By Myles Jackson ’17, Sports Editor
With the retirement of renowned head coach Tim Dunn, Greg Ross became the new head coach for the 2016 football season. Coach Dunn led the Indians for 29 years before stepping down at the end of last year’s season. Leaving behind a legacy of over 200 wins, 13 Miami Valley Conference championships, 14 OHSAA playoff appearances, and two state Final Fours, Coach Dunn decided to retire from spearheading the football team. However immense this winning shadow may be, the Indians couldn’t go wrong with picking Greg Ross to become their new head coach. Coach Ross has been the defensive coordinator and Dunn’s right-hand man for over a decade. In addition, Ross stepped in for Howard Brownstein as the new varsity basketball head coach at the start of the 2014 season. His love for sports, competition, and Cincinnati Country Day is clear. It is not hard to see the passion he has for the game just by observing him coach from the sideline. By choosing a head coach who is so close to Coach Dunn, the Indians can easily adjust because of his familiarity, and the tradition of a winning football program can continue.
Coach Ross has taken the same formula that his predecessor used to win big—a primary focus on a strong defensive line and tough linebackers, with a quick secondary ready to help out against the run. Coach Ross now calls the plays on offense, while his defensive coordinator, Jeff Bahl, calls the defensive plays. One of the most notable changes in the offense this season is that quarterback Cameron Davis ’17 is in shotgun instead of under center. This change was designed to utilize Cam’s athletic ability in a spread offense. The spread offense also allows for new kinds of routes for the receivers to run, as seen with the deep catches made by senior Bryce Flannigan.
The Indians are currently 3-1. After a tough 36-14 loss against Ponitz Career Tech, the Indians kept their head high and bounced back to easily handle Lockland in their first conference matchup. The football team is set to play this Friday against their rival—Summit Country Day. It will be Summit’s homecoming game and Ross’ first game as head coach against the rival. Dunn went 23-6 against Summit, so there are heavy expectations from all players and fans alike to dominate in this game as the Indians have done before. Many projected the Indians to have a losing season this year, claiming the loss of seniors such as Jordan, Sam, Snell, and Brady in addition to having a new head coach would be too much to overcome. However, with eight returning seniors and a strong junior class, the Indians are ready to continue their winning season with Ross as their head coach.
