Wyant steps away after five seasons coaching at Gibsonburg

Press Sports Editor
sports@presspublications.com

Joe Wyant is deciding to hang it up.
At least as a head football coach.
Though Wyant has left the door open to coaching as an assistant in the future, the legendary coach is stepping away from his duties as the football coach at Gibsonburg.
Wyant, who retired a few years ago as the Eastwood wrestling coach and still coaches the Eastwood softball team, had a great run with the Golden Bears.
In five seasons at Gibsonburg, Wyant went 36-19, and two years ago in 2022, the Bears went 10-3 and advanced to the Division VII regional semifinals, the furthest any team had gone in program history.
The big victory in that run was a 30-20 win over Waynesfield-Goshen on the road in the second round. With Gibsonburg trailing, 13-10, early in the fourth quarter, Cole Owens ran for an 82-yard touchdown to give the Bears the lead for good, and Camden Mooney and Connor Smith later scored touchdowns to put the game away.
“That was a great run. My favorite game was winning the Waynesfield-Goshen game – they were 11-0 at the time,” said Wyant. “It was back and forth; that was probably a great game for us. It was probably one of the best teams they ever had.”
Last fall, Gibsonburg went 9-3 and 5-1 in the Sandusky Bay Conference River Division and advanced to the second round of the playoffs, falling, 18-16, to Leipsic.
Wyant talked about why he is choosing to leave now.
“It has been on my mind for quite a while. Midway through the season, I thought, we had a good team, (and) I didn’t want to leave the program totally empty (for the next coach). If I stayed two more years, there could be a lot of rebuilding,” he said. “Next year, they should be really good. They only have to find one or two guys on defense, and they’ll have everyone (else) back. They should have a really good team. In two years, they’ll still have that good sophomore class that will be seniors. The freshmen class has just about three guys that can help. I thought I wouldn’t leave the cupboard empty. I want to give the new coach a fresh start.
“It’s tough leaving – the kids are great, the assistants are great and the administration has been really good to me, including the athletic directors, principals, the superintendent,” he said. “I surprised some of them (with my decision). They all thought I’d go another year or two. I just think it’s a good time (to leave). It does get harder every year for me. I still like coaching, but I just don’t want to be the head coach. I’m going to try not to coach next year. I may come back as an assistant somewhere, maybe even back to Gibsonburg. I’ve had about four offers already; two of them were pretty good offers.”
Former running back Connor Smith, who, as a senior in ‘22, rushed for 3,433 yards – the fourth highest single-season rushing total in Ohio prep history – and had 47 rushing touchdowns on the year, which ranks sixth best in state history, talked about what made Wyant such a special leader.
“Coach Wyant was such a great coach because he pushed you to be your best every day. He is a very hard-nosed, straightforward, old-school-type of coach, and to me, that helped me become the person I am today,” said Smith. “He never let you settle for giving anything less than 100% all the time, and he'd call you out on it if you weren't giving it. He held himself accountable, and all of us accountable. This to me, is what made him a great coach.”
Coaching one of the greats like Smith, who won a state title in wrestling as a senior and is now on the team at the University of Findlay, made coming to work a joy for Wyant.
“I really enjoy the players and the camaraderie. I like being around kids, it’s a great reason to get up (in the morning). Being retired, the kids keep me younger, the kids have never been an issue,” Wyant said. “They know what they’re going to get — I’m straightforward with the answers, and that’s what kids want.”
Gibsonburg athletic director Brian Jackson talked about what Wyant meant to the school.
“He has been at Gibsonburg as the head coach for the past five years and has had success. In 2022, his team made it to the regional semifinals, and this year they made it to the second round. He knows how to win and get the best out of what he has,” said Jackson. “We don't have a large number of students here at Gibsonburg, so numbers are always limited. He works with what he is given, and the kids respond well to him and play hard for him.
“Coach Wyant surrounds himself with quality assistants and they work well together,” Jackson said. “We are going to miss him and how genuine he is and we wish him the best at whatever future endeavor he decides to take on. Gibsonburg lost a great football coach and he will be tough to replace.”