By Ron Johnston, rjohnston@mariettatimes.com
Even though school's out, there's still been a lot of football activity at Marietta High on Davis Avenue.
This summer, the Tiger players have been working on their conditioning every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and learning the Craig Farnsworth way of playing the game.
Helping make first-year Farnsworth's job at the MHS helm easier has been a staff that includes Rick Phillips, Adam Eichorn, Kyle Welch, Ryan Merrill, and Bob Springer.
"I wanted a staff in place to teach our system," said Farnsworth, who had been driving from his home in South Carolina to Marietta and back for a spell but is now settled in. The coach and his family have moved into a house and been in the area for about a month now.
"It's a good mix of coaches, and I'm very pleased," Farnsworth continued.
Phillips, like Farnsworth, is a former Parkersburg Big Reds football player and was a good one. As a prep athlete, he won the 1983 Hunt Award, which is given to the best interior lineman in the state of West Virginia. It must run in the family because his older brothers Dave and Larry were also honorees, and then played collegiately at The Ohio State University.
After high school, though, Phillips took a different direction, to Morgantown, and played for the West Virginia University Mountaineers from 1985 to 1988. In 1988, he competed in the Fiesta Bowl.
Since graduating, Phillips has been an assistant at his high school alma mater, and been instrumental in the development of Josh Jenkins, who currently is an offensive lineman for WVU.
"Rick will be our defensive coordinator," Farnsworth said, "and help with both the defensive and offensive linemen."
Eichorn is also no stranger to the Mid-Ohio Valley. After playing collegiately at Cornell College in Iowa, he became a graduate assistant at Marietta College. Two years ago, he was the Pioneers' defensive line coach.
Last year, Eichorn was the defensive coordinator at Cornell.
"We're just glad to have him," Farnsworth said. "He'll be the linebackers' coach and will also help with the offensive line."
Welch, a former Tiger and Pioneer, will be coaching the running backs and defensive backs, Farnsworth said.
Last season, Merrill was an assistant coach under Mike DeVol at Caldwell. The former Parkersburg South quarterback and MC signal caller (briefly) will be working with the MHS quarterbacks and also assisting with the linebackers, Farnsworth said.
"Ryan is very familiar with the Wing-T formation on offense," the Tiger head coach added.
Last, but certainly not least, there's Springer, who will be coaching the Marietta High freshmen team. Springer's been around and very experienced with football coaching stints at places like Caldwell, Parkersburg South, and Federal Hocking.
Marietta High's season opener is scheduled against the Morgan Raiders at Rutter Field in McConnelsville Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m. The actual first days of fall practice aren't until early August, but before then....
"We'll be taking one practice this summer on June 30, another on July 7, and then from July 12-16," Farnsworth said.
"Right now, our numbers are not overwhelming, about 70. We need them up. We're moving forward, but we've got a long ways to go."
Originally Published in the Marietta Times on 6-26-2010