High school football: Lorain hires Jeremy Leyva as new head coach

When Lorain went searching for its next football coach it was looking for someone who knew more than just how to run a short-yardage offense or get a stop on fourth-and-1. It was looking for someone who has a passion for the community and its students.That man is Jeremy Leyva. The Titans announced the hiring of Leyva, a 2000 Southview grad and a member of the Titans coaching staff since 2015, to be their next head football coach. Leyva will replace James Boyeas, who left for Brunswick after two seasons at Lorain, during which he posted an 11-10 record. "Coach Leyva is a graduate of Southview High School and a lifelong resident of the city of Lorain," Lorain athletic director Bryan Koury said in a press release. "He has strong ties to our community as both a coach and educator, and has been a well-respected football and baseball coach at Lorain High for the past 10 years. We are very excited about coach Leyva leading the Lorain football."In addition to 10 years on the Titans football staff, Leyva also was assistant baseball coach at Lorain for eight years and spent four years on the girls basketball coaching staff. "I'm just grateful and appreciative of the opportunity and appreciative of Mr. Koury and those who made this decision and for having the confidence and faith in me to lead the program," Leyva said. "I love the city of Lorain and I love our community. Right now there are so many question marks and morale is really low with the budget cuts in the district. There's been a lot of uncertainty, we've had two coaches in the past three seasons."One thing Leyva wants the current Titans and the athletes coming up through the youth and middle school programs to know is that he doesn't view Lorain as a stepping stone or a chance for a resume enhancement. He sees Lorain as home. "I'm a Lorain City Schools kid myself, I grew up in Lorain and I live in Lorain. This is home and I'm not going anywhere," Leyva said. "I want these kids to know and have that faith that this is a coach who is going to be here today, tomorrow, next week, next moth and next year. Hopefully we can bring some consistency. I want everybody to know as long as they're going to have me I'll be here."The Titans struggled to a 2-8 record in the first year in the Greater Cleveland Conference after winning a conference championship in 2024, their final year in the Lake Erie League. For Leyva, the first steps to rebuilding the program won't come on the practice field, but instead in the classroom. "First and foremost we need to do what we have to do in the classroom," Leyva said. "That is just as important as the weight room. If we have kids in the weight room who aren't going to be able to play in August because of their grades then none of it matters."Leyva was also on Dave McFarland's staff in 2016 and 2017 when the Titans made back-to-back playoff appearance in the old eight-team playoff format. "I'm had some coaching mentors and I'm fortunate to consider them friends now," Leyva said. "One thing I've learned from them is kids do not care how much you know until they know how much you care."Leyva's only head coaching experience was three years as the head baseball coach at Oberlin from 2021-23."I wouldn't have applied for this job if I didn't have the full confidence I could give this football program everything I've got," Leyva said. Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.