Joe Wynn is headed back to Northern Kentucky.
The former Newport head coach has been named the next coach at Simon Kenton. Wynn replaces Roy Lucas, who resigned after four seasons at the helm.
Wynn’s roots start in NKY. He’s a Dayton grad where he was a standout on the football field and has also coached at Holmes and Campbell County as an assistant. Now he’s back home.
“To me it’s the best football in the state up here,” Wynn said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge with 6A football, but the coaching fraternity up here is one of the best in the state. After venturing out, it showed me this is the best place to be.”
He ventured east the past four years in Maysville, coaching at Mason County where he led them to a 36-14 record in four seasons and a state semifinal appearance in 2022. He helped guide the Royals program to heights they hadn’t seen in over a decade with two region championship appearances and a regional title in 2022 that came with a 13-1 record.
Prior to Mason County, Wynn was at Newport for three seasons where he helped guide the program to 18 wins in three seasons after just three wins the three prior seasons he was there.
“It will be no different here,” Wynn said. “I’ll come in the same way I have. It will be a brand new slate for everyone from the kids, coaches and admin. They get to start with a fresh start. I’m going to come in and be me, come in and set the new standard and doing the right thing on and off the field.”
Some of Wynn’s accolades in his seven-year tenure as a head coach include Owen Hauck Coach of the Year, KFCA District Coach of the Year and the NKAO Sportsmanship Award Winner.
He’ll inherit a Simon Kenton team that went 4-7 in 2024 with a first round exit to St. Xavier in the Class 6A playoffs. The Pioneers went 19-25 under Lucas the past four years, with a playoff victory coming during the 2022 season.
The Pioneers graduate 21 seniors off this season’s 94-man roster. They lose quarterback Brady Lee, who threw for 3,057 yards and 25 touchdowns this past season, but return leading receivers Grayson Harris and Tysin Weaver, who combined for 168 receptions, 2,382 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. They also lose top tackler Aven Bohms, but do return Landon Brown and Brayden Schoborg, who finished second and third on the team in tackles.
“SK is one of the premiere schools from Kenton County. We don’t want kids to leave us. I’ll just come in and be me and we’ll work hard and have fun,” Wynn said. “I live five minutes from the school so I know the talent is here, the community support is here. I really think it’s a place that can really do something special. It’s been done in the past and can be done again.”
Wynn becomes the 13th coach in program history.
“Joe is committed to continuing the tradition that is Simon Kenton football,” Pioneers Athletic Director Troy Roberts released in a statement. “He is committed to having a competitive program that will succeed on and off the field.”
Since Kentucky went to six classes in 2007, Simon Kenton is just one of three 6A programs in Northern Kentucky to reach the state championship game, doing so in 2008. Dixie Heights in 2014 and Ryle this past season were the others. Ryle is in the Pioneers district, along with Great Crossing and Campbell County. The Raiders and Warhawks are coming off standout seasons, the Raiders finishing as state runner-up while the Warhawks reached the state semifinals before losing to Ryle.
Initially, Ryle is the target and Wynn will make his players well aware of that.
“We’re going to set the standard right away and that is to beat Ryle. We need to beat the Raiders and we’re going to say ‘beat Raiders’ after everything we do,” Wynn said. “You start with that and then you focus on winning district championships and playoff games.”