Here are the Top Massillon Quarterbacks of All Time
With the success that the Massillon Tigers have achieved on the football field in their long history, it comes as no surprise that a good number of outstanding quarterbacks have come through the program. This story presents what is believed to be the top few of many good ones.
To be selected for recognition in this story a player must have produced great performance numbers or achieved All-Ohio honors. Also, he must have led his team to high-level finishes, either in the early sportswriters’ polls or in the more recent post-season playoffs.
Four time periods have been categorized, since it is not considered fair to compare quarterbacks from one era to next. The first is during use of the “Single Wing” formation, from the early days of football until the late 1940s. The second is when Coach Chuck Mather brought the Full House-T to Massillon. That kicked off the “Power Run” formations and covers a time period from 1948 through 1998. The third is when Coach Rick Shepas introduced the “Spread Offense.” That period runs from 1999 to present day. The fourth is reserved for “Dual-Purpose” quarterbacks, regardless of time period. For, their prowess in running the ball cannot be ignored, in spite of having average passing numbers.
Finally, many of these quarterbacks have been inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame, while several others who are surely deserving have been overlooked. Let’s hope that this gets remedied in the future.
SINGLE WING HALFBACKS
In 1907 a rule was added requiring that all players in the backfield be positioned off the line, meaning that the quarterback could not be directly under center. It was implemented to eliminate the “bunch” or modern day “tush-push” formation, which led to many severe injuries, and even death. In response to this change, Glen Pop Warner created the Single-Wing formation, which placed one of the backs, referred to as the “wing,” just outside the edge of the line. The quarterback was moved from under center to a position immediately behind one of the outside linemen. Meanwhile, the two halfbacks were aligned using a dual shotgun formation. In essence, either of these two would receive the snap, with the options of running, passing or handing off. Looking back, these players could have been considered as the first dual-purpose quarterbacks.
Mike Byelene (1934-36) – During his career Byelene was fortunate enough to be involved in three very successful campaigns, each of which captured state and national championships, while winning 29 of 30 games. From his halfback position, Byelene recorded 56 touchdowns, 34 in the air and 22 on the ground. He also played defense and was credited with returning a pass interception 45 yards for a touchdown vs. Canton McKinley in a 21-0 victory. Following his time at Massillon he suited up for Purdue University.
George Slusser (1937-39) – Slusser picked up where Byelene left off. During his three years he passed for 19 touchdowns and rushed for another 25. His undefeated 1938 team won the state championship and the unbeaten 1939 team took home both the state and national championships. After being awarded 1st Team All-Ohio, he continued his career at Ohio State University. Later he was inducted into both the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame and the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Tom James (1940) – James made his mark as the designated passer in Coach Paul Brown’s offense in 1940, following a good season rushing the ball the prior year. He finished the campaign with 11 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing TDs. With his team finishing as both state and national champions, James received 1st Team All-Ohio Honors. Later, he played for Ohio State University and the Cleveland Browns, with Brown as his head coach at both stops. James is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame and the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Romeo Pelligrini (1942-43) – During his two years as a starter Pelligrini recorded 14 passing and 11 rushing touchdowns, while winning 19 of 20 games. The ’43 team finished 10-0 and was named state champion, with Pelligrini being selected Honorable Mention All-Ohio.
POWER RUN GAME QUARTERBACKS
In the late 1940s, newly-hired head coach Chuck Mather brought the Full House-T formation to Massillon after the aforementioned rule change was lifted, kickstarting thte power run game era. And that approach remained in effect until the introduction of the Spread Offense in the late 1990s. Throughout that time, teams traditionally threw the ball around 20% of the time. So, it was difficult for quarterbacks to put up big passing numbers as compared to the modern spread offenses, which throw the ball around 40% of the time. Nevertheless, there were some very good quarterbacks at that time.
Rich Crescenze (1953-54) – Crescenze was under center for the 1953 state and national championship team and the 1954 state championship team. During his two years he passed for 19 touchdowns and was also named team captain. After Massillon Crescenze played for Kansas University.
Joe Sparma (1957-59) – Sparma was a force at quarterback for three years and is credited with 26 touchdown passes overall. His 1959 team was unbeaten and won both the state and national championships, while passing that year for 660 yards and 14 touchdowns. Overall, his teams finished with a combined record of 26-2-1. Then, it was off to Ohio State University for both football and baseball. Sparma capped it off with a long career in baseball with the Detroit Tigers and Montreal Expos. Later, he was inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame and the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Ron Swartz (1962-63) – Swartz was the starting quarterback for two years, including the 1963 season, when the team captured the All-American Conference championship during the league’s first year of operation. He finished his career with 1,708 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. Later, he played for Kent State University. Six times Swartz is named in the Massillon records book Top Tens.
Brent Offenbecher (1977-78) – Offenbecher, who started for two years, holds 12 records book Top-Tens in the Massillon records book. His 1977 team finished with an 8-2 record, but did upset the No. 1 team in the region, Canton McKinley, 21-0. The following year, the Tigers trailed the Bulldogs 10-0 after three quarters. But Offenbecher found the endzone twice in the fourth to engineer a 13-10 victory. In that game he completed 17 of 20 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. For his career, he passed for 2,718 yards and 22 TDs, while scoring 60 points himself. Later, he played for both Wake Forest and Ohio State.
Dave Eberhart (1980) – Eberhart made the most of his only year as a starter, leading his team to the Division I state finals game. Along the way he was team captain and also earned 1st Team All-Ohio honors. During the regular season Massillon was unbeaten entering the game against McKinley, but dropped a 16-7 decision. As fate would have it, the two teams were matched against each other in the playoffs the following week. This time it went the Tigers’ way in a 14-6 victory, with Eberhart completing a 12-yard TD pass for the clinching points. He finished his career with 1,536 yards passing and 17 TDs.
Brian Dewitz (1982-83) – Dewitz started for two years and was under center in the state finals game at the end of his first season. That loss to Cincinnati Moeller spoiled an undefeated campaign. The following year the Tigers finished 9-1, but failed to qualify for the playoffs. For his career, the team captain passed for 2,516 yards and found the endzone 25 times. He also holds the Massillon record for single game yards per completion (33.2), which came in a game against Canton GlenOak. Later, Dewitz played for Indiana University.
SPREAD OFFENSE QUARTERBACKS
Offenses changed drastically with the introduction of the Spread Offense, which employs multiple split ends and a quarterback aligned in a shotgun position. Suddenly, teams were throwing the ball around 40% of the time, with quarterbacks putting up some big numbers. It also didn’t hurt when the OHSAA expanded the playoffs, providing opportunities for teams to play additional games.
Justin Zwick (2000-01) – Zwick transferred to Massillon fresh off a state championship at Orrville. And he continued right where he left off: throwing the ball all over the field and winning games. By the time he left, Zwick owned seven different Massillon passing records, including a career average of 229.4 yards passing per game. He also has 38 records book Top-Tens. He ended his career with a 20-5 record, 437 completions, 5,736 yards and 63 touchdowns. He also scored six TDs while rushing the ball. In 2001 his 12-2 team advanced to the playoff state semifinals game, defeating McKinley twice along way. Following each of his seasons he was named 1st Team All-Ohio and he parlayed that into a 4-year career at Ohio State University. Zwick is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
Matt Martin (2002) – Rick Shepas referred to Martin as his “coach on the field” and so trusting was he of Martin that he permitted him to call the plays in several games. During his lone year as a starter Massillon recorded an 11-3 record and advanced in the playoffs to state semifinals game. But it wasn’t easy getting there. In an earlier game against Perry, Martin needed to complete 21 of 29 passes for 293 yards, including one that set up the winning field goal as time expired. Career-wise, he threw for 2,115 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also owns nine records book Top-Tens.
Bobby Huth (2005-06) – Huth is remembered for 230 yards passing and two TDs, while converting a 3rd and 30 situation for a first down on the winning drive, enroute to a 21-17 victory over Ohio’s No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward in the state semifinals. That 2005 team finished with a 13-2 record and as Division I state runner-up, with Huth throwing for 2,107 yards and 21 touchdowns. The following year he eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark and passed for 21 TDs. A team captain and 2nd Team All-Ohioan, he owns 14 records book Top Tens. Huth is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
Kyle Kempt (2010-2012) – Kempt started for most of three years and finished with 6,034 yards passing and 62 touchdowns. In his senior year as a team captain he was named 2nd Team All-Ohio, with the team advancing to the playoff regional finals. In his two wins over McKinley, he completed 27 of 49 passes for 462 yards and five touchdowns. Kempt holds two Massillon records: single season completion percentage (66.4%) and single season average yards per game (235.1). He also has 24 records book Top Tens. Later, he played for Oregon State and Iowa State. And he is currently an offensive assistant coach for the NFL Denver Broncos. Kempt is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
Aidan Longwell (2017-19) – Longwell was a 3-year starter and compiled a team record of 35-5. Both his 2018 and 2019 teams produced undefeated regular seasons and finished in the playoffs as state runners-up. Longwell was named team captain in 2018. In 2019 he was again team captain, but also earned 1st Team All-Ohio honors in addition to being named the state’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year. He recorded four wins over Canton McKinley and tossed the winning TD pass in a 16-15 victory as a sophomore. Longwell owns 46 records book Top Tens, with five Massillon No. 1s, including career yards (7,707) and career touchdowns (84). Later, he played baseball for Kent State University. He currently plays baseball in the Colorado Rockies system.
Jalen Slaughter (2021-22, 24) – Slaughter holds the single season record for quarterback efficiency rating (188.7), which he achieved owing to significant playing time as a backup on the 2023 team that captured the Division II state championship. As a 3-year starter he passed for 6,475 yards and 66 touchdowns, with a 3-year team record of 34-6. In 2022 he quarterbacked the team to the playoff state semifinals. Slaughter owns three wins over McKinley, in which he completed 28 of 41 passes (68%) with three TDs. He also owns 29 records book Top Tens.
DUAL PURPOSE QUARTERBACKS
Dual-purpose quarterbacks are those that are adept at both passing and running, in essence giving teams another running threat in the backfield. As a rule, they are not necessarily coached that way, but they are better defined as more gifted athletes. Massillon is fortunate enough to have had several.
Dave Sheegog (1965) – Sheegog was the hero of the 1964 Massillon-McKinley game. With his team down 14-0 at the start the fourth quarter, he took over at quarterback and engineered three scoring drives that propelled the team to a 20-14 victory, while also giving the Tigers an undefeated season and state championship. In fact, he scored the winning TD on a 14-yard scramble with under a minute left in the game. As a starter the following year, he led his team to a second undefeated season and state championship, passing for 427 yards and scoring a team-high 59 points. Sheegog is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
Dennis Franklin (1969-70) – Franklin gained experience as a part-time starter in 1969 and turned that into a state championship the following year. For his career, he passed for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns, while scoring 84 points rushing. He holds six records book Top Tens and was named in 1970 as 2nd Team All-Ohio. After Massillon, Franklin was the starter at quarterback for three years at the University of Michigan. Per his coach, it would have been four if freshmen had been permitted to play at that time. Following college, he played briefly for the Detroit Lions. Franklin is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame and the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Lee Hurst (1988-89) – Hurst started for two years, posting a win-loss mark of 17-6. In 1989 the team finished 10-3 and ended the year in the playoff state semifinals game. During that season, Hurst completed 226 of 423 passes for 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also rushed for 243 yards and scored 47 points. For his performance, the team captain was named Honorable Mention All-Ohio. Career wise, he passed for 2,845 yards and 22 TDs, while rushing for 471 yards and scoring 101 points. Hurst holds ten Massillon records book Top Tens. After high school he played for Kent State University. As an aside, during his freshman year he kicked a 23-yard field goal in overtime against Canton McKinley for a 10-7 victory.
Mike Danzy (1992-93) – Danzy was perhaps the most underrated quarterback to ever play for the Tigers. His name doesn’t jump out when talking about the great ones, but he put up some pretty good numbers as a 2-year starter in a 3-year career, owing to some great speed and athletic ability. Included was 1,897 yards passing with 23 touchdowns, along with 1,181 yards rushing, while scoring 98 points. In his senior year, the team posted a 10-2 record and advanced in the playoffs to the regional finals. He owns 5 records book Top Tens.
Willie Spencer, Jr. (1994) – After playing defense as a junior Spencer was moved to the starting quarterback position as a senior. There, he was simply the man on the field, leading the team in both rushing and passing. And he was surely the most athletic quarterback to ever wear the orange and black. But Spencer was also way ahead of his time in operating as a dual-purpose QB, something that wasn’t in vogue collegiately until many years later. During the season he passed for 941 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also rushing for 775 yards and scoring 108 points. Included in that was a superb performance against Canton McKinley in the 100th rivalry game when he accounted for 197 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in a 42-41 overtime victory. A 1st Team All-Ohioan, he later played quarterback for the University of Akron. Spencer is a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
Da’One Owens (2023) – Owens was Massillon’s best example of a dual-purpose quarterback, one having outstanding ability to both pass and the run the ball. Throughout a championship run, during which the Tigers finished 16-0 and captured the Division II state title, Owens passed for 1,566 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,302 yards, while scoring 92 points. Meanwhile, his team played perhaps the toughest schedule that the Tigers had ever faced, which included an opening game against Valdosta, Georgia, the nation’s winningest team. That’s when Owens saw his first action, as a sub! Down 14-0 early, he immediately ripped off a 65-yard run to the five yard line and then later tied the score with a 69-yard sprint to the end zone. Then he capped it in the fourth quarter with a 66-yard TD run for the winning points. A team captain, Owens was named 1st Team Al-Ohio following the season. Later, he played for Slippery Rock.
