DPS says no fall coaching contracts have been approved

Dayton Public Schools on Monday confirmed that no coaching contracts for the 2017-18 school year have been approved. That was in response to a Sunday story in the Dayton Daily News that Darran Powell had been renewed as the Dunbar High School football coach.

»RELATED: Powell looking to ‘move forward’ with Dunbar

All high school coaching contracts in Ohio are annually renewable. DPS communication specialist Jill Drury said boys and girls coaches for the upcoming fall seasons will be addressed in a regular June DPS board meeting. All City League coaches must be approved by the school board. The league is comprised of Belmont, Dunbar, Meadowdale, Ponitz, Stivers and Thurgood Marshall high schools.

Powell said late last week he had been told by Dunbar principal Crystal Phillips that he had been renewed as the football coach for the 2017 season. At that time, DPS had not responded to a request for confirmation.

Powell had been embroiled in a dispute with DPS director of athletics Mark Baker over claims that Baker instructed Dunbar to lose a Week 10 football game to Belmont last season.

»WATCH: Video of controversial Belmont-Dunbar game emerges

Citing a “serious lack of administrative responsibility and institutional control,” that accusation ultimately led to a three-year suspension of all DPS boys and girls athletics programs and a $10,000 fine by the Ohio High School Athletic Association following a lengthy investigation.

EXPLAINER - DUNBAR COACHES: ‘We were told to lose’

READ MORE: Timeline of OHSAA ruling to fine DPS, put all City League teams on probation

ANNOUNCER: I’ve never seen anything like that

A separate DPS investigation concluded Baker did not instruct Dunbar to lose and reprimanded Powell and then-Dunbar AD Pete Pullen for playing an academically ineligible player. Pullen, also Dunbar’s boys basketball coach, resigned as AD in mid-November.

Powell is also a Dunbar boys basketball and track and field coach. He said the entire Wolverines football coaching staff from last season continues to oversee offseason weightlifting and conditioning. He also is a liaison with powerhouse college programs for several high-profile and uncommitted football recruits.

MORE ON DPS, OHSAA

» 11 times area high schools have been busted for breaking rules

» New Dayton Public Schools coaching renewal process could affect Dunbar staffs

» Dayton Schools, state don’t agree on who’s to blame in football fiasco

» 5 things to know about OHSAA's decision to fine, put DPS on probation

Baker is a celebrated Dunbar alum who was a starter on the 1987 Class AAA state championship basketball team, Dunbar’s first. The Wolverines have won four more Division II state basketball titles since, all with Pullen as coach.

Baker also starred in basketball at Ohio State University. He’s in his first school year in succeeding Jonas Smith as the DPS director of athletics. As of Monday, Baker was listed on the agenda for Wednesday’s school board meeting as being considered for a two-year contract extension.

Baker previously was the boys basketball coach at Trotwood-Madison and Middletown.

FACEBOOK: For more high school sports you should like Marc Pendleton

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