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Walnut Hills names Brian Miller as its interim head football coach

Posted at 3:37 PM, Apr 21, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-21 15:37:07-04

CINCINNATI -- Brian Miller was named the Walnut Hills interim head football coach Friday afternoon just two days after Brian Lainhartleft the Eagles’ program.

Miller, a Walnut Hills teacher, was the only assistant who coached under former Eagles’ head coaches George Kontsis and Lainhart in the program.

The former Purcell Marian head coach will be the liaison for the college coaches recruiting players in the Walnut Hills program. He coached for two years with Kontsis and the 2016 season with Lainhart. Miller coached the defensive line in 2016 and was the defensive coordinator in 2015. He coached the defensive backs in 2014.

“Brian Miller is the perfect fit as he has been our constant the past couple of years,” Cincinnati Public Schools Athletics Manager Josh Hardin told WCPO.com. “…He’s somebody that (Walnut Hills Principal) Mr. (Jeff) Brokamp and myself have the highest respect for."

Lainhart, who coached the 2016 season at Walnut Hills, concluded his coaching duties Wednesday in light of new allegations by the Ohio High School Athletic Association regarding evidence of recruiting violations and questions about his request for a Pupil Activities Permit with the Ohio Department of Education. That permit is required by the OHSAA in order to coach a sanctioned sport in Ohio.

The OHSAA plans to announce its finding of an investigation into the allegations next week.

The school is also bringing back Trammell Williams as the strength and conditioning coach. Williams was previously the running backs coach at Walnut Hills. He will start his duties next week with morning lifts Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Walnut Hills hosted a football players meeting at 2:45 p.m. and addressed the football coaching situation and the search for the full-time head coach.

Hardin said Walnut Hills has had several high-quality candidates reach out with interest in the program. The district is finalizing a timeline of naming a new head coach. The posting for the position is expected to be available Friday afternoon on the CPS website.

Incoming Walnut Hills Athletic Director Steve Ellison is leading the efforts to find the next full-time head coach. Miller is not interested in the full-time position, Hardin said.

“We felt that with him being the athletic director and Tom (Donnelly) retiring at the end of this year that Steve became the perfect person to lead the hiring process as he will be overseeing this new football coach now and into the future,” Hardin said.

The Eagles will move up to Division I in 2017. This is due to an increase in enrollment numbers from the Ohio Department of Education.

Walnut Hills, which has multiple players with major scholarship offers, is scheduled to play Lakota East in the season opener Aug. 26 at Nippert Stadium as part of the 20th annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Showdown.

The Walnut Hills schedule also includes a road game at reigning state champion St. Xavier Week 3.