ROSS TWP. — Emory Severance sported a Ross Rams shirt that had “Ram Up” written across the chest.
The senior quarterback was eager to talk about its meaning during a recent football practice.
“We’re all about working hard,” Severance said. “We’re always talking about how it’s not all about talent, it’s about working hard. Hard work beats talent, talent doesn’t always work hard. To be a Ram, it’s about the grind.”
Ross is grinding through the preseason and ready to face Wyoming on the road Aug. 23 to open the 2024 campaign.
The Rams are coming off a 3-7 performance a season ago, which Severance said is enough motivation for a bounce back.
“Obviously, last year isn’t where we wanted to be,” Severance said. “I think that’s pushing us a lot harder this year. We know where not to be, and that record isn’t acceptable.”
Ross looks to recover from its worst season since the first year Commins took over in 2018, when the Rams went 5-5.
“That left a bad taste in our mouth,” Commins said. “It was also the first time in however long since we’ve missed the playoffs, which is not good.
“I think they’ll tell you compared to the last one or two years, it’s been a lot harder this offseason than it has been,” Commins added. “They’re a tenacious group. They’re a resilient group, so that’s the piece we want them to develop is tenacity — because I think we’re going to need that, especially when you look at our schedule.”
The Commins family — with the support of the entire Ross community — is making a personal bounce back as well.
Kenyon Commins’ daughter Kenley has been fighting a courageous battle against anaplastic large cell lymphoma since the summer of 2023. It became more than football for Kenyon last season.
“I felt like I was a hood ornament,” Kenyon Commins said. “I didn’t really get involved much. My coaches did a great job with a lot of the stuff we were going through.”
Kenley has been making a move in a positive direction with each visit, check-up, appointment, test and lab draw, according to Kenyon.
“Like she has throughout this whole battle, she’s handling everything with grace and determination,” Kenyon Commins said. “This past year has been so tough. The strain it has put on us has been immense, but you know what? Monica and I are grateful for what it has revealed and the blessings that we have received.”
Commins said there’s been a new rejuvenation on the sidelines and that there are a lot of things he feels the team will accomplish as a result.
“I don’t really know if they’ve developed one yet, in all honesty,” Commins said when asked what kind of fingerprint the 2024 Rams will possess. “I think we’re still pushing them pretty daggone hard. The one thing I’ll say about them is that they’re a resilient bunch.”
Ross graduated a 1,400-yard, 22-touchdown rusher in running back Riley Caldwell, so finding someone to fill his shoes may be a task. Commins said there are plenty of options in senior Andrew Gettler, senior Mason Smith, junior Lucas Kunkel and sophomore Cash Alvis.
“If Riley wasn’t there last year, Emory is probably right there for being our (Southwestern Buckeye League) player of the year as a junior, offensively speaking.” Commins said. “I really like skilled-wise where we are at offensively.”
Severance rushed for 1,113 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior while operating the Rams’ traditional run-heavy offense. Expect the signal caller to surpass those numbers this season.
“We’ll probably throw it a lot more than people expect because he does have a heck of an arm,” Commins said of Severance. “There’s some stuff we’ve been working on. He is so good for us upfront. He gets us out of a lot of stuff. People see us play, and to the average fan, I get it — ‘they’re running the same thing.’ It’s not. The blocking schemes he changes, stuff we’re blocking on the edges, getting us out of certain plays and into another play. He does a phenomenal job of that. He’s so cerebral. On top of that, he’s a phenomenal human being. He’s as good of a kid as we’ve had come through here.”
Senior linebacker Kellan Wright is one of the mainstays on defense. He wrapped up 32 tackles as a junior.
“I feel like we’ve got great energy,” Wright said. “Stuff kind of started out a little bit slow, but that’s just getting back into football. Once all the seniors kind of got together, we were like, ‘Hey man. We’re going to try and amp it up this year.’ We kind of took over a little bit, and now you see some juniors and even some sophomores kind of stepping up. So, it’s pretty cool to see everyone kind of all tapped in and really locked in for the season.”
Sophomore Alex Galante is the team’s top tackler (52) returning from last season, while junior defensive back Brandt Kugler is back after recording 37 tackles and snatching two interceptions as a sophomore.
“We’re going to be young on that side of the ball,” Commins said. “Losing some guys, especially upfront. Defense is going to be a big one, but that’s why Coach (Casey) Meyers gets paid so much money. He’s got to figure that stuff out. I leave him alone, which is probably the best coaching thing I’ve done in eight years. Just leave him alone, and he does what he does.”
Commins said to look for senior lineman Blake Holmes, Galante at linebacker, sophomore Zack Otto at linebacker and Kugler and sophomore Parker Jackson in the secondary to make an impact.
“You should be able to watch us for four quarters and walk away and be like, ‘That’s Ross. That’s a community on a field,’” Commins said. “We’re as hard working no matter what the score is — we’re up 50 or down 50. Our effort should look exactly the same whether it’s a kickoff or a kickoff return, a punt, fourth and goal, first and goal. Our effort should look exactly the same all the way through and be as blue collared as possible.“The minute that somebody sits in stands and looks down and says, ‘Hey, man. These kids, what are they doing? They’re just going through it.’ That will be on me. That will reflect on me and our staff. That’s what it’s all going to come down to — are we a reflection of where we live? That’s what I hope you see and everybody sees when they come out and watch us on a Friday night — blue-collar toughness.”
