Lorain, new football coach Damion Creel host All-Ohio showcase | Sports

When Damion Creel was hired as Lorain’s new head football coach on Feb. 22, he knew exposure was incredibly important for his Titans football team.

With Lorain opting out of the 2020 football season over novel coronavirus concerns, Creel inherited a team that, by the time the fall rolls around, will have gone almost two full years without playing a snap of football. That left Creel and his coaching staff in the dark when it comes to evaluating the football talent.

On April 2, Creel and his staff were given a little clarity, as the Titans hosted the All-Ohio Showcase Lorain showcase, which featured numerous teams from across Northeast Ohio.

“A lot of the kids were nervous about participating and not doing as well because of the layoff but I told them that doesn’t matter. We just wanted to see them compete,” Creel said. “It was an evaluation tool for us because my coaching staff there was able to work the camp.”

After taking over the head coaching job at Lorain, Creel was contacted by Mike Robinson — a Toledo-based broadcaster and owner of 4th and Goal Athletic Training — who asked Creel if Lorain would be able to host 4th and Goal’s Northeast Ohio football showcase. Creel didn’t hesitate in accepting.

“I felt as if it was perfect for what Lorain needs and what our kids need,” Creel said. “It was a great atmosphere.

It’s been over a year since my boys been able to complete….All-Ohio Showcase Lorain was big for our kids and our city?⚪️?thanks to all the players and coaching that came out to complete today!#SteelCity @Coach_MikeRob @Bryan_Ault @Mark__Porter @BCSNsports @lorainathletics pic.twitter.com/jyNYY75BvF

— Coach Creel (@CoachCreel) April 3, 2021

The 145 participants ran through numerous drills ranging from position-based walkthroughs to offensive and defensive 1 on 1’s.

“Our kids need to learn how to compete since they haven’t competed in such a long time,” Creel said.

For the Titans, not only did the showcase allow them to practice again, but it also gave them the opportunity to train and workout in front of scouts for the first time since 2019.

“The exposure piece is big too,” Creel said. “Lorain can be a special place where you have a lot of talented kids who need some structure and guidance, and exposure is always important in those situations.”

The All-Ohio Showcase was the first step in Creel’s journey toward getting Lorain football ready for this fall’s season. Creel is the replacement for James Boyeas, who was hired as Lorain’s football coach in January 2020 but never coached a down of football for the Titans after last season’s cancelation. Creel was approved as Lorain’s new football coach at the school district’s board of education meeting on Feb. 22.

Creel, a native of Cleveland Heights, stepped down as Beachwood’s coach in January. He led Beachwood to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, breaking the Bison’s 11-year playoff drought.

“It’s almost like we’re starting from scratch,” Creel said of taking over at Lorain. “The biggest challenge for my staff and I right now is corralling the kids. With the kids being remote we can’t got to the school during the day and talk to the kids in-person then.

“When Lorain lost football (in the fall), the kids’ kind of forgot about it. There were some kids who had their spirits broken. Lorain’s a unique place. I think it’s going to take us some time to get kids rolling but we’re working hard.”

Creel says the Titans have averaged around 42 kids for their offseason workouts, with the attendance numbers topping out at 56 kids. During the next few weeks, he’s planning on getting in touch with the school district’s eighth-graders to try to prepare them for the fall.

“The kids are obviously a year away from everything so we’re at a disadvantage from that but we’re letting them know that we’re here and aren’t going anywhere,” Creel said. “The community needed a sense of knowing football was going to be back in Lorain.”