For the first nine years of his life, Mike Ewing grew up in the Cardinal O’Hara football offices and locker rooms. He learned how to walk there. He learned how to talk there. And he learned the rudiments of football there, under his dad, the late Mike Ewing Sr., a longtime assistant coach and offensive coordinator of the Lions, and under his legendary grandfather, the late Bob Ewing, who coached at O’Hara for 16 years and guided the program to statewide prominence in the 1970s through to the 1980s.
On Monday, Mike Jr. was told by O’Hara president Mike Connor that he will be the new head football coach at O’Hara, taking over for B.J. Hogan, who was fired after the Lions went 3-8 last season.
Ewing comes with great credentials. He coached under Academy Park’s Jason Vosheski from 2005 to 2018, serving a variety of roles, before taking over as the defensive coordinator. In that time, the Knights won three District 1 championships. A 2001 graduate of Ridley, Mike returned to his alma mater where he served as assistant head coach under Dave Wood and offensive coordinator, helping the Green Raiders reach the District 1 Class 6A semifinals, which included an overtime upset over North Penn to get there.
At Ridley, Ewing built one of the most potent offenses in school history. Quarterback John Heller passed for over 2,000 yards and running back Tahir Mills broke the Delaware County single-season rushing record with 2,519 yards while scoring 36 touchdowns.
“I knew I was a finalist and to get the call and being told I was the new head coach at O’Hara was a great feeling,” said Ewing, 39, the father of two girls, 9-year-old Molly, and 6-year-old Stella. “I grew on those sidelines for the first nine years of my life. I want to bring hard work and passion to the program. I’m not afraid to do whatever it takes to get us where we have to go. I wasn’t trying to sell any false promises, I was being me. When I got the news, I first called my wife Jeanne, who happens to be an O’Hara graduate. The family knows the family history with O’Hara, but this is exciting.
“I can’t wait to do the work. I’m ready to do the work.”
O’Hara is a Class 4A school. Ewing says this will take some time to build the program back up, beginning with establishing relationships with the feeder programs in the area.
“I’ll play anybody, Academy Park, Ridley, those are two great measuring sticks, and I’m very proud of what I did at both schools,” Mike said. “I want to bring a play-anybody mentality. I tell my wife, and she went there for four years, I’ve been there longer than she has. The O’Hara football program has been a big part of my life, and now I’m coaching there. My phone blew once the word got out that I got the job. It has not stopped from Monday morning into the night. Everyone is very happy and wishing me well.”
Bob Ewing has a career 116-55-4 record at O’Hara while leading the Lions to three Catholic League championships and the last city championship before the Philadelphia Catholic League joined the PIAA in 2008.
“It would have been great for my dad and my grandpop to see this,” Mike said. “I know my dad and my grandfather would be happy, and I’m sure they’re taking bets up there (laughs). Even though my dad and grandpop aren’t here to see it, I know that they’re proud of me.”
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.
