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Sports

Gimme 5: Oak Forest Football Coach McDonough Has Bengals Looking for a Running Start

Oak Forest football coach Brian McDonough said his team made great strides this summer, and he's excited about the return of standout back Tevin Coleman.

Brian McDonough has been at Oak Forest for 27 years, with this being his 15th year as the Bengals' head football coach.

With all that time at Oak Forest, he said the most rewarding thing about coaching has been his time in the community.

“The opportunity to deal with so many wonderful people and great kids,” McDonough said. “It’s a great community to deal with and a great administration. It’s been a great place to work.”

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He said he’s mellowed over the years and really come to realize how much he enjoys his job, especially after he got sick a couple years ago.

“The kids here and the parents and everybody helped me get through some really, really tough days,” McDonough said. “It’s made me realize how lucky I really am.”

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Summer drills recently finished. Practice begins again on Aug. 10.

“Our kids have worked very hard, probably our most productive summer we’ve ever had,” McDonough said. “Especially our sophomores. They really have stepped up to the plate, and they really have grown in the summer.”

Last year, Oak Forest was 6-3. This year, the Bengals hope to make the playoffs again. Standout running back Tevin Coleman should be leading the way.

“Tevin Coleman is a very, very good football player,” McDonough said. “Probably the most talented player I’ve ever coached. He’s the real deal.”

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