While the team name on the front of the jersey may be new, the man roaming the sidelines is not.

Jacoby was a long-time head coach at St. Francis DeSales High School, where he built the Stallions into a state power that perennially competed not for league championships, but for state titles.
It shocked many in the Central Ohio coaching community when Jacoby left DeSales for lowly Hamilton Township, which at the time was coming off a 1-9 season.

But the Rangers, in Jacoby’s first season, started 5-1 before falling off in the second half the season to finish 5-5 overall. This fall, the green and gold are off to a 2-0 start with wins over Madison Plains (17-7) and Johnstown Northridge (24-8).

Last week against Northridge, the Rangers amassed over 400 yards of total offense and just missed out shutting out the Vikings when they returned a fumble 16 yards for a touchdown.

The Northridge game was postponed due to weather problems at halftime Friday and was finished Saturday night.

The Rangers are led offensively by senior quarterback Dorian Curry (6-3, 205). Curry, a Division I basketball recruit, is an athletic dual threat at the quarterback position, where he operates the green and gold’s multiple look offense. Curry has accounted for over half his team’s offensive production in each of the first two games.

Jacoby’s offense can line up in wing-T looks, the I-formation, the spread, and other power formations.

Joining Curry in the backfield are senior fullback Cody O’Dell (5-11, 220) and sophomore running back Josh Frakes (5-9, 160). Frakes had an 82-yard touchdown run last week against Northridge and finished with 154 yards on nine carries.

Other playmakers in the Ranger offense are Jarret Hopkins (5-9, 160) and running Casey Smith (5-11, 165). Both will play in the backfield and split out as receivers. Hopkins had a 22-yard touchdown catch against Northridge.

Junior Brandon Flaherty (6-0, 190) will play tight end for Jacoby’s squad. Others on the offensive line include senior tackles Harry Brinston (6-0, 250) and Derrick Burgess (6-0, 280), senior guard Alonzo Burley (6-2, 250), and freshman center T.J. Morrison (6-2, 235).

Defensively, Hamilton Township will line up in a 4-4 front but will be athletic in the secondary and athletic enough to run with almost anyone on its schedule.

Up front, Brinston and Burley will bookend the front four while Burgess will anchor the line at tackle. The linebacking corps is led by Flaherty and O’Dell on the inside, with Frakes playing on the outside.

Curry will be the free safety and has one interception already while a pair of sophomores, James White (5-8, 160) and Justin Grinter (5-9, 145), will be the cornerbacks.

Senior David Crumley (5-9, 145) is the placekicker. The senior is 2-for-3 on the season on field goals and 5-5 on PAT attempts.

Logan football historian Spencer Waugh of loganfootball.com previews the Logan Chieftains’ football opponent every Thursday in The Logan Daily News.

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