Football – The Oberlin Review

Football Welcomes New Head Coach

February 28, 2020

When newly hired Head Football Coach Steve Opgenorth enters the room, his energy and approachability jump out. On his desk is a copy of The Football Coaching Bible by the American Football Coaches Association, and various accolades hang from his wall. “Trust the process,” is one of the many catchphrases Opgenorth employs when discussing his love of the game. Before Oberlin, Opgenorth spent five seasons at Baldwin Wallace University, serving as associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and...

The Oberlin College varsity football team.

Current and Former Football Players Express Concern About Team Culture

February 21, 2020

Founded in 1891, Oberlin’s football team has provided a community to both athletes and spectators, alike, for generations. Despite this history, the team has seen significant turnover over the past few years; this past season alone, seven players left the team. This upcoming season, the team will have seven rising fourth-years on a 29-person roster. In previous seasons, this number was higher; in 2017, the roster included 16 fourth-years. At the end of the past season, Head Football Coach Jay Anderson announced that he was st...

Inspired By Myles Garrett, Athletes Join Aggression Debate

Khalid McCalla, Contributing Sports Editor

December 6, 2019

Over the course of the last month, several high profile sports leagues and the NCAA have seen suspensions handed out due to fighting. In the NBA, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl- Anthony Towns got into a fistfight during a game in October, leading to both players missing key time. This past Saturday, University of Georgia wide receiver, George Pickens, was ejected after fighting Georgia Tech defensive back Tre Swilling. These incidents bookended an all-out brawl that occurred between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 14, which culminated in Browns defensive end Myles Garrett hitting Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the head with Rudolph�...

A Thursday morning announcement revealed that six Oberlin varsity football players earned All-NCAC Honors for their exceptional independent performances this past season. Among them, fourth-year linebacker Von Wooding and second-year tight end Brandon Davies were named All-NCAC second team. Fourth-year defensive players Devin White, Jabree Hason, and Justin Godfrey and third-year offensive lineman Chandler Laird earned All-NCAC honorable mentions.
Next year, the team will lose the combined efforts of Wooding, White, Hason, and Godfrey, but Davies and Laird will return to the field. Davies viewed the All-NCAC Honors as a good omen when looking ahead at next year’s season, especially considering the team won only a single game this year.
“It was really encouraging since our season didn’t go as planned,” said Davies. “I feel like it can only get better from here on out and hopefully we can improve as a team [and I can improve] my own performance.

Football Sees Six All-NCAC Honorees

November 22, 2019

College fourth-year Zach Taylor stands beside College first-year Chris Allen Jr.

Football Quarterback Looks to Pass the Torch

November 8, 2019

The Oberlin College football team suffered through one of its worst seasons in recent memory in 2016, going 0–10. However, for followers of the Yeomen, there was a bright spot. Then first-year quarterback Zach Taylor was able to excite fans with his dynamic play, accounting for 2,284 total yards and 16 total touchdowns. This impressive season would be the beginning of one of the most accomplished individual careers in Oberlin history. Unfortunately, now in his fourth year, Taylor has been p...

This past Saturday, College fourth-year Von Wooding racked up 13 tackles against Wabash College, giving him a career total of 296. This moved him past his former teammate, Bennett Jackson, OC ’17, for second most all time at Oberlin.
“It honestly is more bittersweet than anything,” Wooding said. “It reminds me that I don’t have very much time left to play this game. Breaking records has always been a goal of mine, but what I cherish way more is the memories that I made along the way and the people who gave me the strength to do it.”
Wooding’s record further punctuates what has been a strong year for the Oberlin defense. Currently, the Yeomen rank third in the North Coast Athletic Conference in rushing yards allowed per game, third in fumble recoveries, and tied for first in interceptions.
Much like his record, Wooding attributes the success of the team’s defense to those who have supported both him and the program over the last four years.
“I owe this accomplishment to the Oberlin community, my family and friends back home, and to the other players that have helped transform this program for the better,” Wooding said.

Von Wooding Moves Up in OC Record Book

November 1, 2019

President Carmen Twillie Ambar on the field at halftime of the Homecoming football game.

Oberlin Celebrates Homecoming Weekend

October 11, 2019

The campus seemed to be abuzz with energy from students and non-students alike when Homecoming Weekend approached. Homecoming Weekend is always a time for members of the Oberlin College and community to come together. Whether it is families coming to Oberlin to watch their student-athlete perform on the field or alumni visiting old friends, there is always something that draws people to Oberlin’s campus. The festivities began Friday with the Heisman Club’s annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony...

All Talk: Varsity Athletes Go In On Trash Talk

Khalid McCalla, Contributing Sports Editor

October 11, 2019

College athletics are highly competitive and every athlete is unique in how they respond to and handle the tense moments that arise during competition. One method is a favorite among many: trash talk. While from the outside, players who trash-talk may appear to be letting the moment overwhelm them, for many, it can be a way athletes ground themselves and, at times, gain a competitive advantage. The reason a player trash-talks is just as varied as how a player trash talks, with different players preferring different approaches. “I usually try to refrain from trash-talking during lacrosse games because, [personally], I find it distracting to have verbal altercations with an opposing player,” said Josephine An, a C...

Oberlin Welcomes Trustee-Student 5k Fun Run Tradition

Maranda Phillips

October 4, 2019

This weekend, Obie alum will make their way back to campus for Homecoming weekend, a tradition centered around the Oberlin community com- ing together to celebrate varsity sports. With the arrival of alumni from various class years, Oberlin students have the opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new connections. Additionally, the Board of Trustees gathered this week for one of their four annual meetings. Currently, the board comprises 30 members with different professions and skills. However, they are not only meeting to discuss the future and welfare of Oberlin — on Friday morning, students had the opportunity to participate in a jog with two trustees: David E. Shipley, OC ’72, and Sea...

College second-years Kiki Widran and Lauren Fitts. Photo by Malika Pandey, Photo Editor.

Varsity Athletes Find Teammates and Friends in Former Competitors

October 4, 2019

Oberlin students come from 39 different states in the U.S. and more than 30 countries around the world. This diversity is reflected in the athletics department, where athletes from all over the world compete for the College. Despite these circumstances, several athletes have had encounters with and even competed against their current teammates during their high school careers. These encounters, while not necessarily significant in the moment, can be a unique experience that later develops in...

The Oberlin Review front page from Oct. 11, 1921.

The Last Ohio Team to Beat OSU? Oberlin

September 20, 2019

One of the four announcers on ESPN’s Sept. 7 College Gameday segment held up a crisp hundred dollar bill and posed the question, “Who is the last team from Ohio to beat Ohio State?” He was met with silence. One announcer answered, “Miami?” The other announcers laughed, and all agreed that no Ohio team had ever beaten the football powerhouse. The Buckeyes are a legend in American football and have amassed eight national championships since their establishment in 1890. The universit...

College fourth-years Nae McClain and Maya English and College second-year Zac Ntia.

Bonner Scholar Athletes Contribute To Oberlin, Both On And Off The Field

September 20, 2019

When imagining the typical college experience, volunteering for night shifts in churches to help care for individuals in need is not the first thing that comes to mind for most. But for College fourth-year Nae McClain, this was part of a normal day during her first two years as a Bonner Scholar at Oberlin. She balanced not only her academic and athletic responsibilities, but also dedicated 140 hours per semester to community service. Working in the church until 6:30 a.m., she would return to her r...