Cloverdale hires Tony Meyer as football coach

CLOVERDALE -- With Cloverdale football and baseball coach Jarrod Duff's recent resignation, CHS needed to have a replacement for the fall season. On Monday the Cloverdale School Board approved Cloverdale assistant baseball coach Tony Meyer for the head football coaching position.

Meyer has only been involved in the program for a few days but has already noted the young team that CHS will be playing with. Meyer says at least 25 players will be freshmen or sophomores.

"There are some really good athletes," Meyer said. "There is nothing but up. CHS doesn't have a huge history of winning. But with the athletes we've got, we may take our lumps this year, but it'll be better for them next year. I'm looking forward to seeing the growth for the kids."

Meyer, a Putnam County native, has coached played and coached baseball at a variety of institutions, including an interim head-coaching job at DePauw, but says he and his family know the ins and outs of football.

He is the son of retired DePauw baseball coach Ed Meyer, also a longtime DPU football assistant.

"I've had a lot of conversations with Greencastle's head coach (brother Mike Meyer) and I'm learning from him a little bit," Meyer said. "I'm kind of jumping in with both feet and looking forward to learning with the kids. I need to learn how they work. We have to get a culture that wants to win and knows how to win."

Cloverdale went 1-9 last season, losing in the postseason to Park Tudor. Meyer hopes to turn the history of Cloverdale gridiron play around and develop his new young players into a winning football team.

"It was a big challenge in baseball. I think it's a bigger challenge in football because we are dealing with more kids," Meyer said. "They haven't had a winning season since 1992 I think. Basketball has had huge success. Coach (Pat) Rady has instilled the winning attitude and the belief in those kids. I'd like to take that belief and get it going in football. If we can do that, they could be a solid team."

Meyer recognized the new conference alignment means a tougher road to recognition but he was also confident that he could transform the Clover unit into a formidable team.

"I'm focusing on the kids and the belief system," Meyer said. "Just the overall frame of mind. I've been lucky. Sonny Stoltz the principal and (athletic director) J.J. Wade we talked extensively. I know what they are looking for and there is no reason we can't make it work."

"I'm focusing on the kids and the belief system," Meyer said. "Just the overall frame of mind. I've been lucky. Sonny Stoltz the principal and (athletic director) J.J. Wade we talked extensively. I know what they are looking for and there is no reason we can't make it work."