Project to prodigy: Molden benefits from speed training

By Joe Scalzo

The former Harding player was impressive at the NFL Combine.

When Robert Andrews first spotted Antwaun Molden, he was a scrawny, 5-foot-9, 130-pound defensive back with almost no hope of seeing the field at Warren Harding High.

“He wasn’t a kid you looked at and thought he was going to be a star,” said Andrews, an assistant coach for the Raiders at the time. “He wasn’t a Maurice Clarett, he wasn’t a Prescott Burgess. He was a nobody.”

But he would listen and he was willing to work. Over the next three years, as Molden emerged as a promising talent, Andrews helped mold him into a college football player, first at Toledo and then at Eastern Kentucky. When Andrews left to coach at Cleveland Glenville before Molden’s senior year, Molden followed him. When Molden was looking to leave Toledo, Andrews helped get him a scholarship at his alma mater.

Still, when Molden’s career was over, he wasn’t much more than a blip on the NFL radar. That changed last month when he wowed scouts with his performance at the NFL Combine, turning in the top performances among defensive backs in six different tests.

Molden attributes his growth to Andrews’ coaching.

“He’s got an uncanny ability in developing athletes, knowing the different position techniques, the different muscle groups you need to develop,” said Molden. “He gives you the tools a cornerback needs.”

Andrews, who played on YSU’s 1991 national championship team, has coached more than 25 cornerbacks who went on to play Div. I college football, including Glenville standouts Ted Ginn (Dolphins) and Donte Whitner (Bills). He’s also worked with several top area athletes, including Burgess (who played at Michigan and was drafted by the Ravens), Dave Herron (Michigan State, Vikings, Patriots) and Brandon Beachum (who just graduated from Mooney in December and now plays at Penn State).

He conducts group workouts at Farmer Jim’s in Cortland — you can find out more by visiting www.speednskillz.com — and, Andrews said, you don’t have to be a big name (or a cornerback) to benefit from his training techniques.

“When you measure what you can do with kids, Antwaun is a great starting point,” said Andrews. “My relationship with kids doesn’t end when the session is over.”

Adds Molden, “He’s one of the biggest reasons I developed into the athlete I am.”