Head Coaches Comment About Ohio Prep Football

      Really appreciated Rob Oller's column in the Columbus Dispatch this morning. The article, for the most part, was about the combine record of five college teams in Ohio. Only Division I schools were covered.
      Ohio State and the Ohio University are both 7-0. University of Cincinnati is 5-0. Mid -American schools, Toledo and Kent State are both 5-1. Doing the math, 30 wins and 2 losses. According to Oller, fourteen teams are undefeated in the Football Bowl Subdivision, with OSU, UC, and Ohio in that group.
      What I really liked were the comments of Darrell Hazell, head coach at Kent State, Matt Campbell, head coach at Toledo, and Butch Jones, head coach at Cincinnati, and Frank Solich, head coach at Ohio University. All four coaches praised the high school football played here in Ohio.
      Hazell and Campbell boasted about the quality of high school football coaches in Ohio. Jones and Solich commented on the quality of high school players here in the state. I think, if you look at the "Big 33 All-Star" games every year, Ohio is always well represented. Usually with a win! Honestly, because of prior commitments, leaving early for college, injuries, and the fact that some universities discourage players from playing in the game, Ohio is not always able to send its top college prospects to the game. The depth of high school talent is evident, as well as, the quality of coaches in all divisions. Again, usually with a win.
      One of the strengths of Ohio high school football is the quality and the longevity of the head coaches. But more than that are the high school programs themselves. Programs are well organized. All year around strength training. Not only good head coaches, but also, quality assistants, both young and old. I do not about other states, but as I travel around the state, I see more and more African American coaches working with young men. Some old, some young, but all are coaching, rather just wearing a coaching shirt.
      One of the biggest problems in Ohio high school football is money. Of course, almost every program has that problem. With teacher cutbacks, many of the young coaches with teaching degrees, cannot get jobs in the same school system. Having taught for 31 years, I see and understand both sides of the situation.
      Nice to read the comments from the coaches. Anytime high school football in Ohio gets some "love," I am happy.