North Ridgeville football: All-Ohioan J.D. Radway returns leaner, ready to lead Rangers’ offensive line

North Ridgeville coach Bryan Morgan knew the moment he saw J.D. Radway that he would be big.

He was almost like ‘Big Mike’ from “The Blind Side,” which happens to be Radway’s favorite movie.

“(Radway) was No. 55, a foot taller than every kid,” Morgan said. “He would catch a (rebound) and throw an overhead outlet pass in third grade all the way to halfcourt. You knew that he was going to be big. His dad, Jack (Radway), was 6-8.”

As it turned out, the 6-foot-4, 345-pound left tackle was a little too big for his preference. Even after he secured an All-Ohio selection in 2023, he was committed to improving his speed.

Over the span of an offseason, he lost 45 pounds, as he and Morgan anticipate it would improve his speed and be the staple of North Ridgeville’s much-improved rushing attack.

“I have been working on my speed,” Radway said. “I have the strength, and I lost a ton of weight. Coach Morgan told me that he wanted me at 300-to-290 (pounds) this year. I was down. I got in the gym, ate right and worked on myself.”

North Ridgeville had another player who took a similar path to find success. Former defensive lineman Shane Osborne was an anchor on the opposite side of the ball.

“We told (Radway) that it is like running with a (45-pound) plate on your back when he was playing at 345 (pounds) last year,” Morgan said. “He has lost weight. He has always been a physical kid. Now he can get on linebackers and can move.”

After losing weight, he was named the Lombardi Award winner, which is given to the best senior defensive lineman in Lorain County.

Having a former teammate experience the same journey became a convenient route for advice.

“Shane (Osborne) was a big help,” Radway said. “When I texted him on how he lost all of that weight, he was able to point me in the right direction on how to eat right, get in the lab and get the cardio in.”

North Ridgeville is expected to return four of its five offensive linemen, with Radway as the sharpest on the edge. He is one of four returning All-Ohioans, as he was a second-team Division II selection.

“I have better steps to get to a mike linebacker when I pull,” he said. “I am constantly getting there and going downhill. I am feeling faster.”

The offensive line is expected to be as deep as seven quality linemen, according to the team.

It was without multiple key players in North Ridgeville’s scrimmage in the Strongsville quad Aug. 9, but still imposed its will on the ground against Lakeside, Strongsville and Riverside. Since then, it hosted a scrimmage against Euclid on Aug. 15.

“I think that we learned that we are a physical and fast football team,” Morgan said. “We have a lot of work to do. With where we are at, we are pretty happy with (our progress).”

The Rangers were a predominant run-first team that won eight games for the first time since 2009. With an 8-4 season (4-3 in SWC), North Ridgeville won its first playoff game in school history, with a 35-14 victory over Valley Forge.

RB Zack Barnhart reaches the end zone, celebrates with All-Ohio lineman JD Radway@MJournalSports @NR_Rangers pic.twitter.com/0RrsrE0UMK

— Mark Perez-Krywany 🤓 (@Perez_Sports) August 9, 2024

“I am really optimistic. I have a high standard for us this year,” Radway said. “I don’t want us to be good, I want us to be great. Two of us are four-year lettermen with me and Andrew (Flesher), Mitch (Waugaman) is three-year and (Cooper Riley) is a two-year. With us returning, and we are all seniors. It is a good feeling, and we have depth.”