Kentucky Football Stadiums Light Up to Honor Johnson Central's Jim Matney

For the second time in 2021, the the Kentucky football community is mourning the loss of a coaching legend lost to COVID-19. Johnson Central head coach Jim Matney passed away Tuesday. At his best beneath the Friday night lights, those stadium lights provided the perfect salute Tuesday night.

Matney began coaching football in the mountains at Sheldon Clarke in 1984. In 2004 he began the tall task of turning around Johnson Central’s football program. The Golden Eagles went to five straight 4A state championships, winning two in 2016 and 2019. Grant Bingham, a senior offensive lineman, is committed to play for Kentucky next fall.

“I feel for the community. For coach and his family, that’s just a horrible situation,” Mark Stoops said following Tuesday’s practice. “Coach Matney was a very respected and successful coach and we are saddened to learn of his passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

In a sign of solidarity, the University of Kentucky’s football stadium was one of dozens lit up across the Commonwealth. The touching tribute spanned from Pikeville to Paducah.

Matney is the third Kentucky high school football coach that has passed away in 2021. Marion County’s Rob Reader, formerly J.J. Weaver’s head coach at Louisville Moore, died in August following a bout with cancer. Five-time state champion Ty Scroggins died this spring from COVID-19 complications. The first African-American head coach to win a football state title in Kentucky, Louisville Central now plays football at Ty Scroggins Stadium.