Paul Temerian
Paul Temerian spent his first season at Clay County Central [CCC] as an assistant to coach Mike Mayfield.
He took over the following season and coached football at Clay County Central [CCC] from 1985 through 1993. When he took over as head football coach at CCC, the school had not had a winning season since the resumption of football in 1972.
In Temerian’s first year at CCC, the Cougars were 2-6-1. After that, he only had one losing season in his nine (9) years as varsity coach.
In the 1986 season, Clay County Central secured its first winning record since football was reinstate in 1977, finishing the year at 5-4.
In 1987, the Clay County Central Cougars accomplished things no other football team at Rector had managed prior. The Cougars, led by head coach Paul Temerian, posted a perfect 6-0 conference record, winning the district title en route to an 8-2 regular season finish and reaching the state playoffs for the first time in school history.
The late Paul Temerian, who remains one of the most respected coaches in Rector history to this day, described the importance of the first conference game of the 1987 season. “The key to our season was the first conference game, the win over Walnut Ridge,” Temerian said at the end of the 1987 season. “That built up our confidence and we were able to win over Piggott the next week. After that, we just took them one game at a time. The boys took the attitude that, if they would play together, they could beat anybody.”
Commenting on the accomplishments of the 1987 season and the people who made it possible, Coach Temerian said: “I want these boys to look back at this season and be proud of all the things they accomplished”. Eight Cougars were named All-District for the season: Richard Petty, Dale Parrish, Harold Small, Sam Isom, David Robinson, Bo Gamblin, Kirk Scobey and David Hendrix. Billy Stone, Larry Farmer, Michael Horton, Nathan Stallcup and Kirk Ford were named Honorable Mention All-District. Coach Temerian was named District Coach of the Year.
His final team in 1993 also finished 8-2 overall. The 1993-1994 Clay County Central Cougars put together a seven game winning streak, the longest in school history, to finish tied with the 1987 district champion team for the best regular season record at 8-2. CCC went 6-2 in conference play. His overall record at CCC was 49-39-1.
He began coaching in 1952. Prior to retiring to Rector, Paul coached at Royal Oak Kimball High in Michigan. He never had a losing season at Royal Oak Kimball. His career coaching record at Royal Oak Kimball High was 130-40-1.
Honors that coach Temerian received before moving to Arkansas:
· Coach of the year in 1980 in Michigan.
· Inducted into the Michigan Football Coaches HOF in 1982.
· Inducted into the Michigan High School Hall of Fame (for all sports) in 1983.
· Inducted into the Kimball Hall of Fame.
Coach Paul Temerian said that football and life have many similarities: “In life, everything isn’t going to be
just great. There are a lot more knockdowns than get-ups, and that is the same with football.”
He took over the following season and coached football at Clay County Central [CCC] from 1985 through 1993. When he took over as head football coach at CCC, the school had not had a winning season since the resumption of football in 1972.
In Temerian’s first year at CCC, the Cougars were 2-6-1. After that, he only had one losing season in his nine (9) years as varsity coach.
In the 1986 season, Clay County Central secured its first winning record since football was reinstate in 1977, finishing the year at 5-4.
In 1987, the Clay County Central Cougars accomplished things no other football team at Rector had managed prior. The Cougars, led by head coach Paul Temerian, posted a perfect 6-0 conference record, winning the district title en route to an 8-2 regular season finish and reaching the state playoffs for the first time in school history.
The late Paul Temerian, who remains one of the most respected coaches in Rector history to this day, described the importance of the first conference game of the 1987 season. “The key to our season was the first conference game, the win over Walnut Ridge,” Temerian said at the end of the 1987 season. “That built up our confidence and we were able to win over Piggott the next week. After that, we just took them one game at a time. The boys took the attitude that, if they would play together, they could beat anybody.”
Commenting on the accomplishments of the 1987 season and the people who made it possible, Coach Temerian said: “I want these boys to look back at this season and be proud of all the things they accomplished”. Eight Cougars were named All-District for the season: Richard Petty, Dale Parrish, Harold Small, Sam Isom, David Robinson, Bo Gamblin, Kirk Scobey and David Hendrix. Billy Stone, Larry Farmer, Michael Horton, Nathan Stallcup and Kirk Ford were named Honorable Mention All-District. Coach Temerian was named District Coach of the Year.
His final team in 1993 also finished 8-2 overall. The 1993-1994 Clay County Central Cougars put together a seven game winning streak, the longest in school history, to finish tied with the 1987 district champion team for the best regular season record at 8-2. CCC went 6-2 in conference play. His overall record at CCC was 49-39-1.
He began coaching in 1952. Prior to retiring to Rector, Paul coached at Royal Oak Kimball High in Michigan. He never had a losing season at Royal Oak Kimball. His career coaching record at Royal Oak Kimball High was 130-40-1.
Honors that coach Temerian received before moving to Arkansas:
· Coach of the year in 1980 in Michigan.
· Inducted into the Michigan Football Coaches HOF in 1982.
· Inducted into the Michigan High School Hall of Fame (for all sports) in 1983.
· Inducted into the Kimball Hall of Fame.
Coach Paul Temerian said that football and life have many similarities: “In life, everything isn’t going to be
just great. There are a lot more knockdowns than get-ups, and that is the same with football.”