New football coaches aim to rejuvenate Holmes's performance after two consecutive winless seasons in 2025
The Holmes Bulldogs are gearing up for the 2025 season, with Jon Hopkins stepping in as the interim head coach. Hopkins, a long-time assistant coach since 2001, has also been a counselor at Holmes High School since 2007.
The Bulldogs' offensive and defensive lines are considered their strength, with returning starters Lucas Manning, Damarcus Foster, and RaShawn Johnson providing leadership and experience. On the skill positions, Devon Dunaway, Michael Chames, and Konscious Johnson, top performers from last year's young offensive unit, are set to make a significant impact.
The Bulldogs' schedule for the 2025-26 season includes games against Boone County, Ludlow, Green County, Holy Cross, Jackson County, Shelby County, Ohio County, Thomas Nelson, Lewis County, and Scott. Notably, three teams on the list - Lewis County, Ohio County, and Shelby County - were also winless last season.
The school dropped out of Class 4A district play and scheduled 10 regular season games as a first step toward getting the program back on track. The Bulldogs will play a regular season schedule without district competition.
Hopkins has assembled a new coaching staff, including several Holmes alumni, to help with the rebuilding effort. The team will have five starters returning on offense and three on defense for the 2025 season.
Konscious Johnson, a junior, is expected to be the starting quarterback this year, despite it being a new position for him. The weight room, which rivals some college programs, is expected to provide a strong foundation for the team's physical development.
Hopkins has emphasized the importance of good role models for the students, and the new coaching staff reflects this, with many coaches having ties to the program, the community, and the school. The team may benefit from continuity on offense, but the long-term leadership direction of the program is still under evaluation, with a full coaching search planned after the season.
The Bulldogs are coming off a challenging 2024 season, which resulted in a 0-10 record and did not qualify for the Class 4A playoffs. The team has lost 22 consecutive games over the last three years. However, with the new coaching staff and the promising talent returning, there is hope for a fresh start in 2025.
For more details on the Bulldogs' schedule and upcoming matches, visit the Holmes Football 2025-26 schedule posted on MaxPreps.
- The Bulldogs' football schedule for the 2025-26 season features games against community rivals like Boone County, and three teams – Lewis County, Ohio County, and Shelby County – from last year's winsless list.
- The Bulldogs' community-oriented new coaching staff, which includes several Holmes alumni, is focusing on providing good role models for students and utilizing the school's weight room that rivals some college programs for the team's physical development.
- Jon Hopkins, the interim head coach of the Bulldogs, is optimistic about the team's future, with five starters returning on offense and three on defense, and a promising quarterback in junior Konscious Johnson.
- Despite the challenging record of the past three years, including a 0-10 record in 2024, there is hope for a fresh start in the 2025 season, as the Bulldogs look to rebuild the program with a focus on strong lines, emerging skill position players, sports analysis, and American-football strategy.
