Tiger Legacy. David Foster

what my name was. I said, “Marcus Whitfield.” He said he wanted me to follow in my parents’ and my grandparents’ footsteps and continue the Whitfield family name in Massillon. I’ve thought about that talk, and I knew it was time to really pick it up.

      Mom: Lytoria Whitfield

      I went to Timken High School and rooted for [Canton] McKinley, so when I first met my husband, there were Massillon–McKinley games or parties, and of course I rooted for the other side. It was exciting to watch the games through high school, but as an adult, I saw things on a different level. I realized how much football matters to the Massillon community and the support system they created. I converted when Marcus started wearing the Massillon uniform.

      At some point, it became clear to me that this was his path. He had a love for it on so many levels. He was so involved, so ready to play the game and bleed orange and black. He went through the whole Massillon system and played with the same kids since he was five years old. Just to experience that and to watch all of these children grow up together and go through these different phases of life, from the Boys & Girls Club, when it was flag football, to when they actually put pads on, was amazing. I remember the first time he put pads on. I was nervous and thought, “Oh God, this is real.” Then they got to play on the big field, as they called it, which was Tiger Stadium. They did things together, graduated together, and they are still friends today.

      COACH HUFF AND DAD

       Jeff Huffman, retired coach and Tiger dad

      While interviewing for head coaching jobs, an opening came up in Massillon as an assistant. We sat down as a family, and I said, “You know, I love being a head coach, but I want my boys to have the experience I had of playing at Massillon. If I do this, we’re staying here until I retire.” That’s what happened.

      And it paid off big-time.

      I remember Brett and Beau as kids, wanting to play football, wanting to be Tigers. It brought back memories of growing up in Massillon. I lived on the west side of town, and I wasn’t old enough to walk to the games. So while the junior high and high school kids would walk past my house, I’d be in the yard kicking a football in the air, as hard as I could kick it, then running to catch it. Later, my own kids would do the same thing.

      When Beau was a freshman and I was coaching the freshman team, he came up to me and said, “Hey, Dad.” I looked at him, grabbed him, and I said, “Hey, listen. I’m not Dad. When we’re out here on this field, I’m Coach Huff, and don’t ever forget that.” He never did forget. He still calls me Coach Huff to this day.

      But now that I’m retiring, I can be Dad again.

      You get exposure in Massillon, so as long as you’re halfway decent, you’re going to get a college education out of it.

      Brett had a great career here, ended up getting a full scholarship to Duke. There’s no doubt in my mind that he was an NFL-caliber player. He went through all the combines, but he didn’t get drafted. They wanted him to try out as a free agent. He said, “Dad, I didn’t want to disappoint you, but I just had enough.”

      I said, “Brett, you haven’t disappointed me in the least bit. You got everything I ever wanted you to get out of playing football. You went to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world, you had a great career there, and you came out owing zero.

      “Anything above that is the cherry on top of the sundae.”

      RIP DAD

       Emmanuel Brantley, Tiger captain

      I really wanted to do something for my father. The big thing I saw players do at the start of a game was to write something that [had meaning] to them when they taped up their wrists. I know he would have loved to be here supporting me for my first game.

      I put “RIP Dad” on my tape, and I played for him.

      MY SIDELINER

       Emmanuel Brantley, Tiger captain

      My father went to McKinley, so he really wanted me to be a Bulldog. Then I had a change of heart and wanted to go to Massillon. He was the toughest one to persuade, but when he realized it was a good choice for me, he let me go. Once I got there, he became a Tiger.

      Having him in the stands supporting me was a huge plus. He just told me to follow my dreams and do what my heart told me to do, and what God tells me to do. He told me that he thought I made the right move. Having him have my back was a great feeling.

      I came back from some event, and my cousin called and said that my dad fell. He was about to take off his hoodie so my cousin could cut his hair, and he just fell over. They called the ambulance. After long hours of waiting in the hospital, they told us that my dad had passed.

      It was a very tough time, because I was going into my senior year, and you want your parents to be there for senior night and all that. But knowing that he wasn’t going to be there in person, but still there watching me from above, was really different.

      My teammates were there for me. I did not expect them to be at the funeral, but they came. They patted me on the back, saying things like, “Stay up and keep going forward” and “He’s in a better place now.” My father was so big on football. He always told me that I was a good player. My teammates told me that he was proud of me and of everything I had accomplished. The one thing I really wanted to do was be a captain and a leader, and I did get the opportunity my senior year.