AREA CLASS OF 2017 COMMITS
Colin DeBord, WR, Centerville / Bowling Green
Charlie Kuhbander, K, Springboro / Northwestern
Cody Lamb, OL, Miamisburg / Cincinnati
Caleb Martin, QB, Fort Recovery / Toledo
Josh Myers, OL, Miamisburg / Ohio State
Cole Smith, K, Middletown / Cincinnati
Darien Tipps-Clemons, RB-LB, Piqua / Michigan State
Matt Wilcox, RB/WR, Wayne / Bowling Green
Cody Lamb is renowned as the “other” outstanding Miamisburg High School offensive lineman, but only because he was coerced to switch from tight end.
“I like running around and catching the ball,” he said following a 7-on-7 camp at Welcome Stadium on Friday morning. “It wasn’t a big deal looking back. I always tell (Vikings coaches) we have to put in a tackle-eligible play. They just say they’re definitely not doing that.”
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The 6-foot-4, 265-pound bruising offensive tackle likely will get similar sentiments from the University of Cincinnati’s coaching staff. Lamb verbally committed to the Bearcats this week, choosing UC over the U.S. Air Force Academy, Toledo and Ball State, among others.
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He also is the second Miamisburg senior lineman to commit. Josh Myers, considered one of the top offensive linemen in the country, committed to Ohio State as a sophomore.
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“It’s unbelievable to have two kids going to the two primary Ohio schools, Ohio State and UC,” Miamisburg coach Steve Channell said. “They’re BCS programs and we’re very proud of those kids and our program has developed them very well. They have a bright future.
“After his freshman year I pulled (Lamb) into my office and told him I wanted to move him to offensive line from tight end. Athletically, I thought he’d be a better offensive lineman, which is tough to get a skill kid to buy into. I asked him if he wanted to play college football. He said yes. Three years later he’s a scholarship player and it worked out really well. He’s a great young man from a great family.”
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Lamb said he was hooked on UC after attending his first game at Nippert Stadium with the Miamisburg Wee Vikings. “I fell in love with it,” he said. “It was awesome.”
Featuring a strong running game anchored by Lamb and Myers, Miamisburg (9-2) won the Greater Western Ohio Conference South Division last season, losing only to Division I state runner-up Wayne and Lima Senior in a D-I first-round playoff game. Lamb plays tackle and Myers guard, usually opposite sides. They likely will swap positions in college.
“We do run the ball; that’s no secret,” Channell said. “We don’t hide that and we take pride in that. That’s what we built our program on. We’re going to be physical and we’re going to run the football.”
Lamb long ago bought into the position switch.
“It’s a blessing,” Lamb said. “It’s a whole other world and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to do that. It’s always been a dream. To go into my senior year knowing that I’m going somewhere, I’m just going to show out for the Bearcats.”
Myers is participating this week in the Opening Finals football camp at the Nike world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.
Miamisburg opens the season Aug. 26 at Hilliard Bradley. The first opportunity for high school seniors to sign binding national letters of intent to play football is Feb. 1, 2017.
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