Hazard High Coach Matthew Chandler Resigns, Bulldogs Seek Direction

Matthew Chandler stepped down as head coach of the Hazard Bulldogs on December 5, 2025, concluding a two season stint that produced a 13-12 overall record. His first season in 2024 saw the Bulldogs reach the Regional Final of the Class A Football Finals, finishing 8-5 and falling 35-0 to Raceland. The 2025 campaign ended 5-7 with a 44-36 loss to Middlesboro in the second round of the playoffs.

Those results frame the near term priorities for Perry County schools and the community. A combined winning record and back to back playoff appearances offered on field momentum, but turnover at the top interrupts continuity for returning players and incoming recruits. Coaches drive practice systems, college scouting contacts, and feeder relationships with middle school and youth programs, all of which matter for player development and long run competitiveness.

The resignation also has local economic implications. High school football games generate consistent foot traffic for downtown restaurants, convenience stores, and vendors on game nights. While precise local revenue figures are not yet available, a coaching change can affect attendance patterns and booster giving, which in turn influence athletic budgets for equipment, travel, and off season development. School officials will need to weigh those community considerations alongside personnel costs when setting the search parameters for a new coach.

Administrators face several policy choices. They can prioritize immediate continuity by promoting from within, which tends to retain systems and keep recruitment steady, or they can pursue an external candidate to redirect the program over a multi year horizon. Each path carries budgetary trade offs, including contract terms, support staff needs, and investments in facilities or youth outreach. Those decisions will shape not only the high school program but also broader community engagement with Bulldogs football.

For local families and businesses, the coming weeks will be a signal of district priorities. The timing of a hiring process, the stability of assistant staff, and communication about summer programs will indicate whether the team can preserve the progress from consecutive postseason runs or will enter a rebuilding phase. Community leaders and boosters are likely to play an influential role as the district moves to fill the vacancy and set a direction for Hazard High football.