2004 Inductee Roger Siesel
A very successful high school football career led to a highly successful college football career, which in turn led to a professional football career, which finally ended in a successful football coaching career for Bellevue’s Roger Siesel.
All-Northern Ohio League First Team in football in both 1950 and 1951, Siesel was also selected honorary captain of the Redmen and was All-Ohio honorable mention lineman in 1951.
Following his very successful high school career, Siesel became a walk-on at Miami of Ohio University in 1952, eventually earning a football scholarship. He captained the freshmen team for the Redskins that same year.
He earned his first varsity letter with Miami the following season, helping to guide the team to an overall mark of 7-1-1.
In Siesel’s junior season of 1954, he was named Second Team All-Mid American Conference, guiding the MAC champion Redskins to an 8-1 record.
The honors really piled up for Siesel in 1955 when he helped the team to a perfect 10-0 record. He was named All MAC first team, All Midwest first team, Little All American second team, Honorable Mention All American (I.N.S.), Honorable Mention All American (Colliers), All Ohio First Team (Ohio Colleges), was selected for and started the Senior Bowl, was Miami’s Most Valuable Player, and won the coaches
Outstanding Lineman Award.
In 1956, Siesel was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. However, Uncle Sam’s draft took precedence and Siesel served his country in the U.S. Army, helping to lead the Fort Knox, Ky. Football team to an undefeated season.
In 1959, after Army life, Siesel had a short stint with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, with an ankle injury cutting his season short.
Then, in 1960, Siesel’s professional football career came to an end with the Philadelphia Eagles with a career-ending knee injury.
Siesel then turned to coaching, first, as an assistant coach at Canton Perry High School from 1961-64. From there, Siesel became an assistant with Wadsworth High School from 1965-67, followed by an assistant coaching stint with Akron Springfield High School from 1968-70, and finally, a head coaching position with Tallmadge High School from 1971 through 1985.
Siesel is now retired and residing in Tallmadge.