DESTINED FOR GREATNESS

Dear Friends:

Before I arrived at Eastern Kentucky University in 2002 to serve as interim athletics director, I only knew Coach Roy Kidd by reputation –– and what a lofty stature it was. Then, as I watched Coach Kidd go about his job and observed his inner fire, attention to detail and interactions with players, it became clear why he is one of college football’s most successful and revered coaches of all time. And as my wife, Sandy, and I got to know Coach Kidd and his bride, Sue, on a personal level, the closer friends we became and the better I came to understand why both are so treasured on campus and throughout the community.

At every step in Coach Kidd’s life, he exemplified honor, commitment, competitiveness, discipline, leadership, perseverance, humility and loyalty, beginning with his days as a three-sport high school star in his native Corbin, continuing through his time as a “Little All-American” quarterback and baseball standout at Eastern and culminating with his consummate 39-year streak of excellence as head football coach for the Colonels. His record validates the personal qualities of someone who was destined for greatness.

But the 314 career wins, 37 nonlosing seasons, two I-AA national championships, 16 conference titles, membership in the College Football Hall of Fame, the 2023 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award and countless other achievements and honors can’t begin to measure the impact Coach Kidd had on his players and staff, the coaching profession, his beloved alma mater and community.

DESPITE ALL HIS SUCCESS, COACH KIDD WAS ALWAYS QUICK TO CREDIT OTHERS, AND THIS PUBLICATION WILL SHARE SOME PERSONAL STORIES FROM THOSE WHO KNOW HIM BEST –– CHILDHOOD FRIENDS IN CORBIN, A PLAYER ON THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL TEAM HE COACHED, A PIONEERING FEMALE SPORTS REPORTER, THE ANNOUNCER FOR MANY OF HIS MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENTS, COACHING ADVERSARIES, FORMER COLONEL PLAYERS, A FORMER PASTOR, ACADEMIC LEADERS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHERS.

Coach Kidd announced his retirement and coached his final game during my short tenure at Eastern, but it was only the beginning of a great friendship between our families. Sandy and I fondly recall the long bus rides to away games, where we swapped countless stories with Roy and Sue, as well as many visits to the Kidds’ home, watching football games in the comfort of their living room. To this day, we are honored and blessed to count the Kidds among our dearest friends. They are richly deserving of this tribute, and we hope this publication puts into focus why they mean so much to the Colonel family.

Sincerely with all our love,

by Keith Taylor

Roy Kidd has a street named after him in Corbin, the town where the legendary player and coach began a playing career that ultimately led him to Eastern Kentucky University.

the district finals to give Corbin a dramatic win over London.

“It didn’t surprise us,” Kidd’s friend, the late Bob Terrell, said in an interview in 2001. “We celebrated and all that, but we always felt like we had a chance as long as Roy was up (at the plate).”

He also played basketball and produced some memorable moments throughout his prep career. During his final year, Kidd connected on a halfcourt game-winning shot in a consolation game that gave the Redhounds a third-place finish in the state tournament. As a senior, he collected three steals in the final minute and scored five points in a 47-44 win over Manchester.

Despite his success in other sports, his mainstay was football, where he was an all-state performer as a halfback. In addition to his running skills, Kidd threw five touchdowns in his final game at Corbin as a halfback. During his senior year, Kidd’s teams in all sports finished with a record of 56-6-1.

“He just had that leadership ability,” Terrell said. “He always kept his poise in the most crucial of times.

You never had to worry about him losing control emotionally

Although Kidd made his mark in football, he could have been successful if he had chosen a different path than the one that led him to the gridiron. “He has great character, a lot of integrity and leadership,” Terrell said at the time. “Roy has a will to win; he’s a true competitor, and he would never give up. I think Roy could have been as successful as a basketball coach or baseball coach.”

Although Kidd was a successful college coach who guided the Colonels to a pair of national titles, all the success never changed him, and he stayed humble and true to his upbringing. “Roy is a very successful person that has still stayed with the values he had growing up,” Terrell said. “He is still the same solid person. Success hasn’t affected him with his ego.”

Even after his playing days and well into his storied coaching career at Eastern, Kidd always remembered his Corbin roots. “Every time we had a meeting where we needed him to be there, raising money or ground-breaking ceremonies, Roy was always here,” Terrell said. “He always made himself accessible whenever we had something special going on. He was always here to participate.”

True to the game, true to his university and true to his hometown, despite all the national acclaim. That’s the essence of Coach Kidd. n