Monday Mailbag: coaches, O-G, Browns

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

This week’s Monday Mailbag features questions about the top football coaches at Van Wert, a turnaround by the Ottawa-Glandorf Titans and Cleveland’s quarterback situation.

Q: Who are the top five coaches with the best record at Van Wert High School? Jeff Perry, Nashville, Tennessee

A: Hi Jeff, if you’re speaking in terms of wins, the top five goes like this:

• Gil Smith (1941-1959) 129-30-10
• Keith Recker (2012-present) 84-72
• Jeff Hood (1996-2006) 53-62
• Jerry Buti (1982-1988) 42-29-1
• Charles Campbell (1936-1940) 33-10-4

Coaches who led teams to WBL titles are Glenn Livington (1932, 1935), Campbell (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939), Smith (1941, 1942, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958), Clyde Benninghoff (1967, 1969), Buti (1987), and Recker (2021).

Buti led the Cougars to their first ever state playoff berth in 1985, then took the team back to the playoffs the following season. It was much more difficult to qualify for the playoffs back then — only the top four teams per region got in. Hood led the 2000 Cougars to the Division III state championshipo game and a runner-up finish, while Recker took Van Wert to the Division IV state title in 2020.

It’s interesting to see how the Cougars fared during the different eras and of course, it’s always fun to speculate how teams from the past would have fared against teams today and vice-versa.

One more note – some people know this and some people don’t. Weeb Ewbank, who led the New York Jets to the Super Bowl III championship and became the first AFL team to win it all, was the head coach at Van Wert High School in 1928 and 1929. Did it seem like he was destined for an NFL title? Well, maybe not. His teams at Van Wert went 3-14-2.

If you’re able to make it back to Van Wert and Eggerss Stadium you’ll see a new display, one that has the records of all Van Wert football coaches. It’s a great addition on the home side and it’s one of my favorite things to see when I enter Eggerss Stadium on game days.

Q: Who let the Titans out? Jeff Agler, Van Wert

A: Hi Jeff, I assume you’re talking about the Ottawa-Glandorf Titans and it’s a great question.

The Titans went 0-10 (0-9 WBL) last season and began this season with an 11-game losing streak. Ken Schriner, who was the dean of WBL coaches with 30 years at O-G retired after last season and longtime assistant Ben Kaufman stepped into the head coaching role. All Kaufman has done is open the season and his head coaching career with two wins, both in domimant fashion. The Titans defeated perennial power Liberty-Benton 52-7 in the opener then raced by Defiance 42-13 last week. I’m surprised by both margins of victory and I know I’m not alone.

What’s even more surprising is the fact that the Titans only had four returning starters on offense and defense. Sometimes you see a team take its lumps during a particular season but then turn things around with a bunch of returning lettermen/starters the following season. That’s not exactly the case here, although O-G does have a few key players back.

I do know that so far, the Titans have featured a fairly balanced offense, but defense has been the name of the game. In fact, Ottawa-Glandorf is currently the top overall ranked defense among WBL teams.

Whatever Kaufman is doing is obviously working and it’s proving the doubters wrong. I was one of them – I picked the Titans to finish last in the WBL again this season. Now, Ottawa-Glandorf has a chance to start the season 3-0 when the Titans host Kenton (0-2) this Friday night.

On the topic of the Titans, circle October 9 on your calendar – that’s when O-G will host Van Wert. In recent years, regardless of records, those two teams have been close, even if the final score doesn’t indicate it.

Q: I know you’re a Browns fan and so am I. When are the coaches going to wake up and realize Dillion Gabriel should be the starter? Look what he did against the Patriots the other night. Name withheld upon request

A: It’s always nice to chat with a fellow Cleveland Browns fan but I’m going to pump the brakes on Gabriel being the starter.

What you saw was Gabriel, who is probably going to be a career backup in Cleveland or elsewhere, face a Patriot defense that played no starters and literally didn’t blitz or show anything exotic in the third preseason game. Yes, he was extremely efficient and at times he looked great – all against the Patriot’s reserves, many of which are already no longer on the team.

Let’s not forget that Gabriel started six games last season and went 1-5. I know, different coaching staff, some different teammates – doesn’t matter. What you saw is what you’re going to get. Yes, he was a great college quarterback who played six seasons but college success doesn’t always translate into pro success, especially at the quarterback position. Gabriel is one of those guys who can start a game or two if the starter goes down but despite what you saw on Thursday against all backups, there’s nothing to indicate he can be a high-level NFL starter.

Personally, I think they should have started Sheduer Sanders – he has a higher ceilng than Gabriel. Let’s see what he can do. I suspect he’ll be starting at some point this season, probably sooner rather than later and honestly, this whole discussion is probably a moot point. Unless DeShaun Watson leads the Browns to the Super Bowl or Sanders wows everyone, a new quarterback will be drafted very high once again by Cleveland.

Gabriel, by the way, is starting the season on injured reserve.

If you have a sports question or comment for the next Monday Mailbag, please email it to sports@thevwindependent.com.