TRENTON — Matt Root never envisioned his return to Edgewood High School as simply another coaching opportunity.
For the former Cougars quarterback and assistant coach, it was a chance to restore the identity of one of southwest Ohio’s proud football programs.
Root, who guided Edgewood’s offense as an assistant during five Southwestern Buckeye League championships and seven playoff appearances, takes over as head coach after two seasons as an assistant at Preble Shawnee. He inherits a team that finished 4-6 overall and 2-2 in the SWBL Southwestern Division last season, but one he says is much closer to contending than rebuilding.
“It’s humbling, honestly, just to be the head football coach here,” Root said. “I’m excited to be back home. I’m an Edgewood Cougar, and I love football. Our goal is to trust the process, do the little things and let the big things take care of themselves.”
That process begins with a return to Edgewood’s traditional identity.
The Cougars are bringing back the Wing-T offense that helped define many of the program’s most successful seasons — emphasizing physical football, ball control and discipline.
“The Wing-T matters here,” Root said. “It’s important, and I think it matters to them. They love it. They want to do it. They know they want to run the football. They want to be a physical football team and get back to some of that. I think the community is excited about that too.”
Senior lineman Ryder Jones said the scheme feels like a return to familiar territory.
“It’s tradition,” Jones said. “We’ve been doing it since we were little kids. It’s just what we love.”
Edgewood returns seven starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Carter Breedlove. A dual-threat playmaker, Breedlove accounted for nearly 1,400 total yards in 2025, throwing for roughly 971 yards while adding another 400 rushing yards.
His top weapon is senior running back Brody O’Banion, who rushed for nearly 900 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Behind an experienced offensive line featuring Jones, Landon Wagers and Ayden Hansford, the Cougars expect to lean heavily on their running game.
“We’ve got our group back together, and I’m excited to see what it has,” Jones said.
“The transition’s been great,” O’Banion added. “We’re getting back to discipline, being hard, focused and just being better. I feel like the past two years we’ve had a lot of setbacks and we’ve let frustrations affect us. This year we’re getting back to our roots.”
While the offense returns much of its production, replacing seven defensive starters presents the biggest challenge.
The Cougars still possess proven leaders in senior defensive back Max Stover, who recorded 42 tackles and six pass breakups last season, senior defensive lineman Carter Cannan, who finished with 31 tackles, six tackles for loss and five sacks, and linebacker J.J. Vogel, who contributed 30 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception.
Root said Edgewood’s defensive identity won’t change despite the new faces expected to fill key roles.
“Defensively, the past couple years they’ve been excellent,” Root said. “We’ve got some of our top tacklers back. There are some really good football players returning on defense, and there are some really good young guys who are hungry and ready for their turn.”
The Cougars will again employ a 4-2-5 defensive scheme while counting on Zach Jones, Izak Reed, Ty Cowman, Ryland Caudill, Thomas Saunders and Evan Harris to develop quickly.
“When I got brought in, I started meeting with the seniors and talking about what they wanted to achieve,” Root said. “It started right away with the work they wanted to put in. The best thing is they’re being great teammates to each other. This is one big family out here, and they’re working really, really hard because they want to accomplish some big things together.
“We’ve been together since Pee Wee football. We’ve got a lot of heart.”
The schedule won’t provide much margin for error.
Edgewood opens on the road at Oak Hills before hosting Miamisburg, then going up against three straight Greater Catholic League Coed foes in Baddin, Fenwick and Chaminade Julienne. Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division play includes Bellbrook, Ross, Franklin and Monroe — with defending SWBL Buckeye champion Valley View mixed in.
“It’s not easy,” Root said. “We understand that. We just embrace it. We play who’s on the schedule each week. We can’t complain. We’ve just got to line up and play.”
O’Banion shares that outlook.
“With football, it’s 11 on 11,” the senior said. “I don’t really look at it as the hardest schedule. I look at it as our 11 versus their 11 and seeing how good we can compete.”
“Our coaches are here to make these young men better,” Root added. “Hopefully we make them not just better football players, but better young men. The kids are working their tails off, too. That’s what we love.”
