New coach with familiar name to take over Centerville football program

Centerville High School has a new football coach with a familiar name.

Brent Ullery, the son of former longtime Elks coach Ron Ullery, on Wednesday was named to take over the program as the interim head coach, pending school board approval April 24.

RELATED: Roberts resigns at Centerville coach

Brent Ullery, a 2003 Centerville graduate, succeeds Rodney Roberts, who unexpectantly resigned in March after three seasons as the head coach. It’s the first head coach position for Brent Ullery. Centerville athletic director Rob Dement said the interim status will remain for one year.

“I grew up in Centerville football and I am excited to lead the program at my alma mater,” Brent Ullery said in a release. “My desire to better the program is equal to my desire to positively impact the lives of the players as they grow into young men.”

Ullery played at Centerville for his father from 1999-2002. He was a five-year walk-on at Ohio State University, earning one letter as a receiver. He initially began an assistant football coaching career at Centerville and then at Columbus suburb Dublin Coffman before returning to Centerville’s coaching staff in 2014, Roberts’ first season with the Elks after he resigned at Franklin.

One of the area’s best big-school programs since the mid-1970’s, Centerville was 5-5 last fall after an 0-2 start. It was the second straight season the Elks missed the Division I playoffs. Centerville was 10-1 under Roberts in 2014.

Brent Ullery becomes just the fourth Centerville head football coach since 1973, following Bob Gregg (1973-1999), Ron Ullery (2000-13) and Roberts. Ron Ullery has been an offensive line coach at Springboro since not being renewed as the Centerville head coach.

“I am very excited to have Brent Ullery as our new head football coach,” Centerville athletic director Rob Dement said in a release. “I am confident that Brent will take the pieces that are currently working and combine those with the traditions that have made Centerville football such a great program. Brent also brings to the table a unique understanding of what ‘Elk Pride’ means to the great alumni of this program.”

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