By Brian Dzenis

bdzenis@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

The solutions for fixing Boardman’s offense were under its nose the whole time.

Following Mike Kopachy’s departure as the Spartans’ offensive coordinator in 2014, the team’s ability to put points on the board were not up to par.

“We kind of really reeled for two years and didn’t really have a plan once our original OC left,” Boardman head coach said. “We put a plan together as a staff and plugged away. With the guys we had coming back, we had to control the time of possession and slow things down. We didn’t have the athletes to spread the ball.”

Last season could be seen as a nadir for Spartan scoring. The team scored more than 21 points just twice during a 4-6 campaign. That same offense returned just five starters for this season, but Boardman (3-0) is riding high going into tonight’s contest in Steubenville. The Spartans are undefeated, ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Division II poll and their lowest offensive output of the season so far is 35 points after switching to a spread.

“It’s awesome. Coming into this year, a lot of people were saying Boardman was not going to be very good again,” wide receiver Noah Falleti said. “We set out to prove people wrong and it’s showing.”

Ignazio brought Kris Reash — who’s been a teacher at Boardman for years — over from Columbiana to see if he could recreate with junior quarterback Mike O’Horo what he did with former Clippers QB Mitch Davidson. Davidson was a Vindicator Offensive Player of the Year in 2015, when he passed for 2,735 yards, rushed for 1,137 and scored 36 touchdowns. So far, O’Horo has thrown for 425 yards and three touchdowns and is also the team’s leading rusher at 321 yards and a team-high five TDs.

“He brings a new element to our offense. It’s similar to watching [Davidson’s] film. You see how he executed the offense and was successful,” O’Horo said. “You strive to be like them and they had a lot of years with that offense and this is just our first year. How we can build on this year will be really good.”

Reash describes O’Horo and Davidson as similar players from both athletic and intelligence standpoints. The quarterback and his teammates need to react fast to make the offense go.

“The biggest thing is the kids have to think fast and not think things through too much. You go out and react to what the defense is giving you,” Reash said. “We try to throw Mike in the worst situations on just about everything whether it’s a game situation or what they could possibly do defensively to make it difficult for him.

“You throw so many things at him that the game slows down for him.”

Nearly every play in the Reash offense has a running and passing option for O’Horo. It’s just a matter of making the right choices as the ball is snapped.

“We’re going to go up against a defense that is going to throw the whole kitchen sink at you,” Reash said. “How we react will be a telltale sign of how it goes [today].”

The OC is not the only addition that’s provided a boost for the Spartans’ offense. Valley Christian transfer Domonhic Jennings has settled in as part of a one-two punch in the backfield with Joe Ieraci. What he offers to Boardman is reflected in some the college looks he’s getting. Kent State has seen him work out as a quarterback. Pittsburgh is interested in him as a running back, as is Florida and Maryland. Marshall, East Carolina, soon-to-be FBS Liberty like him on defense. The non-FBS schools that like him include James Madison and Mount Union. Jennings has 258 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the season.

Jennings was able to play right away for Boardman because his family lives there after moving from Lynchburg, Va., when his father — Albert Jennings — served as Valley Christian’s head coach for a season. The father and son met with Ignazio before Domonhic joined the team late in July.

“Their first question was, ‘Is he going to get a fair shot at quarterback?’ and early on it was all he repped at. It was obvious that he has unbelievable athleticism,” Ignazio said. “He’s 5-11, 200 pounds and he runs more physical than [Ieraci] does, but he still has unbelievable feet and athleticism for how big he is. We can use him as an athletic player all over the field.”

Jennings is the nephew of New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings. The senior said he can’t repeat what advice he gets from his uncle.

“I don’t want to put it out there, but when we talk on Facetime, he just says to ball out and stay low,” the former Eagles quarterback said. “It’s just something we have in the family. I just can’t say it out loud.”

Tonight’s game will be the first time Steubenville (3-0) faces an Ohio team this season. Jennings likens the game to contests against Virginia powerhouses like Jefferson Force and Amherst from his freshman and sophomore years.

“Some those teams in Virginia play like Steubenville,” Jennings said. “I think it’s going to be a great battle. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be fun.

“I’ve heard the atmosphere is going to be hectic.”