A 2006 Dunbar grad, Powell was the head coach at his alma mater from 2013-17.
The Wolverines were 31-21 in that span and won a playoff game over Goshen in 2017, when they finished 8-4.
They never posted a losing record in his first tenure, but Powell, the Wolverines football coaching staff and long-time boys basketball coach Peter Pullen (who was also the school’s athletic director), were central figures in a standoff with Dayton Public Schools director of athletics Mark Baker in 2016.
The coaching staff accused Baker of suggesting Dunbar should lose to Belmont in a Week 10 game that fall at Welcome Stadium, an act that could have gotten both teams into the playoffs, a first for the City League.
Baker denied the allegation, and a DPS investigation concluded he did not instruct Dunbar to lose the game.
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
However, the OHSAA put all DPS boys and girls athletic teams on probation for three years and fined the district $10,000, citing “a serious lack of administrative responsibility and institutional control.”
Dunbar also forfeited two games for playing an ineligible player at the end of the season, and Powell and Pullen were reprimanded for allowing him to suit up.
Powell remained the coach for one more season — after an effort by school administrators to oust him failed —before his contract was not renewed.
The Wolverines were 3-7 last season and missed the playoffs, but Powell has some pieces to work with.
Ulysses Porter and William Wilson both made the All-Southwest District second-team defense last season while running for 612 and 670 yards, respectively, and they are both set to return this fall.
Between now and then, Powell said he is using the summer to fine-tune the passing game, which had senior A’Daunis Davis at the controls at the OSU 7 on 7.
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
“It’s real good to be able to get out here and compete with teams from around the country to show they’ve been putting in work and we’ve still got to do it, too,” said Powell, whose team was joined in Columbus by Hamilton, Mechanicsburg, Reynoldsburg, Cleveland Heights, Cleveland St. Ignatius and several out-of-state squads.
“I’s great to get out here and mix it up with these guys. It’s a great atmosphere. Great day for football,” Powell said.
“Especially with us being inner city, once they get out of school, it’s hard to get everybody together and keep contact with them so doing these things and keeping guys active during the summer is definitely a great thing for us.”
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
The son of longtime Dunbar basketball assistant Alfred Powell, Darran was the MVP of the Wolverines football team as a senior when he had 51 catches for 993 yards receiving.
He was also the starting point guard for Wolverines basketball teams that went to the state Final Four twice and won the Division II state championship in 2006.
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