For many years there was always a connection between the cities of Massillon and Cincinnati. That relationship was forged when Paul Brown bought the Cincinnati Bengals and endeared himself to the Queen City.
The relationship between the football programs at Washington High School and the University of Cincinnati has crumpled. Massillon football coach Jason Hall stopped short of declaring Bearcat football dead to him, but clearly he isn’t happy with the way Cincinnati’s new football coach is operating.
Massillon quarterback Kyle Kempt picked Cincinnati over Tennessee, West Virginia and Indiana because it plays in an FBS conference and the university’s engineering program. Kempt has a 4.4 grade-point average and is Washington High School’s top student.
However, when the Bearcats lost head coach Butch Jones to Tennessee and Tommy Tuberville took over, Kempt’s recruitment took a turn. Kempt either decommitted from Cincinnati or Tuberville pulled the offer Jones made to him.
It would seem the latter may be the case judging by Hall’s reaction.
“It was an ugly situation,” Hall said. “I think they thought he was going to go to Tennessee with Butch Jones and they offered another quarterback. But that wasn’t the case. Cincinnati will not be allowed back in Massillon on our campus as long as Jason Hall is in Massillon.”
It could be a big mistake by Tuberville. He came to Cincinnati from Texas Tech. Tuberville is a coach from the south and making his first head coaching stop in the Midwest.
Snubbing one of the top high school football programs in a new state probably isn’t the best way to start off a new career.
“We will find out,” Hall said. “I don’t know, but I do believe in conducting business the right way.”
Hall phoned Tuberville and spoke with him. After telling the new coach his staff would not be welcomed in Massillon, Hall spoke with Cincinnati’s athletic administration.
“They think it is a misunderstanding,” Hall said. “I got the political run-around. The way they came in conducting business, I’m not sure Kyle would have ended up going there anyway.”
Meanwhile, Kempt is re-opening the recruiting process. College coaches are in a dead period for visiting recruits, but that changes in two weeks.
“Kyle is one of the best football players in the state of Ohio,” Hall said. “He has tons of schools looking at him. It will work itself out. The difference between Kyle and most kids is you’re talking about a 4.4 student, where the classes and majors matter to him. He’s focused on certain types of engineering and Cincinnati had what he wanted academically. He picked them … because the football was a good part of it, but they also have the engineering program.
“Kyle will land on his feet. Fortunately for him, he’s one of the top players in the state and people are interested. I know they could have used him in this all-star game I just attended.”
Hall traveled to Florida to watch Massillon defensive back and receiver Gareon Conley play in the Under Armor All-American game Friday night.
Hall said the schools expressing the most interest in Kempt are Oregon State, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Toledo.
“We will know more in the next two weeks,” Hall said.
WORSTELL GETS INVITE
GlenOak quarterback Reid Worstell will play in the Blue-Gray National All-Star football game in Florida on Saturday at Raymond James
Stadium in Tampa. He is one of 15 players from Ohio playing in the game. It will be a reunion of sorts for Worstell.
McKinley’s Jeff Richardson also is a return specialist, and the roster lists him as a running back.
It is good exposure for both players. Worstell had an offer from Akron, but that is no longer available after another quarterback committed to the Zips.
“He can go somewhere and play where he fits in,” GlenOak head coach Scott Garcia said. “He has got some walk-on offers, and we should know something more in the next couple of weeks.”
Garcia said Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin have expressed interest in Worstell as a walk-on quarterback. “He has Division II and I-AA offers all over the place.”
Garcia said offensive lineman Steve Mathie likely will end up at Ashland. Mathie was a Division I recruit before the season, but a knee injury lingered most of the season. Mathie was a solid run blocker all year for the Golden Eagles, but his knee injury made pass blocking difficult.
THOMAS HEADING NORTH
Marlington’s Dymonte Thomas will head to Ann Arbor when he returns from the Army All-American game in San Antonio. Thomas graduated early from Marlington High School and will enroll at classes at Michigan this month in time to take part in spring football.
Michigan head coach Brady Hoke is looking at Thomas to make an impact as a true freshman, and Thomas said the Wolverines have mentioned the possibility of playing some offense. At the very least, Thomas will play defense, likely safety, and be a special teams player as a freshman providing he stays healthy.
Thomas credited a friend, Brittany Devies, for helping him prepare to get through his high school school work.
“She read a lot of the papers I wrote before I turned them in,” Thomas said.
As far as changes, there are going to be many for Thomas.
“Reality hits,” Thomas said. “I will be on my own without my parents to protect me and watch over me. My parents have definitely kept me focused. They raised me well enough to make good decisions.”
Thomas has been one of the most enjoyable high school athletes to cover for the last four years. He is always smiling and he was always polite and well mannered. Here’s wishing him well in his college career.
KELLY DEAL LIKELY?
Oregon head coach Chip Kelly looks like the front-runner to land the Browns head coaching job, and this decision will set the tone for what fans think of new owner Jimmy Haslam. Some reports, citing anonymous sources, indicated the Browns and Kelly were close to a contract before parting ways and agreeing to meet again Saturday night.
There are plenty of concerns about hiring a coach who has always coached in college. The difference between Kelly and many college coaches who don’t make it in the NFL is his personality. He has a dynamic personality and is supremely confident and convicted when he speaks.
In the NFL, that’s more than half the battle. Listen, anyone who is coaching at Oregon or drawing the interest from NFL teams for two years, knows his X’s and O’s. You don’t fake your way on the national Top 25 college stage by not knowing schemes and how to put players in the best position to succeed, regardless of level. That is, after all, the objective of the game from Friday nights to Sunday afternoon.
There’s a difference between a coach like Kelly and say a coach like Jim Tressel making the jump to the NFL. Tressel has a commanding presence and personality, but isn’t strong enough to lead an NFL locker room.
I don’t think Kelly will have any problem doing that.
What is somewhat funny, though, is the Browns are following in the path of Perry High School. It hired Keith Wakefiled as its head coach and Wakefield is a wing-T offensive guy.
Kelly’s read-option spread offense is based in wing-T principles, but there are more receivers spread throughout the line of scrimmage. Wakefield will run the read-option, too. If Kelly comes to Cleveland, so will the Browns.
