by Michael Leonard
Sports Editor
When word came Oct. 7 that the Cleveland Browns had traded wide receiver Braylon Edwards to the New York Jets, most of Northeast Ohio focused on what the Browns gave up in the trade.
However, the buzz around Nordonia High School was on a player the Browns picked up.
Jason Trusnik, a 2002 graduate of Nordonia High School, was traded to the Browns along with wide receiver Chansi Stuckey and two draft picks in exchange for Edwards.
Among former and current football coaches at Nordonia, the news of Trusnik’s move was greeted with plenty of excitement.
Although he is listed as a linebacker, Trusnik has spent most of his time in the NFL on special teams.
Trusnik went undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft, but was signed by the Jets in May 2007 before spending most of the 2007 season on the Jets’ practice squad.
He was re-signed by the Jets in November 2007, but spent time on the injured list over his first two seasons.
Despite the injuries, Trusnik finished with eight tackles on special teams in 2007 and six in 2008. He also saw some time on defense for the Jets in 2008.
So far this season, Trusnik has accounted for six tackles and one forced fumble. He was named the AFC special teams player of the week after registering two solo tackles and forcing a fumble Sept. 27 against Tennessee.
Coaches happy
for Trusnik
“It is really an amazing story,” Rob Rardin, head coach for the Knights in 2000 and 2001, said of Trusnik’s journey to the Browns. “I think everybody should hear about this.”
Rardin said Trusnik took a different path to the NFL than high school teammate Rob Sims.
Sims went on to star as an offensive lineman at Ohio State and now is starting offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks.
“He was not blessed with great natural ability like Rob Sims was, but he was such a hard worker,” Rardin said. “It’s really inspirational, that’s for sure.”
“He always was the All-American young man, so to speak,” said former Knights head coach Keith Boedicker. “Everyone associated with Nordonia football is really proud of Jason. With Rob Sims, you knew at a very young age he was NFL material. Jason was a very late bloomer. He really developed at Ohio Northern.”
Rardin said Trusnik caused a bit of a dilemma during his senior year at Nordonia. Although he rated Trusnik as a hard worker and solid player, he was a backup at quarterback and free safety.
“He was such a good kid that I knew we needed to have him on the field somewhere,” Rardin said. “Coach Greg Lucak and Al Huge came in and said they wanted to put his hand down and make him a defensive end.
“I thought it was too radical, but did it ever turn out to be the right decision.”
Huge, the Knight’s defensive line coach and now Nordonia’s head coach, said the move made sense to him immediately.
“When he first got to high school, he was just kind of like a clumsy guy,” Huge said. “His junior and senior year, he really matured.”
Trusnik ended up playing so well at defensive end for Nordonia that he was able to earn a spot at Ohio Northern University.
It was at ONU where Trusnik blossomed.
Trusnik became a two-time Division III All-American with the Polar Bears and was named the Division III defensive player of the year in 2005 by Football Gazette.
He still holds Ohio Northern’s career records for sacks (43) and tackles for loss (85).Younger brothers Lenny and Danny Trusnik followed him to Ohio Northern.
Huge said he saw how much Trusnik had improved when he witnessed him play in college.
“He literally stood out,” Huge said. “It was obvious he was the best player on the field. He was more active than anybody.”
“To see a player come from the Division III level to the NFL is a major accomplishment,” Boedicker said.
Boedicker now coaches Division III football as a defensive line coach at Baldwin-Wallace College. He said Trusnik gives him a good example for his players to reach for.
“This is the story I’m going to tell the guys,” Boedicker said. “Jason set a positive example for everyone. He has always carried himself like a professional. I think that makes a big difference.”
E-mail: mleonard@recordpub.com
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