Jeff Arndt Among the OHSFCA 2025 HOF Class
Article presented by Kingston National Bank …
Former Amanda Clearcreek and Chillicothe Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Arndt was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Friday night in a ceremony in Columbus.
Arndt is part of a class that includes legendary Mount Union Head Coach Larry Kehres (11 National Championships and 21 undefeated seasons), former Olentangy Braves Head Coach Ed Terwilliger, Brian White from Hillard Davidson HS (Division I State Champions 2006 and 2009), former Lisbon HS Head Coaches James Tsilimos (1995 Division V State Champs) and Mike Pavlansky, who also spent 23 years at Canfield HS (2022 Division III State Champions).
Note the difference when you read the credentials for Arndt. While you see the title “Head Coach” (Amanda Clearcreek 1974-80), the years accounted for only 13 percent of his career. Arndt built his legacy as a Defensive Coordinator. As of 2025, he’s the first coordinator to be selected to the OHSFCA Hall of Fame.
Reached via text, Arndt told Litter Media “I’m honored and at the same time humbled by the selection to the OHSFCA HOF. I would like to thank Jay Lucas of Coal Grove for his efforts and nomination.”
During his 53-year career, Arndt was a head coach for just seven seasons tallying a 36-33-1 record. But his mark was made in building tough defenses and as the motto says “Defense wins championships.” While at Amanda Clearcreek, Arndt’s defenses helped the Aces win back-to-back State Championships in 1999 and 2000 with three State Runner Up finishes in 1997, 2003 and 2004. There were eight Regional Championships and 15 Mid State League titles between 1985 and 2006. While at Chillicothe, Arndt helped guide the Cavaliers to a 2017 Frontier Athletic Conference title. His 2013 Cavalier Defense yielded a stingy 10.4 points per game while keeping opponents scoreless at the newly renovated Obadiah Harris Family Athletic Complex.
When asked about his more memorable moments, the two Division V State Championship wins for Amanda Clearcreek (1999 – 35-20 over St. Henry and 2000 – 21-10 over Bedford St. Peter Chanel), he noted the 1999 State semi-final with Chanel.
(Pictured: Jeff Arndt with longtime coach partner Ron Hinton during their Chillicothe Cavaliers era.)
“Our crowd was electric from the time we came out of the locker room for warmups” Arndt recounted. “Felt they (the crowd) were a factor in the win. Chanel had Bam Childress – Ohio Mr. Football and Ohio State recruit, Tony Franklin and a wide receiver who played in the Big Ten. They were a very explosive team and could score from anywhere and anytime. When we scored that 49th point, Ron (Hinton) and I felt we didn’t score enough.” Arndt said he was familiar with Chanel from his days as an assistant at Akron Hoban who played them regularly. “So it made the victory a little sweeter” said Arndt.
Arndt chimed in on a fourth from the MSL battles with Logan Elm, a 14-7 Aces victory in 1975. “LE was loaded and picked to win the league. We were 2-8 the year before but that night my team came out mad because of things said by LE before the game. The winning TD was by Mark Marshall intercepting a pitch out and going 45 yards.” Great memories from just four of the 569 games experienced by one of the newest members of the OHSFCA Hall of Fame, Jeff Arndt.
