Michael K. Bosi: Ross' Green rises higher when flip switches with mentality
Fremont Ross graduate Ethan Green is sixth among seven stories in the Michael K. Bosi series to run on consecutive Saturdays. The Bosi series recognizes outstanding career or season achievement for high school athletes. The award is named for the late News-Messenger sports writer who died in 1997 at age 23 from cardiac complications because of Marfan Syndrome.
When Ethan Green was in preschool in Indiana, the other parents couldn't believe he wasn't in the first grade.
Growing to 6-feet, 7-inches tall, the Fremont Ross graduate never stopped standing out. He continues his football career as an offensive lineman at Cincinnati, after twice being recognized first-team all-state for the Little Giants.
The Bearcats are 22nd in the coaches preseason poll. They lost to Alabama in a CFP semifinal, the first to advance that far from outside the Power Five conferences.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder and cornerback Ahmad Gardner were among nine draft picks this year. Cincinnati joins the Big 12 from the American Athletic Conference next year.
"No matter the rank, it's not something we focus on," Green said. "Coach Fick [Luke Fickell] keeps the head on straight for the task at the moment. It looks bright. We're getting better day by day. Coach Fick and the other coaches hone in on what it takes to be great and as athletes we want nothing less than to be great.
"I'm locked in."
Green, who was Northwest District lineman of the year in Division I his final two seasons, was a Top 20 recruit in the state.
"I'm very excited about our group," he said of his class. "Top-tier athletes off natural abilities. I'm surrounded by NFL-level players at the college level. Like most freshmen, you go through the ranks. Scout team player. My role at the moment is that guy.
"In the future, it could change. I can't predict the depth chart. I always have goals. Work up the depth chart and win championships in the process."
Ross beat North Royalton 27-17 in Week 1 of the postseason last year. It shut out Normandy the previous season, when all teams qualified for the first round.
"Going to the playoffs and now watching them, I hope the memories aren't done," Green said. "The playoff runs and the times in the locker room. Two-time first-team All-Ohio, that's just something that doesn't happen very, very often."
Green earned a heavyweight state championship for wrestling as a senior. He lost only one match and finished third at state as a junior.
"You can't beat a state championship for your favorite memory," he said. "That's something I'll look back on for the rest of my life and I still think about how that was pretty crazy."
He was second in the discus and fourth in the shot put at the Three Rivers Athletic Conference meet as a senior.
"I had a bright freshman season," he said. "Then there was COVID and an injury [torn MCL]. Sticking with it. I wasn't up to the level at the time I wanted as a senior. We had some peak throws at practice we didn't piece together at meets.
"Coach [Travis] Bates and Alex Menkhoff. We still hang out and lift. The people. Forever friends."
Green remembers when he made the decision to stand out. A coach stopped practice to ream Green as a sophomore, after a little guidance by his face mask.
"The biggest challenge I overcame, I made the turning point from average to being a better football player," he said. "I learned to take coaching and bite my tongue. If a coach is in your face, it's never personal. Once I was able to flourish, I got past that young guy.
"When I flipped that switch, that was the biggest thing to impact my career."
Even Green will now have to work harder than ever to stand out. This time, his mind is right in alignment with his body.
"That 13-year-old kid ... freshman year in high school and middle school, I did sports for fun with friends," he said. "My dad wanted me to do sports. I credit my success to having fun. It's still fun ... I didn't think then that college football was in the future at that time.
"It was so far away."
Until Green grew up.
mhorn@gannett.com
419-307-4892
Twitter: @MatthewHornNH
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Michael K. Bosi: Green continues to grow headed to Cincinnati
