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Canton McKinley Bulldogs 2024 high school football schedule, preview

By Josh Weir, Canton Repository,

2024-07-29

CANTON MCKINLEY BULLDOGS

HEAD COACH: Antonio Hall, fourth year, 23-15
LAST YEAR: 9-4, 5-1
POSTSEASON: Division I, Region 1

Canton McKinley football’s returning lettermen (24)

Deejay Britt, Jr.
Rob Brown, Sr.
Je'Syrie Corner, Sr.
Antonio Creger, Sr.
DeTryk Daniels, Jr.
Shad Davis, So.
Cortez Dorsey, Sr.
Braeden Earley, Sr.
Dior Garner, Sr.
Xavier Harris, Sr.
Darius Hill, So.
Nino Hill, Sr.
Za'Meir Laury, Sr.

Arius Lucius, So.
Thomas Mankowski, Jr.
Damere McClellan, Jr.
Dante McClellan, Sr.
Jordan McElroy, Sr.
K'Vuone McNeal, Sr.
Jamarice Owens, Jr.
Keith Quincy, Sr.
Antonio Stevens, So.
Stephon Thomas, Sr.
De'Andre Wallace, Sr.

Canton McKinley football’s impact players

The Bulldogs have a lot of them. It starts with four-star Missouri recruit Dante McClellan (6-3, 215). An All-Ohio second-team linebacker last year, McClellan totaled 79 stops, 13 tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception as a junior. He also caught 32 passes for 518 yards and two touchdowns at wide receiver. ... There weren't many better high school football players in the county last year than Keith Quincy (6-2, 195). Rarely leaving the field, the second-team All-Ohioan led McKinley in receiving (51 catches, 970 yards, eight TDs) and interceptions (six) while handling the punting duties for the Bulldogs as a junior. ... After being a two-way starter in the trenches last year, McKinley hopes to let Dior Garner focus on defense this season. The Bowling Green commit finished with 49 stops and nine TFLs last year at tackle. He's joined on the defensive front by end K'Vuone McNeal (6-3, 225), who blossomed as a junior with team highs of 11 sacks and 13 QB hits. McKinley head coach Antonio Hall commented that Garner has lost "bad" weight and transformed his physique, while adding McNeal is "still built like a superhero." ... Nino Hill, who recently committed to Buffalo, has combined to rush for 1,995 yards and 28 TDs the last two seasons. Senior OL Braeden Earley (6-3, 285) is a returning starter that leads the Bulldogs who will be blocking for Hill.

Watch Ohio High School Football Live on the NFHS Network all season

What's new with Canton McKinley football in 2024

Kam Montgomery, a Class of 2025 transfer from Texas, seems to be a lock to replace the graduated Keaton Rode as McKinley's quarterback. Hall likes everything from Montgomery's demeanor and leadership qualities to his arm strength and ability to read the entire field. "He has a confident arm, and that's a good thing," Hall said. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Montgomery, a 4.5 GPA student, has offers from Bowling Green and Brown. Hall added that he's been really impressed with sophomore QB Nolan Bonner, saying, "I think the future is really bright for Nolan." Bonner quarterbacked the Bulldogs' freshman team last year. ... LB/DE CJ Fowler (6-2, 210) and OL Evan Wittmann (6-4, 290), both seniors, also transferred from Texas. ... GlenOak transfer Jamar Johnson (5-11, 200) adds to a deep, deep McKinley backfield. Johnson rushed for 1,315 yards and seven TDs last year in earning All-Ohio second team. ... McKinley graduated its two inside linebackers from last year, Shaukeer Hatcher and Ja'Diss Jackson. Hatcher was the Northeast Inland District Division I Defensive Player of the Year and All-Ohio first team. Among the candidates to replace them are sophomores Antonio Stevens and Javier Moore. Stevens lettered as a freshman last year, and Moore already has an offer from Kentucky (Hall's alma mater). ... OL Logan Hayes is another McKinley player with a Kentucky offer. Hayes played a good bit last year as McKinley's sixth lineman but will step into a much bigger role this season. Hayes has put on more than 50 pounds in the last year and now goes 6-4, 265, earning him the nickname "Ivan Drago" from Hall. ... McKinley will have a new offensive coordinator, with Jimmy McClure replacing Badre Bardawil. How might the Bulldogs look on offense? "Well, I'm a former offensive lineman, so I want to pound the rock," Hall said with a laugh.

Canton McKinley's football’s outlook

If Hall wants to pound the rock, he has options. Joining Hill and Johnson in the McKinley backfield rotation is senior Stephon Thomas, who rushed for 504 yards and five TDs last year. But there is only one football to go around. "They've got to buy into the mindset that we have to work as a unit, not an individual," Hall said. "So far, this summer, they've accepted that. We'll see what happens when the pads are on and the games are here. But I expect all of them to block, catch and run the ball. We have to get creative how to get the ball in our guys' hands, and that's on the new OC and myself." Both Hill and Johnson are talented linebackers, but McKinley is deep enough there that Hall doesn't anticipate needing them on defense. ... Hall wants to see how the Bulldogs' depth develops in determining how much two-way football McClellan and Quincy play. He'd love to limit their wear and tear earlier in the season before the Bulldogs near Week 10 against Massillon and the playoffs. But he's not going to do that at the price of losing significant production. Hall expects a talented sophomore class to challenge for playing time. ... McKinley has won two straight Federal League titles and enters this season as a strong favorite by most measures. ... Former Massillon star and University of Michigan linebacker Shawn Crable is helping coach McKinley's defensive line along with LaMar Sharpe. Crable played six games with the New England Patriots in 2010. Jerald Robinson comes over from Canton South to be McKinley's wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator. Robinson went to Michigan before finishing his college career at Walsh University. Elijah Hill, the son of McKinley special teams coach Aaron Hill, will coach the Bulldogs' safeties. ... McKinley has lost eight straight games to rival Massillon, the defending Division II state champion.

Canton McKinley's football schedule for 2024

Aug. 22 WARREN HARDING
Aug. 30 at Avon
Sept. 6 DETROIT CASS TECH
Sept. 13 at GlenOak
Sept. 20 PERRY
Sept. 27 at Green
Oct. 4 HOOVER
Oct. 11 at Lake
Oct. 18 JACKSON
Oct. 26 at Massillon, 2 p.m.

Home games in all CAPS. All games at 7 p.m., unless noted.

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton McKinley Bulldogs 2024 high school football schedule, preview