Myles Traveled is a great story. It’s an inspirational story. It’s the American Dream.”

— JIM LACHEY OSU All-American

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Still Coaching

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Steve Davis

I received a text on Sunday evening from Gary Black. Readers of Myles Traveled will remember Gary as the All City quarterback that Bill Myles once kicked off his team for “slacking”. The text was accompanied by a photo of a very young Bill Myles and a very “repentant and reformed” Gary Black, both in suits and ties, at the signing of Gary’s letter of intent to play college football. Gary wanted me to know he had just completed his Ph.D in Leadership and Management and that the motivation had come from Coach Myles. Ironically Gary’s thesis was titled Connection of Self-Awareness to Ethical and Participative Leadership in the Decision Making Process. The ole coach has still been influencing after all these years.

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About the Authors

Bill Myles has lived a fascinating life in athletics, from segregated Kansas City and Negro Leagues Baseball, to an up and coming high school coach, and then an insider in the country’s most powerful College Football programs. Bill coached under the giants at Nebraska and Ohio State—Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne, Woody Hayes, and Earle Bruce. With a career record of 170 wins, 67 losses, 7 ties, and 8 Big Eight/Big Ten Championships, Bill coached in 14 college bowl games including the Rose, Sugar, Cotton, Orange, Fiesta and Gator Bowls. Bill then served 22 years as Associate AD at Ohio State, in the biggest college athletic department in the country.

Steve Davis is a lifelong Buckeye Fan and a 1973 graduate of The Ohio State University. His first Ohio Stadium experience was the 1969 OSU win over Purdue, which propelled the Buckeyes to a National Championship. Davis was too small (and too slow!) to play for the Buckeyes, instead graduating from the OSU College of Agriculture Honors Program.