Massillon to Open the 2024 Season Against NFL Academy-London
The scrimmages are over and it’s time for the regular season to get underway. The first order of business is a long road trip to Oregon, for a game against NFL Academy-London. This is an intriguing matchup of two teams across the pond from each other, something that the Tigers have never done before, let alone few other American teams. It is also a great opportunity for the players to experience the travel logistics normally afforded to just college and professional teams.
The Nike Football Classic, which is a joint venture of the Nike Corporation and the National Football League, will be held on Thursday, August 22, beginning with a girls’ flag football game, followed by the Massillon-Academy game. For Nike, it’s a chance to promote their company brand, while the NFL hopes to increase football participation in Europe at the high school level. As such, the game will receive national television exposure.
“The Nike Football Kickoff Classic brings fresh excitement to the start of the high school football season. For the third consecutive year, Nike has given us something to look forward to as the season begins,” said Roman Oben, Vice President of NFL Football Development. “This year, we’re adding an international twist with the NFL Academy facing off against Massillon. The experience these teams will share will be unforgettable. Congratulations to all the high school football players this year. The collaboration between Nike and the NFL continues to amplify the kickoff of the high school football season and allows each of the participating boys and girls’ high school teams to play in one of the most unique experiences in the country. The experience at Nike also allows student athletes to learn about the history of Nike and its relationship with the NFL. Student athletes will get an opportunity to hear from former Nike/NFL Ambassadors about why they love football and learn about professional development from some of the best in sports, touring one of the most robust campuses in the world.” – Ref. Play Football
The flag football game will begin at 1:30 pm, pacific time, and feature De La Salle High School of New Orleans, Louisiana, against South Anchorage High School of Alaska. Massillon and the Academy will follow at 3:30 pm. The venue is Renaldo Soccer Field, which is located at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton. Although the stadium does not presently have any permanent seating, Nike will erect portable bleachers to accommodate the crowd, which is expected to include some 250 Massillon fans.
NFL Academy-London is a traditional boarding high school, located in the UK. Over a thousand high students from across Europe try out for the Academy each year, with the goal of earning football-related scholarships to American universities and eventually finding their ways to the NFL. Eighty will secure spots on the team. There, they receive a heavy education in American football, along with taking a full load of high school-level academics. The school also adheres to the age limits that American schools use for playing eligibility. Coaches are American-bred and selected by the NFL.
The Academy opened their fall season last week by hosting Edgewater, Florida, which is rated nationally No. 57 by Play Football and No. 161 by calpreps.com. While it is considered an official game by the Academy, it was the final scrimmage for Edgewater, which opens their regular season this week. The game was a high-scoring affair, with a final point tally of 51-45 in favor of Edgewater, which led for the entire game. Obviously, not a lot of defense was on display from start to finish in a game that featured outstanding offensive athletes by both teams. However, neither tackled well and the Academy scored most of their points when missed open-field tackles led to long scores. It’s also possible that Edgewater substituted liberally, this being a scrimmage. The Academy does have some fast skill players on the roster, with good high school size on the lines. What they lack, however, is game experience. But the coaching appears to be sound and they do resemble a decently skilled high school football team.
The Massillon-Academy game be televised live on the NFL YouTube Channel and the NFL Network the following Saturday.
The Tigers are expected to travel on Tuesday and have a short practice upon arrival. A full practice is scheduled for Wednesday, along with a tour of the Nike facility. They will return on Friday.
As far as the computer calculations are concerned, the contest does not figure in and the Tigers will receive a seasonal average of Harbin points the same as having an open date. For those fans concerned about Massillon having sufficient games to qualify for the playoffs, this item has already been discussed by the OHSAA and Coach Nate Moore and there are no issues with the makeup of the schedule and the number of “Harbin games” as it stands today.
