CLARKSVILLE, Ohio — It’s no secret that Dan McSurley is somewhat of a legend in the high school football world in Ohio. 

​​​McSurley has been on this football field for a while now — 26 years to be exact at Clinton-Massie. While it took some time to get the program on the right track, it’s been on the path to success.

“We qualified back in 2002 and that’s really where it all took off," McSurley said. "We just kept getting better each year and kind of chipped away at it until we’re here and hopefully can contend for another state title.”

And now, McSurley can bring along another generation with his success.

“Guys that played for me back in the 90s, they’re having kids who are coming up through the program," he said.

One of those kids is linebacker Colton Trampler. Trampler’s dad was on McSurley’s first-ever team at Clinton-Massie and his older brothers were on the state runner-up team in 2017.

“My dad told me a lot about coach," Trampler said. "Just what a good coach he is and how we’re kind of unchanging here at Massie. We’ve ran the same offense since really he was in high school.”

For quarterback Kody Zantene, he’s grown up alongside McSurley; Zantene’s dad is the offensive coordinator at Clinton-Massie.

“It’s an honor to say this, McSurley is like a second dad to me," Zantene said. "Growing up, I was always over at his house with my dad studying film with him and McSurley. Just to be here with him and be here with all the other coaches, it’s a blessing.”

For these players, they’ve grown up knowing that McSurley is the best of the best.

“Everyone knows who Coach McSurley is," Trampler said.

And for McSurley, he knows that’s thanks to the dads he coached back in the day.

“Dads are pretty hard on them and whatever coach says, coach is probably right because coach coached Dad," McSurley said..