A degree to his name and his eligibility exhausted, Jeff Myers is ready for the real world.
From his college locker to his new job, he'll face an exhausting commute of … one flight of stairs.
Myers, the longtime starter on the University of Toledo's offensive line, accepted a recruiting graduate assistant position with the Rockets for the next two seasons.
The Cleveland Browns offered Myers an invitation to their rookie minicamp in May, but the team did not sign him. Myers received interest from Arena Football League teams during the summer, but only after he had spent a month looking for jobs in the criminal justice field.
By then, he had lost 20 pounds and didn't think football was realistic. Myers was ready to accept a job as a correctional officer at a downtown Toledo work release facility when he received a call from UT coach Matt Campbell, who needed a GA.
“I'll be honest with you, I had to talk him into it,” Campbell said. “I felt like I was recruiting again.”
Campbell personally recruited Myers while Myers was at Massillon High School, and earned a commitment the second time around, too. Before the Rockets had a chance to give away Myers’ former No. 54, he was on the coaching staff.
Myers was a key cog of an undersized, yet skilled, offensive line that formed the backbone of Toledo's team for several years. He started his final 38 games at Toledo, including all 13 at left guard last season.
Myers mused both potential careers and believed the leadership he displayed as a player would translate well into being a coach.
“There was no transition period,” Myers said. “I have a whistle around my neck and a hat on instead, but it's been really fun.”
Campbell places a heavy burden on hiring exemplary grad assistants. The full-time staff has so much on its plate that younger players buried on the depth chart — often first-year freshmen who never have sat the bench before — don't receive as much attention as necessary.
Much of that falls upon the grad assistants. Campbell already knew Myers' leadership abilities and thought he would be a great GA.
“I don't say this facetiously: graduate assistants are the most important jobs in our program,” Campbell said. “They deal so much with all the young guys in our program, guys who just got here and are going through a really tough transition. When you have really good people, you have a chance to keep [young players] in your program.”
Campbell also forced Myers into a role that both men think will be beneficial long term.
Myers already knows the Rockets' offensive line tactics inside and out. While Myers is at practice every day helping the new UT offensive line, he'll start his career learning the recruiting game.
As important as strategy and technique are, recruiting is what pays the bills for college coaches.
“You have to be a good recruiter to be a college coach,” Myers said. “You have to be able to recruit kids. If you're a good recruiter, you'll always have a job as a college football coach.”
Campbell said he thinks the UT coaching staff differs from many other college coaching gigs, yet Myers fit into the ideal Campbell wants for the program. So far, the head coach said Myers already is making an impact.
Myers proved himself once at Toledo. He's hoping to do it all over again.
“I'll just have to prove my worth – off the field this time,” Myers said. “We'll see where it takes me.”
Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at: npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 724-6110, or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz
First Published August 25, 2015, 4:02 a.m.
