“The weather held out for us. That’s a beautiful thing,” Trotwood-Madison coach Jeff Graham said Wednesday after his players worked out for an audience that included representatives from Minnesota, Indiana, Toledo, Miami (Ohio), Eastern Michigan, Louisiana Lafayette, Bowling Green, Kent State, Akron, Jacksonville State, Duquesne, Massachusetts, Grand Valley State, Southern Illinois, Bucknell, Wheeling and many more schools.
“Some of our young kids out there got to see what we’ve been trying to explain to them, what colleges are looking for,” Graham said.
Springboro head coach Ryan Wilhite, who is credited with hatching the idea six years ago at the suggestion of Marcus Freeman when the current Notre Dame head coach was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati, said the recruiting showcase has quickly become a significant annual date on the calendar.
“I think college coaches now count on it to be able to come into the Dayton area and on a single day see all of the big schools in the GWOC on display,” Wilhite said. “I hear it from every coach that comes onto our campus how helpful it is to them.
The first time GWOC school held a version of the event was 2018 with more joining in 2019. The showcase returned in 2022 after pandemic-related recruiting restrictions were lifted, and it certainly has become attractive to recruiters rain or shine if last year’s turnout on a cold, windy and rainy day is any indication.
“It’s also motivating for our players all winter and spring knowing that it’s a date on their calendar that they’ll have a chance to be seen by that many coaches at one time,” Wilhite said.
Seventy-one coaches were counted at Springboro, and Wilhite said Aiden Weimer, a linebacker who will be a senior in the fall, and classmate Brayden Wilhite, a receiver and the coach’s son, helped themselves in particular.
At Trotwood, senior-to-be Jermiel Atkins, a 6-foot-8, 300-pound offensive lineman who already has about a dozen Division I FBS scholarship offers, was the biggest attraction both literally and figuratively, but players from every class also made impressions on the visitors.
Fellow 2025 class member Jahmale Clark, a 5-9, 158-pound receiver, picked up new offers from Massachusetts and Youngstown State while Jamarcus “Fatt” Whyce, a 6-4, 267-pound defensive line prospect in the class of 2026 added new offers from Indiana and Ohio University.
His “little” brother Jameer, a member of the class of 2028 already listed at 6-4, 225, also got noticed, picking up offers from Toledo and UMass.
“The good thing about some of these young guys is they’re humble,” Graham said. “It’s not that the expectation is to get an offer at this young. They feel like they’ve still got something to prove, something in the tank they can show. So it’s good to have but hopefully that leads them in a different direction of, ‘I’ve still got to keep working hard. I’ve still gotta maintain my grades. I’ve still gotta do the little things on my own to get better. When the coaches aren’t around, what am I doing?’”
Wilhite also had underclassmen he believes should benefit from some early exposure, a group including offensive lineman Jack Harper, receiver Jaxon Long, defensive back Drew Balogh, running back Matthias Brunicardi and linebacker Evan Weinberg.
“I think those guys getting on the radar already at an event like this, if they can put out some really good junior tape could really jump start their recruiting,” Wilhite said.
Like Trotwood, Miamisburg already has a major attraction in the rising senior class. Defensive end Marshon Gregory-Bey has multiple FBS offers, and coach Lance Schneider said seniors Hunter Derr, Keith Henry and Jaylen Johnson and junior Tamir Thomas were among players to receive inquiries after about 50 schools heard the early-morning wake-up call to see his Vikings work out at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Centerville coach Brent Ullery also expressed satisfaction with the 2024 showcase as 2025 offensive lineman Kuol Kuol picked up three new scholarship offers — Massachusetts, Ball State and Youngstown State — and several other Elks were able to get the ball rolling on their recruiting.
“This event is a tribute to everyone that has made football so competitive in the GWOC and all of the great teachers, coaches, and administrators that we have in our conference that can all work together to provide our athletes this incredible opportunity,” Ullery said.
In the afternoon, Springfield had players from multiple classes pick up new offers as Zy’Aire Fletcher, a tight end/defensive end, announced on social media he received offers from Temple and Toledo.
Classmate Jackson Heims, a defensive end, was offered by Duquesne while Braylon Keyes, a quarterback and defensive back who will be a sophomore this fall, earned an offer from Kentucky, his first from an FBS school.
Wilhite and Graham both noted the event provides an important opportunity for exposure for their players that prospects in other states are able to obtain via spring football practice, which is not allowed in Ohio.
“I think this is a good tool for us to still be able to let Ohio players be evaluated by coaches on their spring recruiting cycle, and I’m always amazed at the cooperation shown amongst our conference coaches and ADs to coordinate that many schools and make it an opportunity for all of the players in our conference,” Wilhite said.
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