By Jerod Smalley

True story: football every Friday night in the fall is the reason I became an athlete, and later a sportscaster. It’s unique and unifying, and it’s America at its best.

Growing up, my dad was a football coach at my school in West Virginia and my mother was the director of the high school
marching band. My older brother was on the football team when I was in junior high,so when I graduated from high school, a
Smalley had been on the field for eight solid years. I remember big wins and heartbreaking losses, but beyond that I remember the
little nuances about high school football; the freshly cut grass, the settling of the dew on the field during a night game, the sound of your name booming from the PA system, my teammates with whom I still talk regularly – they’re all part of football Friday night.

Around Central Ohio, NBC 4’s Football Friday Nite (FFN) has become an institution, and not just because of the theme song (although it’s
about the catchiest jingle I’ve ever heard on television). We bring passion, dedication and some humor to our coverage each
week. For now, here are our predictions in anticipation of the season ahead.

Teams to watch in 2010
Hilliard Davidson enters the season as the lone defending State Champion in our region after a phenomenal win over Cleveland Glenville in the 2009 D-I Title Game. Expect Ohio Capital Conference powerhouses like Dublin Coffman, Westerville South, Upper Arlington and Pickerington Central to field playoff contenders. The one school most fans may pull for in 2010 is Grove City, considering the Greyhounds sat out last season with the failed Southwestern City Schools levy. The Dawgs are back, as are Central Crossing, Westland and Franklin Heights. St. Francis DeSales
is coming off a D-III title game appearance in 2009.

Surprise team to watch in 2010
Pickerington North. Coach Tom Phillips has built an impressive roster of talent – watch for the Panthers to make a deep run in the Division I playoffs. They lost to cross-city rival Pickerington Central by a single point in the 2009 playoffs. Players to watch in 2010 Two current Central Ohio seniors, Westerville Central Tight End Nick Vannett (6-foot-6, 230 lbs.) and Eastmoor Safety/Quarterback Ronald Tanner (6-foot-1, 190 lbs.), committed to play for Ohio State this summer.

Also, keep an eye on Dublin Coffman QB Cole Stoudt (6-foot-4, 185
lbs.). His father, Cliff, was a QB for the Steelers and his older brother also played QB at Coffman. Cole is among the most highly sought after seniors in Ohio by college recruiters and is the 4th ranked QB in Ohio by www.JJHuddle.com. His Coffman teammate, Defensive Tackle Brad Carrico (6-foot-6, 270 lbs.) ranks among the state’s top linemen. Pickerington Central Safety Eilar Hardy (6-foot, 175 lbs.) has committed to play at the University of Notre Dame next year and DeSales Tight End Chris Rock
(6-foot-5, 255 lbs.) is committed to the University of Michigan.

At NBC 4, we treasure this time of year. Football Friday Nite has been on the air nearly 20 years and each year it grows more interactive. This year we’re planning a show with more highlights than ever before, plus fans can upload their pictures and videos from local games to our pix feature at www.nbc4i.com. We’ll even use some of it on air.

Also, we’re bringing our FFN Tailgate Party back for 2010, and we’d love to bring our party to your favorite school. You’ll be featured live on NBC 4 at 5 and 6 p.m. before the Friday kickoff. E-mail me at jsmalley@wcmh.com and tell me why the FFN Tailgate Party should come to your school. We’ll bring food, music and everyone’s favorite weatherman, Jym Ganahl – you just bring the tradition!

I hope you’ll join us each Friday at 11:15 p.m. as we set a new standard for high school football coverage in Ohio. Whether you love the football, the bands, the fans, the cheerleaders, the mascots or just the popcorn – we’ll have you covered.