Jerry Rutherford has won 179 games in 29 years as the head football coach at Eastwood.

Thirty percent of those wins have come in the last nine seasons and, coincidentally, all three of Jerry and Connie Rutherford's boys have played for the Eagles during that time.

“The last 10 years has been the best decade of Eastwood football, with five league championships and six playoff appearances,” Coach Rutherford said. “To have your three sons play on the best teams the school has had, it's been a neat experience for us.”

Rutherford's oldest son, Craig, graduated from Eastwood in 2006 after playing for the Eagles as an All-Suburban Lakes League tight end. Craig was a long-snapper for the Bowling Green State University football team before graduating last December, and he now teaches at Anthony Wayne and calls the defense on Friday nights for Eastwood.

Eric Rutherford, a 2008 Eastwood graduate, played quarterback and free safety for his father from 2004-07 and was a first-team all-league defensive back as a senior. He played at Baldwin-Wallace College but was injured his sophomore year and is now an assistant coach with the Yellow Jackets.

“He comes back on Friday nights and he's in the press box with us,” coach Rutherford said.

Jeff Rutherford is the last of Rutherford's boys to play for the Eagles. Jeff, a three-year starter, “is having a great senior year,” according to his father.

“I haven't gotten on him as much as his brothers,” the coach said. “He's done a great job for us.”

Jeff is a 6-foot, 215-pound guard/defensive end for the Eagles, who take a 5-3 record (4-1 SLL) into Friday night's non-league clash at Patrick Henry. Coach Rutherford said Eastwood still has a shot to make the Division IV playoffs if it beats the Patriots (7-1) and ends the regular season with a win over winless Gibsonburg.

Jeff's career began as a starting center for the Eagles and he earned first-team All-SLL honors as a sophomore. He moved to offensive tackle last season (he also started at defensive tackle) and made second-team all-league. Jeff is also a standout punter – he's averaging 37.1 yards per kick this season – and was named the SLL's first-team all-league punter in 2009.

He returned at defensive end this season and is sixth on the team with 41 tackles. On offense, he was moved from tackle to tight end at the beginning of the season and caught three passes for 29 yards in three games. Coach Rutherford, however, knew changes had to be made on offense following a 35-7 loss at Oak Harbor.

“We were 1-2 and we felt our offense was struggling,” the coach said. “We had four offensive linemen back from last year, but we started Jeff out at tight end because we weren't sure where we were with our tight ends. Cody Smith (5 catches, 103 yards) has really developed there and done a great job for us. We moved Jeff to guard, so this is his third offensive line position in three years. He's in his best spot, at offensive guard, and he's made a difference in our offense.”

Jeff, who is one of four team captains, said he dropped 20 pounds from last season to be in better shape for his senior year.

“I quit eating school lunches and did more stuff in the weight room, and I'm in the best shape I've been in,” he said. “Playing guard has been my favorite position. I'm getting to pull on different plays. Playing Lake was probably the best game I've ever played, the best I've ever blocked. I was getting after them.”

Jeff said playing for his father has its “ups and downs,” but overall it's been a great experience.

“This year's been kind of neat,” he said. “My brother is a defensive coordinator and my other brother comes home on weekends and is on the phones in the press box. All four of us are going at it on Friday nights. It's definitely unique and not a lot of people get to experience it. I've personally enjoyed it. Sometimes we talk (about football) at home. Sometimes I try to throw in my two cents and it usually doesn't go very well.”

Jeff, who has a 3.5 GPA and is vice president of student council, said he might try to walk on to the BGSU football team next year as a punter. He said the highlight of his football career occurred last season, when the Eagles put a 35-6 licking on undefeated and top-seeded Galion in the first round of the playoffs.

“A lot of people played their best games that day,” Jeff said. “I think that was the most fun we've all had together.”

Coach Rutherford said he has come to terms with the fact that this is the last year one of his sons will play for him. The Eagles have posted a 76-23 record since the Rutherford boys began playing at Eastwood in 2002.

“It will be sad to see that part of our life end,” Rutherford said. “They were all team managers for us and they all hung around. It's been a pretty neat experience and I've really enjoyed it.”

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