Marion Harding's head football coach Demetrius Ross resigns a week before season begins

MARION — A little over a week before the high school football regular season starts, Marion Harding is without its head coach.

Demetrius Ross, in only his second season with the Presidents, resigned on Wednesday, according to Marion Harding Athletic Director Sean Kearns.

"He let the team know (Wednesday) that he wasn’t going to be able to continue. Obviously we’re going to do what’s in the best interest of the kids and take a solid step forward," Kearns said.

Into the void, defensive coordinator Dan Arndt has taken the lead along with offensive coordinator Eric Zagrans and the rest of the staff, all of whom are staying on. No official decision has been made in regards the future of the head coaching position.

"They are in good hands," Kearns said of the team that is set to play a final scrimmage Thursday night at Whitehall-Yearling before opening the season at home against Mount Vernon on Aug. 19. "It’s a tough deal, but we have a capable staff."

Because Ross was not the primary signal caller — leaving those duties to his coordinators — the transition won't be as drastic, Kearns said.

"Obviously we’re well down the road of installing offense and defense and that kind of thing. We’re not going to start over, that’s for sure," the AD said.

It is out of the ordinary for a head coach to resign this close to the start of the season.

"The reality is it’s not in the manual. There’s no playbook when you’re in a situation like this," Kearns said.

The athletic director said Ross was not forced to resign, and he said Ross had support from the administration.

"It was completely and 100 percent his decision. I’ve seen some things out there that say he was forced to resign, and that definitely is not the case. It was 100 percent his decision," Kearns said.

Ross acknowledged it was his decision and lamented the timing, calling it "horrific."

"There's a lot to it and multiple layers," Ross said. "More importantly it needs to be noted that I acted in obedience to what I truly believe God has been trying to show me for some time in regards to His assignment for me.

"I love the platform of coaching football. I love the mentoring. I love every aspect of it. There’s a bigger picture, a bigger message and a bigger calling that has always be on my life. I’ve used football as an opportunity to run from the responsibility of total submission when it comes to the work required. That means mentoring, ministering, giving back and doing the things I was called to do."

He cited work-life balance as one concern as he commuted daily from his home in Pickerington where he and his wife are raising a family. That's sometimes more than three hours a day in the car. He felt his life "was out of alignment."

But there was more to his decision.

He said he was originally hired by Marion City Schools to be the attendance advocate as well as head football coach, but that his duties changed during the 2021-22 school year. He said he held ongoing talks with former district officials about his position, but more pressing needs in the district took precedent like administration resignations, a change in the school board and other issues MCS is grappling with.

He said he was excited by the new opportunity given to him as a college career advisor under the umbrella of Marion Technical College, but financially it didn't meet expectations and he had to do what was best for his family and take another job.

"Football was the collateral damage for us contractually not being able to get on the same page," Ross said.

What Demetrius Ross will do next

'He will now use his criminal justice degree as he goes to work for Franklin County Juvenile Domestic Court where he will help kids and teens get their lives on track by making new connections and using new resources.

"God has called me to use my talents and the gifts that He has given me to reach a group of different young men, simply put," Ross said. "It’s time for me to be obedient and walk in a different direction according to the calling."

As for the football team, he admitted the decision was a shock to his staff and players.

"There wasn’t a dry eye in the locker room," he said. "We got very emotional. We became very transparent and became very protective of each other. We made sure our goals we set out to achieve were still going to be at the forefront of our minds and help prepare us for the work that we needed to do."

Ross said they did some Harding jacks together, dried their eyes and went back to practice.

"I’d like to think the foundation my staff and I embedded into these young athletes (is helping), and they are fighting now with an extra chip on their shoulder. I have no doubt they will continue to find success because we’ve worked too dog gone hard not to," Ross said.

In his only season as head coach, the Presidents went 7-4 overall and 4-2 to finish as Mid Ohio Athletic Conference runner-up. Harding earned its way into the playoffs for the first time since 2003. It was the program's first winning season since 2017 and just its second since 2004. Ross was named All-Star Marion County Football Coach of the Year and MOAC Coach of the Year.

"He did a lot of great things for us," Kearns said.

Ross is a Marion native, but he attended high school in the Pacific Northwest when his father was transferred there while in the military. He played college football at Boise State and also played and coached professional indoor football while also serving as an assistant high school football coach in Ohio and other parts of the country. His younger brothers Derick and Dominic are Marion Harding Athletic Hall of Famers.

"The kids love him and they’re going to miss him," Kearns said. "He created a great bond with them and great relationships. The kids are going to miss him, no question.

"He’s a tremendous presence and a tremendous influence on the kids besides being a really good football coach. That’s the part you miss."

rmccurdy@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Harding's football coach Demetrius Ross resigns