Russ Mann is no stranger to winning football state championships.
Mann was an assistant coach at Warren Central for two state championship runs (2013 and 2018) and helped Lawrence Central win state in 2012.
After 20 years serving as an assistant at four different MIC (Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference) schools (North Central, Lawrence Central, Warren Central and BD), Mann now takes over one of the state’s premier high school programs.
“As an assistant coach, especially in my previous ten years before Ben Davis, there was only one goal — a state championship,” Mann said. “I have treaded lightly on verbally saying, “State Championship.” I firmly believe that “Winning the State Championship” should be every program’s goal.”
Mann was a popular hire last spring just weeks after former coach Jason Simmons left to coach running backs at Miami University in Ohio, Simmons’ alma mater. Athletic direcor Heather McGowan led the interview process and hired Mann after a month-long search.
This will be Mann’s 20th year coaching high school football, but first as head coach. He is excited about inheriting a talented group that is expeted to compete for a state title despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the state.
“I feel as if ‘first year as head coach’ could be a different narrative that I do not want for our current team,” Mann said. “It is very important to me that being ‘a first year head coach’ is not a topic. Our team, our players, our coaches had done things to earn a state championship before I ever came to Ben Davis. If losses happen, then go ahead, let’s hear how it is possibly a first year head coach’s issue, but when our success happens, let’s make sure the narrative is about our team.
“So, it might sound funny but my goal is to make sure that the first year is smooth, and we are always organized and prepared so the first year talk just fades away.”
His players are excited about the upcoming season, which begins Friday night at Cincinnati Moeller, who is ranked No. 53 in the nation in preseason polls. Ben Davis also will host IMG Academy out of Florida in week four. IMG is ranked No. 5 in preseason national polls.
“Coach Mann is an expressive, smart, confident, high football IQ, humble, smooth criminal, loving, and caring individual,” senior linebacker Nylan Brown said. “Most importantly he is a great listener. These traits are very important as when it comes to being a head coach.
“He has a lot of experience and a gift to where he can remember things so well. It’s almost like he was there in those moments all over again. He’s a special person. I’m truly blessed and grateful to be coached by him as well as his fantastic coaching staff.”
Mann has always had his eyes on being a head high school football coach and has developed different traits and ways to coach his guys.
“No matter what sport I was playing or what sport I was going to play in college, I knew ultimately I would become a high school head football coach. While growing up, I was in an area that had a lot of great high school head coaches. I loved the impact that football could have on a school and a community,” Mann said.
Brown believes this squad is in for good things.
“It has been a great challenge but also a major blessing,” Brown said of Mann taking over the program. “Coach Mann has been with us since summer of 2022. He’s seen the struggle these past two classes have been through. He already had a great relationship with his DB’s but now him being head coach he had to get to know everyone.”
Going into this season, you can see that Coach Mann is already having a great impact on the team and is not changing the standard for this Ben Davis football program.
The schedule this year will be a great challenge for the team, but having a coach like coach Mann will help because he is committed to the team, the program, and Ben Davis. After Friday’s game in Cincinnati the Giants have four straight home games with Avon, Pike, IMG Academy and Warren Central making trips to Giants Stadium.
