F O Section E l Thursday, August 23, 2018 O T B A L L 1 Old School comes to 8 New School DELPHOS SHAWNEE ACE HARDWARE HARDWARE 419-692-0921 419-991-3701 242 N. Main St. 3700 S. Dixie OH-70070984L in Delphos Highway 2E Thursday, August 23, 2018 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Lima News File photos Jerry Cooper, shown here celebrating with his players, took Columbus Grove to its first and only state title in 2003. Passion and energy perception of him has been Cooper looks to revitalize formed by what they might have seen a time or two or three on the sidelines Shawnee program on Friday nights, he said, “Maybe. Every once in a while you do something By Jim Naveau at Shawnee. The certainty you’re not particularly [email protected] is that high school football proud of and it’s because of will be more interesting that competitive spirit. You Somehow it sounds with Cooper back in the have to balance those two about right that Jerry area after four years of things.” Cooper’s dad drove a 7-Up coaching in Tennessee. Asked if he cares what truck for years. Someone who knew other people think, Coo- His son, like the beverage Urban Meyer when he was per smiled again and said, the older Cooper toted into an assistant coach at Notre “No.” grocery stores and carry Dame once described him “If you talk to the guys outs, has never had any this way: “Urban has an who played for me, they need to add caffeine. He incredible fire. It either love that passion and com- supplies his own energy. In inspires you or incinerates petitive spirit. Very few fact, he super sizes it. you.” players who have played Cooper – who revital- Some people might see a for me will have anything ized Lima Central Catho- little bit of that in Cooper, other than that mindset lic’s football program and too. He inspires his players about me,” Cooper said. coached a state champion and creates great loyalty in “And that’s who I really team at Columbus Grove guys who have played for care about, the kids in the – has brought that energy him. But some opponents locker room. and passion to Shawnee, might find his passion a bit “Those guys want to where he became head foot- irritating. compete. The head coach ball coach in February. Told that someone once wants to compete. You The hope at Shawnee is said they’d never seen any- show that spirit and it that he can recreate what one hate losing more than filters out to your players he did at Bath, Columbus he did, Cooper smiled and and it boils over into your Grove and LCC, where said, “Good. I hope that’s program.” those teams went to the true and it might be true. Cooper grew up as the playoffs 16 of the 21 years That’s one of the driving youngest of 10 children in he was in charge. forces that keeps my energy his family in Mount Gilead The probability is that going.” in Morrow County. He got At Lima Central Catholic, Jerry Cooper turned the Thunderbird program around and took the team to the there will be improvement Asked if some people’s into coaching as a volun- postseason in his first year at the school. teer assistant at his high school after a knee injury years at Seymour (Tenn.) Grove, and LCC before teams were an uncharacter- ON THE COVER during his freshman year of High School. His first coming to Shawnee. istic 15-27. Special thank you to the Bridenbaugh family for use of the football at Otterbein Uni- head coaching job was at His teams in Ohio have He resigned at Seymour one-room school house. versity. Waynesfield-Goshen in won 216 games and lost 73. in November after his Cover Photo: Craig J. Orosz He has been a head coach 1988 and he followed that In three years in Tennes- teams there had records Contributing writers: Jose Nogueras, Jim Naveau, Tom at seven Ohio schools with jobs in Hicksville, see he got one team into Usher, Mark Altstaetter, Jim Metcalfe, Salvador Nogueras and spent the last four Lucas, Bath, Columbus the playoffs but overall his See COOPER | 4E A FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TRADITION OH-70071134L OPEN till 11:00pm Lima News HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Thursday, August 23, 2018 3E Optimistic Spartans tweak offense By Jose Nogueras [email protected] every game.” Hawkins is a former Griffin said the players head coach at Ontario, As Andre Griffin enters have become more accus- Galion, Wynford and his third year as the Lima tomed to his hard nose Willard and has been Senior head coach, the approach to the game and successful in all of his one thing he has learned he wants to make con- stops. He also coached is preparation in all sistent winning a part of former Cleveland Browns aspects of the game is the culture in the Spartan quarterback Charlie Frye essential to winning on football program. when he was at Willard. the football field. “This year I expect Griffin said with the Coming into this sea- us to compete in every loss of Keaton Upshaw son, Griffin said his staff game and go from there,” and having no true tight and the players have had Griffin said. “They know end on the roster means one of their better off my voice and they know the Spartans will fea- seasons in terms of get- what to expect. They ture a more true spread ting ready for the season call me all the time and offense this season. as the Spartans look they know they are going Hawkins inherits an to reverse the trend of to here it if they are not offense that will have last season where Lima here.” a new quarterback and Senior finished 4-6 over- Griffin said he was several new faces in the all. impressed with the way backfield and at the wide “It is an old cliché with the core players came receiver positions. one down and one game back and worked hard Jaleel King, an all- at a time but going into since December and the league and northwest dis- my third year I know it majority showed up for trict performer, headlines better. Before if you asked camps, seven-on-seven a core of talented skilled that question I used to and strength and condi- players. look at other coaches tioning. Joining King this year and say `man, quit say- “The did everything is Lima Central Catholic ing that’ but you have they were supposed to do transfer Brayden O’Dell to literally prepare for and they just have to take and several other players everything,” Griffin said. it to the field,” Griffin battling for playing time. “I have been in tough con- said. “We have a lot of ferences as a player and But it was not only the playmakers on our team as a coach all my career players that were work- and our things it is our and you have to prepare ing hard during summer. linemen and not just every game. You have to Griffin has brought in our offensive linemen. respect your opponent new coaches to the staff We don’t have those big and one of the major guys like they used to changes is bringing in have here and we have to LIMA SENIOR Chris Hawkins as offen- spread it out a little bit,” COACH: Andre Griffin sive coordinator. Griffin said. YEARS AT SCHOOL: 3rd, “Our coaching staff is With four of the five 10-10 older this year and I think returners back on the LAST YEAR’S RECORD: that is going to help us offensive line, Griffin said 4-6 out as far as the coaching that they need to create DIVISION: II, RETURING aspect and pushing these some depth in case of LETTERMEN:16 guys in the football class- injuries and keeping play- RETURNING STARTERS: room,” Griffin said. “I like ers fresh. Dean Brown | Thge Lima News Cole Merricle, Sr.; Jordan my coaching staff a lot. “We have more guys Lima Senior quarterback Rashad Wallace, shown here during a scrimmage against Troy, takes over the McClendon (Sr.), Jaleel I liked my coaching staff going both ways this year quarterback duties for the Spartans this year. King (Sr.), Rashard last year too but I think so we are going to have Wallace (Sr.), Ryan Moore we can take to another to be in tip-top shape,” be organized as coaches for playing time will be been running the same (Sr.), Adrian Bowsher level as far as coaching.” Griffin said. “We have to to make sure we are rotat- juniors Jawan Ander- system the last two years (Jr.), Brandon Taylor (Jr.), ing guys and they are get- son and Zavion Brown that he is encouraged by Estephon Owens (Jr.), ting the right amount of and sophomore Mizhir their progress. TOP NEWCOMERS: Mizhir McMillen (Soph.), LIMA SENIOR SCHEDULE breaks and still be fresh McMillen. Even though Wallace Braydon O’ Dell (Sr.) Aug. 24 Northmont 7 p.m. to play the fourth quar- “I think we will be able will be the quarterback, PLAYERS TO WATCH: Aug. 31 at Piqua 7 p.m. ter.” to run the ball really well Griffin said he is an even Jaleel King. Most Sept. 7 COF Academy 7 p.m. Rashad Wallace will and run the ball with the better defensive back and underrated wide receiver Sept.