2022 with Head Coach Ryan Sayers Columbus Northland

Tagged under: Beyond The Keystone, Coaches Corner, News

David Burnworth | August 7, 2022

Ryan Sayers

Head football coach/Intervention Specialist

Columbus Northland

(Coach Sayers has been very good to me when I cover Northland for PAFOOTBALLNEWS and he has gone way above and beyond to personally let me know I/we are welcome there anytime.

The 2018 season was the last time the Northland Vikings posted a winning record (8-2). What is it going to take for that to change this season?

Our kids playing for each other is what it’s going to take to get back to winning football games! They need to believe in each other and love one another!

As a fan and one who is in the media, I very much enjoy covering the Columbus City League. Can you tell the fans of the high school game why they should attend a league game?

A city league game is going to be loaded with talent and be played with a lot of emotion, especially if it’s a rivalry game! They are always hard-fought games!

Can you share with the readers the best part of coaching at Columbus Northland along with the hardest part that goes with the job?

The best part about coaching at Northland is the kids, our student-athletes are some of the most genuine kids you will ever meet, all it takes is building a relationship with the kids and they will have your back like no other! The toughest part of the job is the lack of resources provided to us and the lack of money that is spent on all sports in general.

Because I watch so many games, I am constantly imagining matchups. As far as the Columbus City League goes, I always think about them playing schools from the Senate League out of Cleveland or schools from the Cincinnati Public School League. What are your thoughts on playing schools from those leagues and do you see it happening?

As far as playing other city teams, I think there should be some cross-over and would love to see more of it happening and it has not been a main topic of conversation so I am not sure if I see it.

The kicking game seems to be lacking at most schools I see play. First, how much time do you guys as a team put into the kicking game and what do you think it will take to improve that part of the game?

Honestly, in the kicking game, we have a kid that has been practicing all summer, and all year we plan to kick like any other team outside of the city! This will give us a chance to score more points inside the 25-yard line!

What are your thoughts on the O.H.S.A.A. moving all of the playoff games to Friday nights for the first two weeks of the playoffs?

I am the type of guy that is ready to play whenever I am told to play, so I don’t have many thoughts of them making it all Friday night games.

What do you do to help your players get recruited?

I make sure that I attend all of the recruiting nights that the OHSFCA has and respond to/reach out to as many coaches as I can!

Who is the best player you have ever coached against?

The best player I have ever coached against has to be Lorenzo Styles when I was at Pick North, he was so explosive every time he touched the ball!

Have you watched any of the USFL games? What have you thought about them?

I loved watching the USFL games but I just love watching guys get opportunities to play in the NFL or in front of NFL scouts! It’s a great idea and provides football fanatics like myself an opportunity to watch some games in the spring!

What is your favorite sportsbook?

I am not sure it is a sports book but my favorite book is “From Good To Great To Unstoppable”

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