The Coaches

Robert Smiley: 1928 (Record 4-2)

By his enthusiasm and loyalty, Coach Smiley has won the respect and admiration of not only the different athletic squads, but also the whole school. Bob is responsible for the development of a spirit of hard fight and true sportsmanship to a higher degree than was probably known to DuQuoin heretofore.

Smiley assembled the first team at DTHS in 25 years. Most boys who went out for football had never seen a game, much less played in one.

He was admired and respected for such an achievement as a 4-2 record with an upstart program.

(Story and photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/ 1929)

Ned Foley: 1929-1931 (Record 12-14-1)

1st year- Our new coach, Foley, who replaced Smiley came to us from Southern Illinois Normal University where he excelled for 3 years in football. Ned is better known as the famous 'Rabbit' Foley. He, with the able assistance of Van Metre and Hibbs, taught the boys many of the finer points of the game, which added strength and polish to our playing.

2nd year- Coach Ned Foley, the athletic instructor of the DTHS, in the short time of two years has proven that he is capable of producing winning teams in the three lines of sport. He is especially noted, in Southern Illinois for the clean sportsmanship which he teaches and enforces. He ranks very high in the estimation of the boys who are under him. He gets the most of his boys through his excellent disposition and manner of handling boys.

(Story and photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/1930-31)

1932 Coach Steve Cole (Record 7-0-2)

Emery Martin: 1933-41 (Record 46-31-7)

Coach Martin's reign at DTHS has been one of continued successes. He directs both the football and basketball squads and his teams have always caused his opponent coaches plenty of trouble. For the past two years his gridiron elevens have ranked high in the state. In 1939 he pulled DuQuoin out of the "football ash can" and tied for the Southwestern Egyptian Conference crown. In 1940 he carried on and his eleven took over the top spot.

Coach Martin graduated from McKendree College and entered his coaching career at the Zeigler High School. From there he came to DuQuoin after coaching Zeigler to the Championship of Southern Illinois. After many lean years, Martin has finally approached the spot for which he has worked so hard. Last year he was selected as one of the outstanding coaches of Illinois.

(Story and photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/1941)

1942-1944 Coach John Rauth (Record 13-15)

Robert Huntley-1945 (Record 2-7)

(Photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/circa 1950)

J.T. English: 1946-1951(Record 33-19-5)

I'm just guessing, but it looked like Coach English may have been somewhat of a character. Every yearbook photo I found of him, he almost seemed to have a sheepish look on his face like he was up to something.

(Photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/circa 1950)

Galen Davis: 1952-1955 (Record 8-31-1)

Coach Davis was one of DuQuoin's greatest athletes, playing on the 1942 football squad that was named 'Best Dressed' team in Illinois by the Chicago Daily News.

After college he returned to DTHS to teach, coach and serve as athletic director.

His work in compiling the athletic history of DuQuoin High School in some way inspired me to develop the history section of duquoinindians.com

(Photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/circa 1952)

Guy Burton: 1956-57 (Record 5-11-2)

(Photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/1956)

1963 Bob Hancock (Record 1-7-1)

Charles Keene: 1964-65 (Record 4-13-1)

(Photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/circa 1964)

Don Anderson: 1966-67 (Record 15-4)

(Photo from 'Flashlight' yearbook/circa 1968)

Robert Karnes: 1968-87 (Record 136-59-4)

The House that Karnes Built

Bob Karnes took over the DuQuoin football program in 1968 and ran the table going 10-0 in his first season as the skipper of the Indians.

It was the beginning of one of Illinois' great all-time coaching careers. He coached for 20 seasons at DHS, 17 of which he finished with winning records.

But just finishing above .500 wasn't the norm for Coach Karnes. He led the Indians to 5 conference championships and two undefeated regular seasons .

His teams qualified for the playoffs in his final 4 seasons ('84-'87) where they were quarterfinalists ('87), semifinalists ('85) and state runners-up ('86). His 1984 team marked the beginning of what is now the state's longest-running string of consecutive playoff appearances by a school in any class.

His overall record at DHS was 136-59-4.

When he decided to hang up his clipboard and put his whistle in the drawer, it was his recommendation that the district hire one of his former players and then assistant coach, for the head coaching job. Allen Martin was that man.

Coach Karnes still lives within a stone's throw of the high school and is still revered in DuQuoin and throughout the state as one of the greatest football men to ever walk the sidelines in high school football.

He can usually be spotted at a DuQuoin game, either watching from the stands or helping from the booth. That is if he's not watching one of his two sons coach their high school teams.

His oldest son, Jeff was an outstanding football player who went on to punt for Brown University of the Ivy League after high school. He is now a medical doctor.

Middle son, Jason, also a great athlete at DHS, is a coach in the Herrin school system.

Youngest son, Jared who, like his brothers was a very gifted athlete, is a coach in the Carmi-White County school district.

Coach Karnes and wife Pat raised a great family and it will probably never be known how many lives they touched through their jobs as teachers and through football at DuQuoin High School.

(black & white photo-'Flashlight' yearbook/1968)(color photo-D. Hill/2005)

Allen Martin: 1988 to present

The Man Who Led DuQuoin Football

into 'The Promised Land'

Coach Al Martin took the reins to a program that already had momentum and turned it into a dynasty. His first season in 1988, like his predecessor's inaugural campaign, was a 14-0 start ending with DuQuoin's first ever Class 3A State Championship.

After reaching the semifinals in 1991, his 1992 team ran the table going 14-0 and returned to DuQuoin with a 2nd state championship trophy. Martin coached the championship game one day after burying his father.

His teams have played for state titles 5 times in his 18 seasons, along with 7 other semi-final appearances.

His overall record, through the end of the 2005 season, is 188-35 and he is 45-16 in the playoffs.

Including the 2005 season, in 15 of the last 16 seasons one of the two teams playing for the state championship in 3A has been either DuQuoin or a team that beat DuQuoin in the playoffs

Martin's sons Zeb, Joel and Simon all played football for their father. Zeb was an all-state linebacker in 1995 and went on to play at Eastern Illinois University until he suffered a career ending injury.

Many young men have learned a lot about life through their football years at DuQuoin High School. Martin stresses Faith, Family, Academics and Football...in that order.

His most well-known quote, which every player can recite "The better you get, the humbler you get," sums up the way Coach Martin coaches and the way he lives his life.