The start of the 2024 Ohio high school football season is right around the corner.
Most teams open Week 1 on Friday, Aug. 23, with a handful playing their season opener on Thursday, Aug. 22.
This week, we are holding our own kind of two-a-days with previews on two teams released each day. Here is one in a series of previews for area football teams:
2024 football preview: Tuscarawas County football coaches talk more than X's and O's
Mark your calendar: Team-by-team schedules for the Tuscarawas County area
Claymont Mustangs
Buddy White, who was hired as Claymont’s new head football coach by the Claymont BOE in February, is coming home to coach his beloved Mustangs. White, a Claymont alumnus and former football standout for the Mustangs, brings a wealth of successful coaching experience to Uhrichsville. He was the head coach at Division I Reynoldsburg for 11 seasons where he compiled a 67-46 record and is a former Associated Press Division I Coach of the Year recipient.
"We had our Midnight Madness on the 31st (of July) and it was a great time," White said. "We started at 11:30 and warmed up and had a little competition drill and went over our tackling circuit so the parents could see how we’re teaching their kids. I know a bunch of these kids played last year, and I guarantee we have 20-plus lettermen. We have about 52 kids. We’re so excited. If you do the right things, wins and losses take care of themselves. We focus a lot on blocking and tackling. The team that blocks and tackles the hardest usually wins, so I’ve sold the kids on that: Don’t miss tackles and don’t get beat deep."
White inherits a Claymont team that can score, as the Mustangs averaged nearly 24 points-per-game last season. With veteran Nolan McMorrow returning at quarterback, the Mustangs looked strong throwing the football in their 7-on-7s this summer. White’s focus will be on improving the Mustangs’ defense, which he said was hurt by missed tackles last season. The Mustangs have moved down a division this season, which pleases White. Claymont has been reassigned from Division IV Region 15 to Division V Region 17. The Mustangs, members of the Inter Valley Conference South Division, will play two new teams on their schedule in Smithville (away in Week 2) and Newcomerstown (home in Week 5.) They replace Cleveland John Adams and Buckeye Trail on the Mustangs’ slate. Claymont kicks off the campaign Friday, Aug. 23 hosting the Harrison Central Huskies.
Coach : Buddy White (1st season)
2023 record: 3-7
Classification: Division V, Region 17
Playoff appearances under current coach: none
Key returners: Nolan McMorrow, Jr., QB, Drew Fox, Sr., RB/DB, Zach Douglas, Sr., OL/DL, Mason Bailey, Jr., WR/DB, Logan Arnold, Soph., WR
Key newcomers: Jackson Jinks, Soph., WR/OLB, Dane Fawcett, Sr., WR, DreVonn Searcy, Soph., RB/DB
Coach White’s take: “ What we’re doing now is we’re building a foundation. I don’t know how many wins it’s going to be (this year) but we’re going to do things right, we’re going to do the things that winning teams do, and by doing that the younger kids have really bought in, and that’s good. I brought in some good coaches. I could go out and find somebody who knows X’s and O’s, but do you know how to teach the kids? Can the kids believe in you? So, I’ve got a good mix of coaches there that are really into the kids. We have fun, we get after it and we play football.
"Offensively, we’re going to spread them out. (Quarterback) Nolan McMorrow has really had a great summer and we have some good receivers. Logan Arnold, I think he qualified for the regionals in track, and he can fly. He will be a real deep threat for us (at receiver). Defensively, we’ll be more 4-3 and 3-3 stack. If a team runs the ball more, we’ll be in a 4-3 and if they pass the ball more, we’ll be in a 3-3 stack, so we’ll mix it up real good there. We’ll play a lot of Cover 3. I’m just excited for the season, I know the community is excited, and they’re really into it.”
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: 2024 football preview: Claymont's new coach building a new foundation for Mustang football
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