SHS football community says farewell to late Coach Lucas

Nov. 15—Coach Robbie Lucas' legacy at Somerset High School can be viewed different ways.

To former athletic director Bob Tucker, as faithful a Briar Jumper as there is in the community, the fact that Lucas achieved a state championship in 2019 after decades of frustration for the school perhaps means more than anything.

But even Tucker admits that he doesn't think that's how Lucas would frame his legacy.

"I don't know how many times we would go (to the playoffs) and think we had it won and go up to the state finals and get beat, and to finally win one ... I'm sure he wouldn't want that to be his legacy, his legacy will probably be just how much he cared about his players, but to me, to finally win that state title, oh gosh," said Tucker. "We finally got it. A big congrats to Coach Lucas for that."

Lucas passed away on Sunday at age 50, having recently dealt with an illness. His most recent Briar Jumpers team just concluded their 2022 season this weekend, but Lucas continued working with the team throughout the campaign despite his own personal adversity.

Tucker was the athletic director who hired Lucas, "in a tough spot" as he put it following the sudden departure of former coach Jay Cobb just before the 2009 season. In Tucker's mind, there was nobody better for the job than Lucas, then an assistant under Cobb.

"Robbie was the perfect fit," said Tucker. "His players loved him, they played hard for him. He was a hard worker. It wasn't real hard for me (to make that decision); I knew that exactly who we needed right then was Robbie. No one else would do. We could have brought in Vince Lombardi, and it wouldn't have been as good as Robbie."

Lucas proved that he deserved the faith put in him by Tucker by promptly making a run to the state Class 3A championship game with that 2009 team, falling short only at the end to Paducah Tilghman.

"It was just a great season," said Tucker. "I've worked and talked with a lot of coaches, and lot of them have egos, and you would expect that with football coaches, but the one thing I'll say about Robbie: If he won a game he gave the boys all the credit. It was never him. And if he lost one, it was always on him."

Lucas and the Briar Jumpers' state title win marked the first KHSAA football state title in the program's 116-year history. During his 14 seasons as the Somerset head football coach, in addition to the 2019 title and the 2009 state runner-up, Lucas won 114 games, seven region titles (five of them in succession), and had two 14-win seasons.

Tucker said that in all their time working together, he and Lucas never "had a cross word" and that Lucas' work ethic always stood out.

"He didn't get outworked," said Tucker. "You'd have coaches that maybe didn't put that much time in, but no one outworked Robbie, whether it was film study the next day or (whatever), he was always there. As good a football coach as he was, he was an even better human being."

Current Somerset Athletic Director Kevin Burkett noted that he and Lucas worked together for more than 20 years, coming up the coaching ranks together.

"His ability to get the most out of kids was really amazing to me," he said. "He's one of the best coaches I've ever seen at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of his players and their abilities, and focusing on what they can do well and getting that out of them."

Burkett also talked about Lucas' humility, noting that Lucas had a resume that stacked up against any high school coach in Kentucky, but you'd never have known that from talking to him.

"He always deflected the praise to his players, and that's something I respected about him very much," said Burkett.

He noted that there is no information available yet about what the school will do with the coaching position moving forward, but at this time it's about giving the players and staff the support they need in this time of mourning.

Lucas was originally from Lincoln County, where he attended high school, graduating in 1990. He went on to play at what is now the University of the Cumberlands, then Cumberland College, and coached there for a bit as well.

He came to Somerset later in the 1990s, and worked as an assistant there, serving as defensive coordinator, before leaving to go coach at Lincoln County in the early 2000s. Lucas eventually returned to SHS and took over in Cobb's absence. He was also a history teacher at the school.

Jennifer Lucas, the coach's sister, said that she believes it was always his dream to be a coach.

"He always played football, from the time he was little bitty," she said. "We played football in the back yard together. "... He was competitive in anything. And he always wanted more, or the best for you. I can remember when I was little, him setting up furniture on the front porch and making me do figure-eights for basketball (drills). He was like, 'You can get better, you can get better!'

"If (people) knew the Robbie Lucas I knew, there's no one better," she added.

She recalled how when Somerset won the championship in 2019, he talked about having "the greatest seat in the house" to watch his players achieve the accomplishment, and echoed the sentiments about how humble Lucas was. She noted that he was a "great guy," brother and father and son.

"I've seen the man struggle, I've seen him on top of the mountain, and it has been heck at times and it's been amazing at times," she said. "He was there (during his illness), he was right in with (the team)."

Former players under Lucas also recalled the impact he made on their lives as they were young men in school. Taylor Sears graduated in 2011, and was part of the 2009 state runner-up team playing safety, and he found himself emotional when talking about Lucas' impact on his life.

"The on-field success only scratches the surface of what he meant to the Somerset High School community. I am not totally sure what the qualities were that the school was looking for but reflecting on the last 14 seasons of Somerset Football with Coach Lucas at the helm, it is very evident that they made the right choice," said Spears. "He was a man of integrity, grit, passion, and drive. He was a big beard with an even bigger heart. He was a servant-leader with a unique humbleness. He was blue collar with a Steelers hat and a cut off t-shirt. He was the guy who'd jump in front of you in a fight and hide behind you at a trophy ceremony. He was the tide that rose the ships of every guy that played for him, every coach that coached with him and every teacher that taught with him.

"The impact that Coach Robbie Lucas has made on the lives of all of us that knew him is immeasurable, but I can say with certainty that we are all better off and better people because of him," he added.

Another individual who played under Lucas during his time as an assistant at Somerset before taking the reins was Somerset Mayor Alan Keck, who graduated from SHS in 2003. He recalled playing the Tecmo Bowl video game with Lucas while discussing American history.

* "You could always tell he really cared," said Keck. "He treated everybody (equally) regardless of who you were, where you were from, what your talent was. He treated you with kindness, which is kind of strange because he was also a hard. He always had shorts on regardless of the temperature to show that he had a high level of toughness. ... He was just a special guy who loved kids."

Keck thanked Lucas being "such a great representative of the community" and had Somerset players handling themselves with respect wherever they played, he noted.

Kaiya Sheron, the quarterback on the 2019 title team who now plays for the University of Kentucky, shared a statement on Twitter Monday, saying "Can't describe the pain this brings. One of the most important men in my life. One of a kind coach, father, friend and human. I wouldn't be the man I am today without you. Words can't describe how much I and everyone else in our community appreciates you. I love you coach."

Even Sheron's current coach, UK's Mark Stoops, passed along his sympathies to the Somerset community at his Monday press conference, noting that both Sheron and fellow Briar Jumper Jase Bruner are on the Wildcats' roster and were very close to Lucas.

"What a great man," said Stoops of Lucas, "and my condolences there."

Somerset Independent Schools Superintendent Kyle Lively said that Lucas was an "outstanding coach (and) excellent teacher" — but an even better person.

"The Somerset Independent School System and the entire Somerset Community mourn the passing of Coach Robbie Lucas," he said. "... Coach Lucas always put others before himself and made countless sacrifices for the betterment of his players, coaches, and students. The positive impact Robbie made on everyone around him is immeasurable and will span for decades to come through the success of his players and students.

"The world lost a great football coach and a fantastic man," added Lively. "Coach Lucas will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Nicole, his daughters Molly and Maddie as well as his entire family."

Somerset High School Principal Jeff Wesley added, "Coach Robbie Lucas was totally void of self. He never took credit for any success, and there was plenty of it. He only shouldered the burdens for his team and those he loved and cared about. He loved his players as sons. He was the embodiment of selflessness and will forever be etched in the hearts and history of Somerset High School. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Lucas family and all those whom he touched with his life."