Witt student coach Derr Jr. worked way up

Wittenberg student coach John Derr Jr. (center with clipboard) helps defensive coordinator Andy Waddle (left) on the sidelines during the season opener at Olivet on Sept. 5. At far right is linebackers coach Sean Ross. Staff photo by David Jablonski

David Jablonski Wittenberg student coach John Derr Jr. (center with clipboard) helps defensive coordinator Andy Waddle (left) on the sidelines during the season opener at Olivet on Sept. 5. At far right is linebackers coach Sean Ross. Staff photo by David Jablonski

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By David Jablonski, Staff Writer 7:08 PM Wednesday, November 25, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — John Derr Jr. entered the Wittenberg football program on the bottom rung, ready to do anything to be a part of the team. Three years later, as a senior student coach, he holds the keys to the entire program — well, literally, at least.

“Hey, Derr,” head coach Joe Fincham shouted on Tuesday, Nov. 24, “you got my keys?”

Derr did have the keys, and in no small way, he is a key to Wittenberg’s success. Every program needs a guy like Derr, who does so many little things behind the scenes to make the coaches’ jobs easier.

It started even before he came to Wittenberg. His dad, John Derr Sr., graduated from Wittenberg in 1982 and went on to be an assistant coach at Kettering Fairmont. He’s now the head coach at Belmont High School.

Derr Jr. grew up on the sidelines with his dad. He played wide receiver at Fairmont High School, but he knew he wasn’t good enough to play in college. So the summer before his freshman year at Wittenberg, he asked Fincham for a job with the team.

“That’s the only reason I came to this school,” Derr said. “I said I would be willing to do pretty much anything as long as I can move up. I started with filming practice and games and also setting up the field, being kind of a like a manager.”

For his first three seasons, Derr never got paid. This year, with the Tigers sporting an 11-0 record heading into the second round of the playoffs against Trine at noon Saturday, Nov. 28, Derr earns a paycheck.

Now he can now call himself a student coach. He helps linebackers coach Sean Ross.

“They let me give my input,” Derr said. “I recognize the uniqueness of my situation. There aren’t too many places where someone who didn’t play in college would get to step up on stage and help out like this.”

Derr credited his dad and mom Caroline and also his best friend on the team, wide receiver Anthony Kralich, for sticking by him. It hasn’t always been easy. Early on, when he was still learning the ropes, there could be tension between him and the coaches.

Now Derr said he runs a “well-oiled machine.”

“They’ve seen all the stuff that I do,” Derr said. “They recognize for the most part that I know my stuff. That’s the great thing. Coach Waddle and coach Ross, they all respect me like a member of the staff.”

Down to 52

In the NCAA Division III playoffs, teams can dress only 52 players. That creates some tough decisions for the coaches.

“Last week, we had some spots that were close,” Fincham said. “We were dressing only eight offensive linemen, because you’ve got to fill your special teams.”

Thanksgiving plan

Fincham said the team would have an early practice today, so players could go home to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Contact this reporter

at (937) 328-0351 or djablonski@coxohio.com.

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