Years after Browns, Ohio State, Jason Trusnik, Doran Grant are head coaches in HS football

Editor's note : This is the first part of a series about former NFL players coaching high school football . The impetus for the series is two former Summit County stars who made it to the league — St. Vincent-St. Mary graduate Doran Grant and Nordonia graduate Jason Trusnik — will debut as high school head coaches this summer. STVM hired Grant in December, and Strongsville hired Trusnik in February. The series will unfold throughout the 2024 season. This installment explores Grant and Trusnik's visions for their programs and how they're handling expectations in their respective communities.

STRONGSVILLE — After a practice last month at Pat Catan Stadium, Jason Trusnik stood in front of his players and informed them the coaching staff would seek the “11 baddest dudes” to fill roles on special teams during the upcoming season.

Back in Trusnik's playing days, the Nordonia High School graduate developed into a bad dude — in the best possible way. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, earned playing time on special teams and parlayed those opportunities into a 10-year professional career with the New York Jets (2007-09), Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011-14), Minnesota Vikings (2015) and New Orleans Saints (2016).

Now Trusnik, 40, is hoping to instruct, lead and inspire as the new head coach of the Strongsville High School football team. The most valuable lessons he can offer are tied to his journey from Nordonia to Division III Ohio Northern University to the NFL. He rose from a skinny backup quarterback in high school to an elite defensive end in college and finally to a special teams ace, linebacker and edge rusher at the sport's highest level.

“When you talk about an undersized football player that just worked his ass off and found his role, I think that's what I try to bring to the kids,” Trusnik told the Beacon Journal . “I don't care where you come from, what position you play, whatever it is, there's a position and role for every guy. Whether it's a starter, backup, special teams guy, freshman, a guy just trying to make it, a guy that just wants to be part of the team, every role is very important. So I'm trying to get guys to understand that.”

Like Trusnik, Doran Grant is a former Summit County star who eventually reached the NFL and is on the verge of debuting as a high school head coach on Aug. 23. Strongsville will open the season at home against Avon Lake. STVM will visit Mansfield Senior.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes national champion Doran Grant is eager to show STVM what he's all about in the coaching ranks

An Akron native, Grant ascended in December to the helm of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School , his alma mater.

As a senior captain and starting cornerback, Grant aided Ohio State in winning a national title during the 2014 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the fourth round (No. 121 overall) in 2015, when he appeared in three games. He later signed to the practice squads of the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears before stints with the Alliance of American Football and XFL.

Grant, 31, knows his experience as a player gives him instant credibility in the football community. On the other hand, it doesn't guarantee him success as a coach.

“I've got to prove it to my team,” Grant said last month at STVM. “I have to let them see me breaking down tape to a T and let them know it's not just highlights that you saw of me, like, I actually know this game, and I'm going to teach you this game.

“Yeah, the respect is there, but I like to prove [it]. I like to show you. If they ask me something, I'm like, 'Look, I have tape. I'll show you myself. I'll show you the film. I don't have to talk about anything.' … It's about action. Your tape is your resume.”

How Jason Trusnik and Doran Grant are dealing with expectations for Strongsville and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary football

Because Trusnik and Grant are household names on the local football scene, there are lofty expectations for Strongsville and St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Strongsville went 3-8 last season and hasn't finished with a winning record since 2018.

“The expectations are high right now,” Trusnik said. “New coach coming in, played, lived here, been there, done all these things, and the success has not been here for a while.

“[Am I] a little nervous and ready? Yeah, but you know what? Every time I sat in that tunnel in the NFL, I was nervous but ready.

“There's a lot of expectations outside, but at the end of the day, to me, football is football. When the lights go on and that first kick goes, are the guys prepared? Have I done my job preparing? Have the coaches done their job preparing these young men?”

STVM has enjoyed more success in recent years than Strongsville, but the Fighting Irish went 5-6 last season, and they have just two starters on each side of the ball coming back.

Does Grant feel a need to manage expectations in the infancy of his head coaching tenure?

“I don't pay attention to that. I don't care about that,” he said. “I care about [my players]. So outside talk's going to be outside talk. I've been hearing it my whole life.

“There's going to be a group of people like, 'Oh, it's going to happen right now.' There's going to be other people thinking this thing is a gimmick. And there's going to be other people who are going to just wait and see.”

When Grant was asked whether the public should be patient with his mission to reverse the fortunes of STVM football, he said, “I think people should watch. Starting this year, come to a game. Put that in there, too. Coach says, 'Come check out the show,' because it's going to be a show now — like it used to be.”

Former Cleveland Browns , Pittsburgh Steelers players Jason Trusnik and Doran Grant will call plays for Strongsville and STVM defenses

Trusnik and Grant said they will call Strongsville and St. Vincent-St. Mary's defensive plays.

“I know head coach and defense brings its challenges,” Trusnik said, “but if there's anybody that knows it like the back of their hand, it's me.”

Grant plans to use a 4-2-5 defense.

“We'll run zone. We'll run man. We'll pressure. We'll bluff. We'll do it all,” Grant said. “The defense will be pretty exotic.”

Every quality head coach realizes the importance of strong assistants.

On Grant's staff, STVM graduate Dominic Davis is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach who will call plays. Longtime Irish assistant Rob Brown is the defensive coordinator. Former STVM star Sian Cotton is another returning assistant, and he's continuing to work with the defensive line. Grant's older brother, former Buchtel standout Ted Jones Jr., is coaching the offensive line.

More on Doran Grant and STVM: Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish 2024 high school football schedule and preview

Under Trusnik, former NFL guard Eric Kush, a member of the 2019 Browns, is coaching Strongsville's offensive line. Keith Boedicker, Trusnik's coach his first two seasons at Nordonia, is guiding the quarterbacks. Former Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin coach Andrew Mooney is the offensive coordinator who'll call plays.

Grant and Trusnik emphasized they share a desire with their assistants to improve players' knowledge of the game.

Grant stated he fancies himself “a nerd” when it comes to studying football, and Trusnik explained he takes great pride in mastering the cerebral aspects of the sport.

Grant coached defensive backs at Pickerington North in 2022 and served as defensive coordinator at Elyria Catholic last season. Trusnik began coaching Strongsville youth football and wrestling in 2017. He guided the seventh-grade football team last season.

“Teaching [players] the understanding of the game, I love that part,” Trusnik said, “because that was a part that allowed me to play for a long time.

“I'm a big mindset guy. That was the only way I made it. I wasn't the best athlete. I think my experiences in the past allow every kid in high school to say, 'Hey, man, there's a chance.' There's a chance to play this game that they love.”

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Years after Browns, Ohio State, Jason Trusnik, Doran Grant are head coaches in HS football