Richland fires Davis 2 months before season?

[Minj3]

Richlands admin fires Head Coach Ronnie Davis and Offensive coordinator Mike Davis after Richlands’ first decent season is several years. Thoughts?

[CPF]

What do i think? Come on home Ronnie.......we got a spot for you. As for Richlands......hired a guy that went 2-18 at castlewood......not going to go well.

[Gridiron60]

4 hours ago, CPF said:

What do i think? Come on home Ronnie.......we got a spot for you. As for Richlands......hired a guy that went 2-18 at castlewood......not going to go well.

With Graham losing a coach to Bluefield , I’d say heck yeah, bring Coach Davis to Graham. 
 

I’m not sure ole Bubba will be the one running the show. 

[Real Sasquatch]

12 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

With Graham losing a coach to Bluefield , I’d say heck yeah, bring Coach Davis to Graham. 
 

I’m not sure ole Bubba will be the one running the show. 

He would be an assett.  

[tornado99]

14 hours ago, Gridiron60 said:

With Graham losing a coach to Bluefield , I’d say heck yeah, bring Coach Davis to Graham. 
 

I’m not sure ole Bubba will be the one running the show. 

Do tell. I’m more out of the loop now, so I have zero expectations. 
As far as Coach Davis is concerned, I wish him success and really hate things unfolded the way they did.  I thought the Blues were on the right track under him, but it can be so fragile.
Everything is so weird if that scenario happens again, but I wouldn’t blame him if they offered. It seemed like that was unthinkable in the old days of playing for or coaching for a rival. Now, it happens all the time.

I think Union may be one of the most immune to emigration due to its success and lack thereof with its neighbors. That Graham/Bluefield/Princeton collection of talent can be so fickle with who has the hot hand at the time. Fortunately, there’s often enough to go around.

 

[Minj3]

I’d heard that a certain parent wanted a certain QB so admin put a man in charge that would make that happen.

[Cousin_Hoyt]

On 7/10/2026 at 7:32 PM, Minj3 said:

Richlands admin fires Head Coach Ronnie Davis and Offensive coordinator Mike Davis after Richlands’ first decent season is several years. Thoughts?

Well, here on Possum Tail Hollow, we got wind of an interesting rumor from an out of state source on Friday. However, We are going to follow Cousin Rufus Paul Harvey Teague’s, former reporter for the Beefhide Gazette, Beefhide, KY,  rule about rumors until we can find out some more information. 
 

Question for you Richlands Fans: Is the school board member that represents the Richlands area up for re-election?

[TnT+h]

Who is the new head coach?

[Unchained]

25 minutes ago, TnT+h said:

Who is the new head coach?

Bubba Edwards

[bleedblue89]

5 hours ago, Cousin_Hoyt said:
 

Question for you Richlands Fans: Is the school board member that represents the Richlands area up for re-election?

Brannon Breeding and Donna Whittington are the current board members for the Richlands area. Brannon was recently elected and I have no clue about Donna’s term. 

[Minj3]

9 minutes ago, bleedblue89 said:

Brannon Breeding and Donna Whittington are the current board members for the Richlands area. Brannon was recently elected and I have no clue about Donna’s term. 

Which one has a personal stake on the RHS roster? What’s at stake?

[Gridiron60]

5 hours ago, Minj3 said:

Which one has a personal stake on the RHS roster? What’s at stake?

Pretty sure that  your question is rhetorical but for those that may be unaware. Breeding has a son that plays. 

[jeffro]

Well this is getting interesting 

[Wolf1207]

On 7/12/2026 at 3:12 PM, Unchained said:

Bubba Edwards

I know there is a massive difference between being a coordinator and head coach, but Edwards did a good job at RV when he was the OC in 2021. 

[Minj3]

I don’t know about his track record outside of his stint at RHS but it was rather lack luster. But more than that, I wouldn’t want to be Edwards after seeing how Coach Davis was treated for not favoring McGee as QB. If he doesn’t step right, he will be next.

[tornado99]

1 hour ago, Minj3 said:

I don’t know about his track record outside of his stint at RHS but it was rather lack luster. But more than that, I wouldn’t want to be Edwards after seeing how Coach Davis was treated for not favoring McGee as QB. If he doesn’t step right, he will be next.

I had heard that he wasn’t playing football so 🤷‍♂️

[Elder statesman]

On 7/13/2026 at 12:32 AM, Gridiron60 said:

Pretty sure that  your question is rhetorical but for those that may be unaware. Breeding has a son that plays. 

I heard a rumor that this is the main reason that Lowe left a few years ago which ultimately led to Trivette leaving as well.  A lot of moving parts to have one kid placed in a roster spot.

[jreed97]

.

[tornado99]

I can only guess and draw my own conclusions, but it would still be that, a guess. What I honestly believe is a series of bad decisions, prompted by being unreasonably spoiled by success brought us to where we are today. (I’ll reserve judgement to the parties mentioned exercising corrupt, political self-interest because none have offended me nor have I witnessed any of the allegations.

One of the first bad decisions was letting Dennis Palmer walk,essentially making him a scapegoat. Winning a title is dang, hard to do. Sometimes, luck plays a part. For whatever reason, the gamble to get to that next round, while looking initially better by the state final appearance, we know the long-term implications.  I also believe further that talent was regressing to the mean just before Coach Mance left. Once the Thad Wells experience began, the remaining experienced coaches (Davis and the ascending Lowe) had left or were leaving the program. (I know there were other sports and reasons connected.) Tarter really had to hold it together and pick up the pieces somewhat. Ronnie Davis certainly appeared to have a plan that may or may not have deviated prematurely, but here we are. 
I’ve said it multiple times that Mance and his coaching staff did a wonderful job most years of making the talent available greater than the sum of its parts. I’m not saying to lower the standard, but we should realize that is not the typical Richlands run of talent. Change is not always the way. A coach needs a few seasons to build or rebuild a program. We hadn’t had that for a while now.

[Unchained]

4 hours ago, tornado99 said:

I can only guess and draw my own conclusions, but it would still be that, a guess. What I honestly believe is a series of bad decisions, prompted by being unreasonably spoiled by success brought us to where we are today. (I’ll reserve judgement to the parties mentioned exercising corrupt, political self-interest because none have offended me nor have I witnessed any of the allegations.

One of the first bad decisions was letting Dennis Palmer walk,essentially making him a scapegoat. Winning a title is dang, hard to do. Sometimes, luck plays a part. For whatever reason, the gamble to get to that next round, while looking initially better by the state final appearance, we know the long-term implications.  I also believe further that talent was regressing to the mean just before Coach Mance left. Once the Thad Wells experience began, the remaining experienced coaches (Davis and the ascending Lowe) had left or were leaving the program. (I know there were other sports and reasons connected.) Tarter really had to hold it together and pick up the pieces somewhat. Ronnie Davis certainly appeared to have a plan that may or may not have deviated prematurely, but here we are. 
I’ve said it multiple times that Mance and his coaching staff did a wonderful job most years of making the talent available greater than the sum of its parts. I’m not saying to lower the standard, but we should realize that is not the typical Richlands run of talent. Change is not always the way. A coach needs a few seasons to build or rebuild a program. We hadn’t had that for a while now.

Very on point analysis.

[Smitty]

10 hours ago, Elder statesman said:

10 hours ago, Elder statesman said:

I heard a rumor that this is the main reason that Lowe left a few years ago which ultimately led to Trivette leaving as well.  A lot of moving parts to have one kid placed in a roster spot.

 

Aaron Lowe didn’t “leave” he was fired.

[tornado99]

3 hours ago, Smitty said:

Aaron Lowe didn’t “leave” he was fired.

I’m not arguing that point, as leaving voluntarily or involuntarily brings us to the same point. What I will say is part of that is a result of the prior decisions. I mean the selection of Wells and/or Tarter. During those incidents he nor Davis were happy (rightfully, so). That decision placed them in a position of power to fire Aaron from the football side. I know girls basketball was a different story. I’m not placing any fault on Aaron however he left. I think he is and would have been an excellent coach. I think we can all admit no one’s hands are completely clean. It doesn’t change the fact that several bad decisions in a row brings us to our current situation.

[Elder statesman]

4 hours ago, Smitty said:

Aaron Lowe didn’t “leave” he was fired.

very much over the same issue.  might have been covered up with other things but ultimately that was the reason

 

[SwvaOG]

17 hours ago, Elder statesman said:

I heard a rumor that this is the main reason that Lowe left a few years ago which ultimately led to Trivette leaving as well.  A lot of moving parts to have one kid placed in a roster spot.

The timeline doesn’t support this. Lowe left several years ago.  I’ve point blank asked Richlands staffers about this issue.  I heard a lot of stuff that’s not being discussed on this board. I don’t sway either side but there were issues on all sides. The bottom line is this all happened because there was not a clear post-Mance plan. That’s ridiculous in my book. The powers that be should have had some succession blueprint.  
At some point Richlands has to get back to the basics of a successful program. Strength and Conditioning, talent identification, retention and development, and fundamental football with a clear identity. The absolute fastest way to turn a program around is through defensive fundamentals.

[Fairlawncat]

8 hours ago, SwvaOG said:

The absolute fastest way to turn a program around is through defensive fundamentals.

SwvaOG, so true on this. Perfect example.  Graham with Palmer.  If you think about it and look back, it wasn't a crazy offense.  It was their defense that dramatically improved in year 1 with Palmer compared to where their defense had been in those 5 or 6 down years.  Palmer was the DC prior to becoming the Head Coach and if not the DC, if I recall, he was involved with the defense.  There were flashes or glimpses of what Graham would become when he was an assistant and they shocked an incredible Fort Chiswell team that had 2 future D1 starters on that FC team, and it was Graham stunning them in a lights out defensive battle which was largely Palmer.  Defense can turn the tide quickly for a program.