-- — It didn’t take long for former Ashland Tomcat football coach Herb Conley to remember what a short memory fans — and even family — can have toward coaches.

His son, Jeff, stopped by the house the other day with a newspaper in hand and a message to deliver.

“You’re going to have to get that defense going or we’ll have to get rid of you,” he said.

Then his oldest son, Greg, called.

“How many points was the most ever scored on that ‘75 team?” he asked.

“I told him 20 points was the most ever scored. He said ‘They’ve almost scored that much in one quarter. We’re going to have to look for a new coach if you can’t get that straightened out.’’’

Herb’s sons were teasing their father about the 1975 vs. 1990 fantasy game that is being played out in this week’s sports section. Ashland’s 1990 team led 14-0 after the first quarter, 17-12 at the half and takes a 24-19 advantage into the fourth quarter (watch Friday’s print edition for the rest of the story).

“One thing about the ‘75 and ‘90 game, whichever one wins, it’s still the Ashland Tomcats,” Conley said.

Conley has his own thoughts about who would win and it’s the team with the JAWS nickname. He coached Ashland to a 14-1 record in 1975, losing only to Louisville powerhouse St. Xavier, 20-0, in the Class 4A overall finals.

“At halftime we were down 6-0 and I knew I had to get them back up,” he said. “They had a different look. St. X dressed 122 kids in three grades. They walked around down the sideline all the way around the field until the first guy met the last guy.”

The Tomcats threatened to score first but an offsides penalty on a third-and-five inside the 10 forced a field goal attempt that was missed.

“If we could have been on the board first ...,” his voice trailed off.

Conley said the JAWS team is probably the most beloved in Ashland history, no slight to the many other state champions including 1990.

“It’s the most popular team that ever played in the history of the school,’’ he said. “It was not only around here but around the state, or in West Virginia or Ohio. People would come up to me and say ‘You coached at Ashland with that JAWS defense.’’’

The nickname was born early in the season even though Conley wasn’t sure it was such a good idea.

“It could have flopped in our face,” he said. “If that would have happened it would have been dropped quick. It gave an edge for us to be that good defensively.”

That’s where Conley says the fantasy matchup so far may be flawed. “What shocks me is them scoring so many points,” he said.

Conley points out that the differences in the team may have come up front where he believes the ’75 team had a considerable edge. And remember, Conley watched many of the 1990 games as a radio analyst with Dicky Martin.

“Our kids were more physical,” he said. “We weren’t as big as they were but (Jay) Shippey, defensively, was as good as anybody they had defensively.”

While Ashland’s 1990 backfield with size and strength made the perfect wishbone, the JAWS backfield produced more than 4,000 yards rushing against a ramped-up Class 4A schedule.

“Gary Thomas could bust one and so could Greg Jackson and Jeff Slone,” Conley said. “If Greg Jackson hadn’t gotten his ankle broken in the first game of the year, he would have been way over 1,000 yards.”

The hulking offensive line included Raymond Hicks, Casey Jones, Yancey Ramey, Terry Bell and Terry Lewis. “Our offensive line blocked much, much better than that ’90 team,” he said. “Our down linemen were stronger than their down lineman.”

Conley admitted that 1990 star Juan Thomas was a dominating player as a running back or defensive end. “The only thing I’d run to Juan’s side was an option,” he said. “I might run a dive at him and then fake the dive to him. Otherwise, I’d mainly stay away from him.”

Conley’s other son, Shawn, teaches at Lincoln County High School. The Patroits played Ashland in the 1990 Class 3A championship game.

“That’s probably the best team Lincoln ever had and they weren’t really that good,” Herb Conley said. “I was a head coach nine years and seven of the teams I coached could have beaten that team. The difference in St. X and Lincoln County is not a real good comparison. I’m not taking anything away from the ’90 team. It was a great team. What team would win? I really don’t know.”

But no matter who wins this simulated game, it won’t settle the issue on Ashland’s greatest champion.

The 1958 Tomcats, that included Conley and Dick Filmore in the backfield, went 10-0-1 and had nine Division I college players and two more Division II players.

“We had speed and we had size,” Conley said. “I wouldn’t count ‘67 out from beating either one of them, either. I’d compare Paul Hill to (Charlie) Johnson. He was as tough or tougher than Charlie Johnson. I’ve seen hm run over six or seven. Then, if you go back further, into the ’40s and ’30s, those teams were probably the best.”

Conley said he’s scripted his own finish to the 1975 vs. 1990 fantasy game.

“I’d like to see it end in a tie,” he said. “That’s the way it should have been. Both of them are good teams, proud teams and both had great coaches, other than me.”

That’s the only part you got wrong Herb. You are one of Ashland’s greatest coaches. Ask anyone. Even Jeff and Greg.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.