With less than a week till the official start of football practice, Griffith welcomes back maybe it’s favorite son who ever wore a Black & Gold uniform.
Ben Geffert was probably one of the best players the program ever minted. At 6-3, 260, he was a bruiser. A force on the D Line. He’s back for the second time on the Panther coaching staff in charge of the Defensive Line. Head coach Phil Mason greenlit the move a few weeks ago for the Black & Gold who ended ranked 8th in the 3A Associated Press poll last season.
When the now 39-year-old stepped down as head football coach following the 2018 campaign, fans and players were shocked. The Panthers had gone 30-16 in his four years, had won the Northwest Crossroads Conference in 2017 and made the Sectional Final.
No one had seen his exit coming. Geffert had turned the program around following three dark seasons where Griffith went 7-24. How could he leave as a kid who grew up in town, was a standout in the Boneyard and was sighted as a 2005 AP First Team All-Stater his senior year. Griffith was 13-0 and ranked #1 in its class that year before being upset by Northwood in the Semi-State. He headed to Indiana State where he was a three-year starter and a standout on the D line.
When Geffert left GHS 8 years ago, he says it was for a better financial opportunity for his family. “We had just had our twins that fall. There were four kids under 4-years-old,” says Geffert. He took a position at Wilbur Wright Middle School in Munster as a teacher and assistant football coach for the Mustangs. Following that, he also handled an assistant role at Highland and then back to Griffith in 2014 under Jim Pickett.
After that 2018 season, Geffert spent the next seasons in assistant roles at Munster and Calumet College. He took over a faltering program at Highland in 2024 and admittedly struggled there with a 3-17 mark in two seasons ending with his resignation.
Regarding his coaching philosophy, Geffert seems to still be in a learning mode. Maybe becoming a head coach just four years after he graduated from Terre Haute was too soon. Regardless of that, he was 33-33 in five seasons, so not so bad.
“I always wanted to be around the game,” adds Geffert. He played for Griffith’s winningest coach in Russ Radtke who is still coaching in his 70s. “Anyone who played for Russ knew it was all about hard work and brotherhood.”
Radtke definitely was an influence on the young Geffert. “He believed less was more, “adds Ben. “I learned from someone who has been there and done that.” Radtke’s gameplan was based on the not so popular option offense and a solid 4-3 D. All that was good enough for Radtke, the 2nd winningest coach in Indiana high school football along with being in the Hall of Fame.
Geffert has also seen how not to do it. He was part of the 33-game consecutive losing streak at Indiana State. Even though playing for the Sycamores was challenging at times he played under staff coaches including Jesse Minter, now head coach of the Baltimore Ravens and a native of Yorktown, IN; and Mike Denbrock, now offensive coordinator at Notre Dame. “These kinds of coaches bring about a change in culture so key to turning a program around, “adds Geffert.
Focusing on his challenge now at Griffith, the defensive line, Geffert admits he’s still getting to know the players. He just met many of them a few weeks ago. He and Head Coach Phil Mason did not know each other well before the hiring. Geffert faced Mason four times overall when Mason was at Andrean, Michigan City and the last two Highland openers versus the Panthers. The Trojans travel to the Boneyard August 21 to kick off the season.
“There’s a consistency in the way Phil coaches,” says Geffert. “We definitely have size on the D line. There is great leadership from the players themselves. There’s a tremendous amount of detail they have to digest and that should show up on the field.”
The take on Griffith is that they have exceptional skill players in experienced seniors—quarterback Ryan Bullion, running back Desmond Neylon and wide receiver Jason Quillin. The question is the O and D lines, especially since Griffith graduated 14 seniors last year, 10 who went both ways.
“You’ll have better answers the more you learn,” points out Geffert. He also needs to get accustomed to the new league he is in. He contends the Greater South Shore is weaker than the Northwest Crossroads that he’s used to. “The schedule is the schedule and you play who you play.”
Maybe the bigger question is whether Geffert is the heir apparent to become next Panther head coach again. Mason has been on record Griffith is the last stop in his coaching career. He is in his 60s and battled some health problems which sidelined him for three games last year.
“That’s not on my radar right now, responses Geffert to what his future could bring. “I need to take a couple steps back right now. My No. 1 responsibility is the D Line. I want the community to be proud of the unit. We want to show that level of intensity on the field.”
What about the possibility of playing current 2A State Champ Andrean, now 3A, in the same sectional? “I love it. Absolutely love it. That’s what’s so great about this game. To have the opportunity to return to that rivalry. I believe this group is ready for that.” He remembers fondly when he recalls the blood and guts battles with the ‘59ers when he was at GHS. “That was the game we all lived for.”
Geffert admits he appreciates the fact that the town and school have given him so much. Griffith’s favorite son has returned. Now it’s time for all that football knowledge he has to pay off in aiding the Panthers.
Editor’s Note: This will be the 13th consecutive season, Nick Romano has covered Griffith High School teams. He started his professional sports writing career at the Muncie Star Press. Romano covered 17 high schools in the coverage area along with the Ball State Cards.
Eventually, he became an editor at Golf Digest magazine. Born in the Region, he grew up in Griffith. Nick was defensive captain for the Panthers and went on to play at UIndy, where he was the first Region player ever recruited. He is based in Connecticut.
