March 28, 2024

McKim switches sidelines

Former Panther player and coach now on LC staff

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The last time 2004 Creston High School graduate Ryan McKim was in the high school football stadium in his hometown, he was offensive coordinator and an associate head coach with the Panthers in the 2016 season.

McKim was also head girls basketball coach in Creston and a golf assistant coach before moving to Omaha later in 2017.

McKim also logged a lot of Friday nights as an offensive lineman in the early 2000s at Panther Field.

So, it’s understandable that on Friday it was a little surreal to walk into the visitors dressing room and stand on the east (visitors) sideline as an assistant coach for the AP No. 2 Lewis Central Titans. One thing he noticed right away as a significant change was the new synthetic turf field.

“It was definitely a different experience, no doubt,” McKim said after the Titans’ 56-7 victory. “This field is awesome, that’s for sure.”

McKim is offensive line coach and run game coordinator for head coach Jim Duggan at Lewis Central. Justin Kammrad is offensive coordinator and Chris Hanafan is defensive coordinator.

“We all have input, but Justin is the play-caller,” said McKim, who called offensive plays for the Panthers after returning to high school coaching following stints on the Iowa State and Oklahoma University staffs.

There are many players on the current Creston/O-M team that McKim coached, and he visited briefly with many of them after Friday’s game, as well as his former coaching comrades here. He was impressed with the Panther TD play, a 33-yard pass from Eli Loudon to Kylan Smallwood.

“Just like we expected, the Creston kids competed their tails off,” McKim said. “Honestly, in that first half, we had our elite guys making big plays. Kylan made a nice catch for (Creston/O-M) and I thought Eli played great. The O-line played pretty well, too.”

McKim is working with some all-state talent on a team with championship aspirations. The quarterback, Max Duggan, has committed to TCU. On Friday he accounted for five touchdowns and 240 total yards in three quarters. Receiver Josh Simmons had 180 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Duggan directed an offense that compiled nearly 300 yards rushing and another 233 through the air.

“You have a shot, coach,” Creston/O-M coach Brian Morrison told McKim afterward, referring to the Titans’ championship hopes.

McKim is not involved in any other coaching endeavors currently. His full-time job is in sales for Hudl, a product and service of Agile Sports Technologies, Inc. — a Lincoln, Nebraska-based company providing tools for coaches and athletes to review game footage and improve team play.

The company originally served mainly college and professional teams, but it is expanding its video servces to high school and youth sports. McKim, involved in high school sales, said offices are located in both Omaha and Lincoln. He visits corporate offices in Lincoln once or twice a week.