he meant the entire program, on and off the field. He is eager to set his program in motion at South, and those who sat on the selection committee are just as eager for him to begin.
Kennedy's hiring must be passed by the school board, which meets next on April 14.
over-whelmingly in favor in hiring the man who who a class 4A state championship at Lowell.
How potent is the coaching ability of this 46-year-old with a strong football pedigree? Well, his 2005 team won the state title after starting 1-4!
KENNEDY HAS A LOT of assets that fit South's needs. Number one, he will make the Panthers tougher physically. Number two, he is extremely personable but a disciplinarian.
"We play a sport that requires discipline. If you're not disciplined you beat yourself,' he explained.
And he is aggressive. "Our defense attacks. We don't read anything," he said.
Offensively, Kennedy, 161-70 in his 19 years at Lowell, represents a little bit of an opposite from Drew Wood, who resigned recently after six years as the Panthers' coach. Wood liked balance but also liked to throw the ball, and Kennedy insists on running it first. And second, and third.
"We'll be basic and fundamentally sound. We will work hard," he said.
Kennedy believes in the power of executing.
"One game one of our linemen said, 'Coach, they know all our plays.' I don't care if they knew our plays! So I called out (from the sidelines) , "Run (a certain play)."
He didn't say how that play fared.
"We don't have to out-athlete people," Kennedy said. We're going to out-work, out-prepare and out-last people."
HE CLEARLY IS a believer in the KISS system (Keep It Simple, Stupid). And he has been very good at motivating his players.
"You have to get the kids playing with passion, with great effort," he said. "Xs and Os are about fifth on the list. They must play hard for the uniform and the guy next to them. It's all about preparation, working hard, doing things right and keeping it simple. It's all about execution.
"We do what we do with a high degree of efficiency. We establish the run first." A balanced offense, he said, "is what you do at a high level of efficiency."
Kennedy's philosophy succeeded quite well at Lowell. The Red Devils won nine conference championships, 10 sectional championships, six regional championships, three semistate championships and one state championship.
He obviously can succeed quickly - his second Lowell team won a sectional.
WHY WOULD HE leave Lowell with the kind of success he's having there?
"We've built a very strong program. Things are rolling, there are great people here, a great staff and the kids work hard," Kennedy said. "But this (the South job) is an opportunity to be part of something special, to be a part of a great school and tradition. This is a positive change, to be part of a community and school system."
Kennedy applied for the job six years ago, when Wood was hired.
"I got to know Mr. Fletcher (Mark, the principal) and Mr. True (Jay, assistant principal) and Mr. Holmes (J.R., the athletic director and basketball coach)," he said. "They sounded like great people."
What Fletcher and True and Holmes and Panther fans will see on the field is basically an I formation offense and a 4-4 multiple defense. From these, Kennedy hopes to win big. To accomplish that, the Panthers will have to buy into his rigorous program."
"To people who hang around, we're going to be champions," he said.
Several times at the interview Kennedy said, "We will do things right," and he meant the entire program, on and off the field. He is eager to set his program in motion at South, and those who sat on the selection committee are just as eager for him to begin.
Kennedy's hiring must be passed by the school board, which meets next on April 14.
