If you open the desk drawers of football coaches Keith Otterbein, Steve Otterbein, and Brad Otterbein, you’ll find something in common: candy.
“It’s a candy library,” offensive coordinator Nate Shreffler said, laughing.
Brad Otterbein and Steve Otterbein said that along with sharing a love for candy, they also tend to use the same phrases.
“We say the same things a lot,” Brad Otterbein said.
“Sometimes we say the exact same thing at the exact same moment,” Steve Otterbein added.
Brad Otterbein began his first season as quarterback coach at Hillsdale College this fall, joining his dad, Keith Otterbein, and older brother, Steve Otterbein, in the family business.
“I have wanted to coach since I was in middle school,” Brad Otterbein said. “I used to go to my dad’s practices all the time when I was young and just liked the coaching part of it.”
Steve Otterbein is in his third season as wide receiver coach at Hillsdale College after he spent three seasons at Eastern Michigan University as a graduate assistant.
“Coaching in general was a goal,” he said. “Being around the game my whole life, I wanted to stay involved.”
Head coach Keith Otterbein, in his 11th season at Hillsdale, said he is thrilled to have his sons in the office with him, but that it was never something he tried to force on them.
“We didn’t steer them into it,” he said. “We didn’t try to push them into sports. We just wanted them being active. I think in their own minds they’ve gone their own direction.”
Keith Otterbein said football has always been central to his family and something they can all enjoy together.
“All of our family, friends, and relatives are very well aware of Charger football,” he said. “They all live and die with us. If you come up short, they know how painful it is.”
When Brad Otterbein and Steve Otterbein attended Hillsdale College with their sister Alyssa, Keith Otterbein said the whole family would be on the bus traveling to football games — Brad and Steve as players, Alyssa as a trainer, and his wife would accompany the team as well.
“The only link missing now is our daughter,” Keith Otterbein said.
Steve Otterbein said although he doesn’t think his sister will be joining the coaching staff anytime soon, she remains a strong supporter of Charger football.
“She claims she could still beat us up,” he said, laughing. “But I don’t think that [coaching] is in her long-term vision.”
Even though the whole family no longer travels to games on the bus together, Steve Otterbein said he has been blessed to work so closely with his dad and brother.
“We kind of know how each other is thinking,” he said. “It’s been fun to be on the same page and to talk things out with them on a daily basis.”
Brad Otterbein agreed and said the family atmosphere makes work fun.
“Our offensive staff meetings are great opportunities for family bonding,” he said. “We get along great. There is joking around with each other and that sort of thing. But we still always get things done and are on the same page.”
Shreffler, whose brother Aaron Shreffler works as the defensive line coach, works with the three on offense.
“Sometimes I feel like the red-headed step-child,” he said, laughing. “Sometimes I’m the buffer and the sounding board, sometimes the therapist. But we’ve all worked well together.”
Shreffler also said the family dynamic is entertaining for him to watch on a daily basis.
“The boss man takes grief from his sons well,” he said. “It’s lightened him up a little bit. Then there’s the big brother, little brother thing. It’s all in good fun.”
Among other things, Brad Otterbein and Steve Otterbein said they like to give their dad a hard time about his hat selections.
“We do our best to keep him grounded,” Steve Otterbein said.
“Grounded is a great word,” Brad Otterbein said, nodding.
But the one thing they said they can all agree on is being thankful for the opportunity to coach together at a school they love.
“We’re grateful we have the opportunity to do this,” Steve Otterbein said.
Dad agreed.
“I think we’re all spoiled because of where we coach,” he said.
