Ryle’s Jacob Savage and Cooper’s Cam O’Hara are up for the coveted Mr. Football award while Highlands’ Max Merz is up for the offensive lineman of the year award.
The three nominees were announced on Wednesday by the Kentucky Football Coaches Association and the winners will be named later this month.
Savage and O’Hara are among nine finalists up for Mr. Football, a senior only award. The others are St. Xavier’s Marlon Harbin, Boyle County’s Ji’Dyn Smith-Hisel, Murray’s Wyatt Robbins, Owensboro’s Evan Hampton, Campbellsville’s Kace Eastridge, Somerset’s Kris Hughes and Madisonville-North Hopkins’ Markezz Hightower.
Merz is up for the Coach Haywood Lineman of the Year with eight other finalists. The other eight are Belfry’s Bo Wolford, Taylor County’s Bryten Close, Green County’s Andrew Houk, Paducah-Tilghman’s Ben Myers, Boyle County’s Darry Yancey, Kentucky Country Day’s Kris Mandy, South Warren’s Malik Butler and Trinity’s Jahbarri Frost.
Coach of the Year will also be named later this month. The six nominees represent each of their respective classes. They are Campbellsville’s Dale Estes (1A), Belfry’s Matt Varney (2A), Christian Academy-Louisville’s Hunter Cantwell (3A), Boyle County’s Justin Haddix (4A), Greenwood’s William Howard (5A) and South Warren’s Brandon Smith (6A).
Savage has already taken home a couple top honors. He was recently named the winner of the Paul Hornung Award for the state’s most outstanding player and was named the KFCA 6A Player of the Year at the Class 6A championship on Saturday. He signed with Indiana last week.
O’Hara was named the Class 5A, District 5 Player of the Year and sits atop many Northern Kentucky passing records and is in the top 10 of the state in numerous all-time passing records. He signed with Western Kentucky University last week.
Merz was named the Class 4A, District 5 Lineman of the Year and is the highest rated interior lineman in the state, according to 247 Sports. He signed with the University of Louisville last week.
Prior to 2019, Mr. Football was voted on by Kentucky sports writers across the state. In 2019, the KFCA took over the award and is now voted on by coaches around the state. The Coach Haywood Lineman of the Year award is new.
Since the awards inception in 1986, six from NKY have won Mr. Football starting with Newport Central Catholic’s Frank Jacobs in ’86. Boone County’s Shaun Alexander (1994), Highlands’ Jared Lorenzen (1998), Highlands’ Patrick Towles (2011), Covington Catholic’s Michael Mayer (2019) and Beechwood’s Cam Hergott (2020) are all winners from NKY.