Recent sports headlines with a Clinton County flavor

Posted January 21, 2015 at 6:57 pm

Warinner, Ed vs. UAB.psd

After working on Buckeye’s sideline in national title game, Warinner promoted to Offensive Coordinator

Football fans across the nation, including those in Clinton County, were positioned in front of their television sets weekend before last watching the NCAA Championship battle between the Ducks of Oregon and the Buckeyes of Ohio State.

As the Buckeyes rolled to claim the title in a lopsided 42-20 win over Oregon, what many local fans probably didn’t realize was that while watching the game on television, there were several instances where they were looking at an individual on the sidelines with Clinton County ties – close Clinton County ties.

Ed Warinner, with over three decades of coaching experience, was the co-offensive coordinator for Ohio State during last week’s championship title game, and Warinner’s roots trace back to Albany and Clinton County, and in particular the Seventy Six Community in central Clinton County.

Warinner is the grandson of his namesake, the late Ed and Josephine Warinner who lived in the Seventy Six Community of Clinton County.

The late Ed F. Warinner was a Kentucky State Senator for four terms in the 1950s, representing Clinton County as part of his home district. He passed away in 1959.

A state historical marker is in place near the Seventy Six Falls Park area, a recreational feature that Warinner was primarily responsible for developing.

Their children were also born and spent much of their childhood years in Albany and Clinton County, including the father of the Ohio State offensive coach, Paul Warinner, who currently resides in Strasburg, Ohio.

An uncle, Iverson Warinner lives in Louisville, and an aunt, Harriett Warinner Hile, living in Taylorsville, also fondly call Albany home.

Several relatives continue to reside in Clinton County.

“He’s a Clinton County Warinner and I’m just trying to get the word out down there because it’s a big deal,” Iverson Warinner told the Clinton County News last week during a brief telephone conversation.

Ed Warinner has been co-offensive coordinator the three past three years for OSU, and just days after the Buckeyes had claimed the NCAA Championship title, he was promoted to the head position of offensive coordinator in an announcement made by head coach Urban Meyer.

Warinner’s coaching career includes 12 years in a coordinator position, including head offensive coordinator positions for three record-setting Kansas Jayhawks teams, including the 2007 unit that averaged 479.8 yards and 42.8 points per game. He also has two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Army among his 32 seasons as a collegiate coach.

Ohio State University Offensive Coordinator Ed Warinner, works with his players during the semi-final game this season against the University of Alabama. Warinner’s roots are deep in Albany and Clinton County, and especially the Seventy Six Community. Warinner was on the sidelines last week when the Buckeyes earned a NCAA National Championship by defeating Oregon.

Photo courtesy Ohio State University Athletics Department