Boys & Girls assistant coach Clive Harding will take over the program after the dismissal of Barry O’Connor. (Brit Worgan)
Boys & Girls is going to try and make the most of an unfortunate situation.
Earlier this week, sixth-year coach Barry O’Connor was dismissed by the school administration after receiving an unsatisfactory rating. On Friday, principal Bernard Gassaway promoted former top assistant Clive Harding to head coach, Harding told The Post, after a 45-minute meeting.
“One of the things I told the coaching staff was that nothing is gonna change,” Harding said. “What I’ve done, I’m going to continue to do. What you’ve done, you’re gonna continue to do.”
Most of the conversation, Harding said, focused more on academics and the development of student-athletes rather than winning football games. The new coach said he and Gassaway were on the same page from the very start.
“He likes coaches to really focus on education,” Harding said.
Of course, the Kangaroos have a chance to be pretty good this year, too, with plenty of talent in place. One rival coach with knowledge of Boys & Girls said, under condition of anonymity, that the ’Roos could end up being one of the top five squads in the PSAL.
Harding is not ready to make any such proclamations yet. But he is excited about an offense that might air it out more in years past with his nephew, Keon Marsh, under center. A junior, Marsh is good size and a presence in the pocket to go along with a solid arm. He was the backup behind Marlon Marcelle in 2010.
“He sat last year, so he’s hungry to be on the field and to do good,” Harding said. “He’s a smart kid.”
He’ll also have the luxury of some pretty nice weapons, starting with impressive running back Khadeem Campbell, who was probably Boys High’s second best player last year after current UConn freshman Wilbert Lee. Fullback Richardson Derosena and right half back Najee Champagne make up what could be a very dangerous collection of runners.
“I think we have a very complete back field,” Harding said. “We have a mixture of power and speed and we have some kids that are backups that are very good that could also be starting.”
Marsh will also have John Courcelle, who Harding calls perhaps the best tight end in the city, and a wide receiver to throw to that he knows very well – twin brother Akeel Marsh.
“They got a little bit of chemistry,” Harding said with a laugh.
Akeel Marsh will also lead an experienced secondary. The linebacking corps is where the Kangaroos are going to win games this year. Christian Hardin and Tristan Laurore are both back on the inside and Harding is expecting greatness from each.
“I think they’re both all-city candidates,” he said. “They’re both intelligent. They’re going to play a very big part on defense.”
They will have to be, because the defensive line is somewhat unproven. It’ll be anchored by Donald Reid at tackle. He and powerhouse Mustafa Davis, who benches 400 pounds, will lead the offensive line, at left tackle and right guard, respectively.
Those big boys will need to be in top form quickly, because The High sees Curtis, Erasmus Hall, defending champion Fort Hamilton and much-improved Port Richmond the first four weeks of the season.
“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Derosena said. If we get through that, we’re gonna be fine.”
Harding thinks so, too. He doesn’t think the impromptu ouster of O’Connor will have a negative impact on the team. Harding has promoted seventh-year assistant Kimani Smith to his right-hand man and brought in Glenroy Watkins as the head JV coach and multi-faceted varsity assistant. Watkins played for Harding at Sheepshead Bay before going on to Central Florida.
Harding, himself, has been waiting for a head coaching job for a long time. He was Fred Snyder’s assistant at Sheepshead for 13 years before the last five seasons at Boys & Girls. The retired NYPD officer, now a sub at the Bed-Stuy school, was also a star at Lincoln, where he set the PSAL record for touchdowns in a championship game (four) in 1981.
“It’s gonna take a little while,” Harding said of making Boys High into a title contender. “But I think we’re gonna get it done.”