Jim Mashek

BGHS COACH MARK SPADER: ‘AS USUAL, WE’RE GOING TO GET TESTED …’

Bowling Green High School’s proud football tradition took a few body blows during the course of the 2025 season.

It was one year removed from star quarterback Deuce Bailey’s departure for college football, and the Purples were playing their typically tough non-district schedule.

Actually, it was a meat grinder, with the likes of Owensboro Catholic, Louisville’s St. Xavier High School, Scott County, Louisville’s Christian Academy, Franklin County AND, in a new twist, crosstown rival South Warren High School.

South Warren moved up to the KHSAA’s top classification, Class 6A, after tangling with the Purples in the Class 5A, 2nd District for nearly a decade. But veteran BGHS head coach Mark Spader had reason to be optimistic, heading into the 2025 campaign, before the Purples encountered one major obstacle after another.

They lost star receiver Trevy Barber on Opening Night, in the opening moments of Bowling Green’s game against Owensboro Catholic in the Rafferty’s Bowl. They made an impromptu change, at quarterback, with senior transfer Jason Stautman making way for promising freshman Anthony Davis two games into the regular season.

And they opened the season with four consecutive losses, and five defeats in their first six games.

Even then, Bowling Green made a run to the KHSAA Class 5A quarterfinals, before the Purples ran into Atherton High School, which rolled to a 49-21 victory over BGHS at Louisville’s Waggener High School. The loss closed the door on a difficult 6-7 season.

Spader’s squad got back to work in January, and later in spring football drills. They’ll face another tough schedule in 2026, starting with the Rafferty’s Bowl on August 22 at WKU’s Houchens-Smith Stadium. Bowling Green will square off with Bullitt East, which went 7-5 last season, in the final Rafferty’s Bowl to be played at WKU. It’ll move to the BGHS campus in 2027, but remain a doubleheader involving Kentucky squads.

“We turned up the heat a little bit in the offseason,” Spader said.

The Purples return seven defensive starters, including senior free safety Embree Dotson, from last year’s squad. But they’ll have to replace the likes of Montrez Trussell, a sideline-to-sideline defender at inside linebacker, as well as outside linebacker Logan Johnson and cornerback Dru Jones. Spader will work with a senior class of about 20 players, and expectations remain high with the opening game against Bullitt East looming in just nine days.

“It’s pretty much the same schedule (as 2025),” Dotson said. “It’s going to be a lot of tough opponents. We just have to keep grindin’ … “

Tight end/linebacker Reid Gathright likes the approach the Purples have taken over the last few months.

“The main difference I see is the team chemistry is better,” he said.

The biggest challenge, as veteran BGHS coach Mark Spader admits, figures to be on the offensive line. Brooks Nuckols, a senior offensive tackle, gives the Purples valuable experience there.

“We’re trying to find our offensive line,” Spader said. “Up front, I think we’re bigger and stronger.”

Senior running back Nick Graham is expected to move into a bigger role this season. He rushed for 531 yards and five touchdowns last season. Zyrek Burton and Jett Reynolds took snaps at running back last year, as freshmen, along with Anthony Davis, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound left-hander.

Davis passed for 1,971 yards and 21 touchdowns, while throwing just four interceptions. He’s a mobile quarterback, too, and has already gotten significant interest from the college ranks.

“Anthony has really worked on his mechanics, and he’s a good student of the game,” Spader said. “There’s no substitute for experience.”

The Purples reached the KHSAA Class 5A state championship game four times between 2020 and ’24, winning state titles in 2020, 2023 and 2024.

Other BGHS players to watch include senior wideout/defensive back Arlando Davis, sophomore wideout/defensive back Bode Knee and outside linebacker Isaac Wilson.

“As usual, we’re going to be tested,” Spader said. “Our schedule’s gonna give our young kids a chance to grow up, quick … We’re playing four or five of the state’s Top 25 teams, regardless of class.”