That is a sign of the times in college football.
Aside from most of highest-profile recruits (including Springfield’s Zy’Aire Fletcher this year) signing in December, high schoolers finding spots at the highest level of college football has become more difficult because many colleges are reserving some spots in their incoming classes for college transfers.
That’s tough for high school seniors but has created a side effect that is not all bad: Moving up within the college system is easier than ever because of the transfer portal so where a player begins his journey is less important than just finding a place to begin it.
“This college thing is different,” veteran Springfield coach Maurice Douglass said. “Kids don’t have the opportunities that they had before. A couple of our kids had like, 11, 12, 13 offers, and if they didn’t commit to them in May or in the summer, when it came to October, those offers were gone because kids had already committed, you know what I mean?
“(The colleges) had a certain number of kids that they’re gonna take in the high school portal, as opposed to the college one.”
Douglass has sent many players to the college ranks, first as head coach at Trotwood-Madison and for the last 11 years at Springfield.
As recruiting gained attention over the past two decades, most of the focus for fans and players alike was on getting a full ride at an FBS school, be it one like Ohio State or Michigan or Miami University or Ohio.
Douglass used to have to work to convince his players any opportunity they could get was a good one, but he said that is not such a tough sell anymore, and Wednesday’s signees confirmed it.
“For me, it was just trusting in God’s process,” said Jamar Montgomery, a defensive back who signed with Division II Ohio Dominican. “If this is where I’m supposed to be at, that I’ll be there for however long I’m supposed to be and things will be better from wherever I’ve gotta go.
“The draw for me is just the fact they give me opportunity,” he added. “They really wanted me there. They have been in good contact, and when I went down there, it felt just like a family. And I think it’ll be a good spot for me.”
Offensive linemen Noah Epperson and Jerome Howe are going to Marian University, an NAIA school in Indianapolis, Ind., while running back Calvin Mitchell V and offensive lineman Bryon Nelson are going to Hocking College.
As the only junior college in Ohio with football, Hocking presents an opportunity that has gotten more unique with a recent court ruling that seasons spent there no longer count toward NCAA eligibility.
That means a player who transfers to an NCAA school can expect to have four or five years to play at his new school, something Douglass pointed out in his speech to open the signing day ceremony.
“We’re hoping this is the beginning of the journey for them to the next level,” said Douglass, who attended Coffeyville Community College in Kansas in the 1980s before becoming a standout defensive back at Kentucky.
He ultimately played 11 seasons in the NFL, one of many success stories that began at the JUCO level.
More recently, Kendel Dolby followed a similar path from Springfield to the SEC. He was an all-conference defensive back as a senior for the Wildcats in 2020 then signed with JUCO Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
After two seasons there, Dolby became a highly regarded transfer prospect and signed with Oklahoma, where he is a two-year starter working his way back from a serious leg injury that cut short his 2024 campaign.
The 2025 class at Springfield includes his younger brother, Kyron, who is also headed to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, and the example was not lost on the others signing Wednesday.
“I feel like I just accomplished my dreams,” Nelson said after putting pen to paper. “It’s a great opportunity to show myself and show people that I can shine, and I’m just really grateful for it.”
Mitchell was also all smiles while sharing a similar sentiment.
“JUCO is not a bad route,” Mitchell said. “You can always build yourself up. Going JUCO does not necessarily you’re doing bad — it’s just a chance to improve.”
He said he is interested in majoring in engineering to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Calvin Mitchell III.
“The coaching staff is wonderful,” he said of Hocking. “They’re respectful, they’re nice, and they help their kids go out the other colleges, like D-I. They have a pretty nice program, and they’re all about God as well, so that’s was a big part about it.”
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