Correspondent file photo / David Dermer Jackson-Milton’s Keegan White runs with the ball after fielding the kickoff during the first half of their game against Windam, Sept. 6 at Windam High School.

First-year Jackson-Milton coach Brian Shaner is no stranger to the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference. Having spent the last six seasons coaching at Mineral Ridge, Shaner has battled with his new program in the past.

There was a sense of familiarity on both sides, which made the transition easier. A big part of the first year of a coach’s job at a new program is to sell the players on his vision for that program. Shaner has done that and says his team is all-in.

“We’re pleasantly surprised. The kids are working hard,” Shaner said. “I kind of get that feeling now that we got the total buy-in. There’s that initial stage of selling yourself and your belief system, but it’s going well. Our kids are all-in and ready for two-a-days.

“I don’t want to say (selling your vision for a program is) easy, because nothing’s ever easy in sports, but we just stay genuine to who we are, and I think that’s the best sales pitch you can get. I think when the kids give us an opportunity to understand us and know us, it doesn’t matter what level or what league you’re coaching in. I think when kids in general, whether it’s in sports or a classroom, they know you care about them and you’re a genuine person, and you’re there for the right reasons, it takes a while, but they’re going to understand who we are and what we stand for, and usually it wins them over.”

That pitch extends to the parents as well. Shaner brings his signature blend of toughness, honesty and love to every team he’s coached, and that’s not changing anytime soon.

“I tell every parent that we’re gonna coach them hard for you, but we’re gonna love them even harder,” Shaner said. “Every kid knows that we’re there for the right reasons and we’re there for them. This ain’t about the coaches. This is about them. I can’t be any more genuine, I can’t be any more loyal. Sometimes, as a coach, I’m loyal to a fault, but that’s what we stand for. We’re all in for these kids. We’re all in for this community. We’re there to make everybody proud, but we’re there for these kids’ success. I want them to be winners. I want them to feel like winners on and off the field again. My style is just to be genuine with these. These young men get coached really hard, because they take the coaching very well, but at the end of the day, when they leave, they know we coach them because we love them.”

Some from outside the program may not have high expectations for the Blue Jays this season. Coming off a 2-8 mark last year and losing leading senior Keegan White are reasons to have questions about Jackson-Milton in 2025.

Shaner, however, is not amongst the doubters.

In fact, he’s in the complete opposite camp.

After spending the week with his team at a camp held at Walsh University and getting to know them on a level deeper than football, Shaner has a clear head entering the season.

“We always go into (the year) with high expectations. There’s a lot of naysayers out there about Jackson-Milton football, but again, if you don’t do this sport with high expectations, I don’t know why you would do it in the first place,” Shaner said. “Our expectations are to win, and get better every day. It took a while, it was a process, but we just got back from Walsh camp, and I think three days being away with just the players and the coaches, no outside interference, everybody got to understand everybody better. We weren’t just coaches. We didn’t just show up to coach practice, and then we were home. We were together, and it was an awesome thing to do. I think our kids got to understand us, just not as coaches, but as people. When you build those kinds of relationships, you know how much it means to all of us, not just the players, but my coaches too.”

The Blue Jays open the year with a home game against Mathews.

OFFENSE

Jack McDevitt started the back half of the season last year and has been tapped to return under center this season.

“I don’t think he started quarterback until maybe week five last year, but man, he’s a great athlete,” Shaner said. “He’s a state qualified wrestler and a great leader. He takes to the coaching. He has to be an extension of me, because I coach him every day. I’m with him every day. He’s done a great job. He’s a program guy, everything you need in the quarterback. He’s one heck of a safety as well.”

While not wanting to call it a committee, Shaner said there were multiple running backs in the stable this year. Watch out for Jackson-Milton trot out a bunch of names, but chief among them is junior DJ Osborne, who will take the lion’s share. Sophomore Carter Headley and junior Raiden Rossi will each see some time as well.

Senior Leo Hines will be the team’s go-to receiver again. He does a little bit of everything.

Junior Jeremy Fishel and seniors Nicholas Bulow and Elijah Hendrich are options at wide receiver as well.

Cole Cappelli is expected to return to his role at center alongside linemen Brant Simpson, Kristopher Gay, and Connor Kerr.

Austyn Hovanic, Royce Green, and CJ Malutek will be in the mix to start along the offensive line.

DEFENSE

Those exact names are all in the mix to start along the defensive line. Shaner is confident in his group to start any of them along the line and maintain a solid rotation of guys to keep everyone fresh.

Osborne is set to anchor the linebacker group and serve as the defensive captain.

He makes sure he gets us all in the right, right position, you know? And again, he’s going to be the vocal leader of that.

Expect to see Rossi alongside Osborne anchoring the defense from the middle of the field.

On the outside linebacker spots, Bulow and Zachary Johnson will fill the roles. Junior James Hogue will spell those two on the outside.

At secondary, Fishel, Hines, Hendrich, and McDevitt will suit up.

Assuming everyone stays healthy, Shaner is optimistic about the defensive backfield.

“I think we’re going to be really good. I’m excited on our back end,” Shaner said. “We’re a small school, injuries we’ve gotta watch for, but when we’re healthy back there, we’re pretty excited about them.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Rossi is involved in camp battles for both the kicking and punting positions. He’s taking on McDevitt for punting duties and Brock Piatt for kicking duties.