'We think we got a gem': Massillon Tigers rally behind young quarterback Jalen Slaughter

MASSILLON — It’s Jalen Slaughter’s team now.  

As a freshman last fall, Slaughter was thrown into the fire at quarterback after a midseason injury to the starter and was asked to do a whole lot for the Massillon football team. He did quite a bit, helping the Tigers on another playoff run.

Now a sophomore, expectations may have changed. But for Massillon’s head coach Nate Moore, there’s not much more Slaughter can do that he has not already done at 15 years old.

In other words, Slaughter is ahead of the game.

“He’s kind of the same guy every day,” Moore said. “I think a great quality for a quarterback is you don’t get too high or you don’t get too low. The stage isn’t too big for you. He shows up and goes to work. That’s who he is.”

Slaughter opens this season as the Massillon starting QB. He and the Tigers began practice for the 2022 season Monday morning, as they get ready for their season opener — at home against Cincinnati Moeller, at 7 p.m., Aug. 19.

Slaughter began last season as the backup QB for the Tigers. He moved into the lineup, though, when senior Darrius McElroy was injured in Week 5 against St. Edward. Right when it looked like St. Edward was on the verge of shutting out the Tigers, Slaughter stepped in and kept Massillon in the game by throwing two touchdown passes in the second half. Massillon still lost, but an emerging star was born. 

“We were probably a score away from being out of the game and all of sudden, Jalen threw two touchdowns,” Moore said. “We were in the game in the fourth quarter. That’s rare for anybody, but it’s especially rare for a freshman, and that was the most impressive thing about him.”

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A week after losing to St. Edward, Slaughter threw three touchdowns in the Tigers' win over Austintown Fitch when he became just the second Massillon freshman to start a game at quarterback. The Tigers went on to win five straight to end the regular season and reached the regional finals in the playoffs with Slaughter at QB, and McElroy also getting some snaps. Slaughter ended his freshman season with 1,384 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Jalen Slaughter 'has a lot of gifts'

Slaughter’s ceiling couldn’t get any higher. But for Moore, what impresses the most about Slaughter is not only his physical talents but the growth and maturity he already is showing. 

“He has a lot of gifts. He is a really good all-around athlete. He has good speed, good arm talent,”  Moore said. “The demeanor that you want in a quarterback to have, he has it. We think we got a gem.“

Slaughter is part of a strong group of Massillon skill players. The Tigers return most of their starters, including Toledo recruit Ardell Banks at receiver, and running backs Willtrell Hartson and Freddie Lenix Jr. (a Kent State recruit).

Slaughter, as an underclassmen, was not made available to talk for this story. A couple of his older teammates, though, had plenty to say about his ability and leadership. They are behind him and have confidence in the sophomore.

“He believes in himself more now,” Hartson said. “He runs more now. His mentality has changed from last year to this year. He still got a lot to work on, but he’s adapted and getting better.”

Another senior teammate, Christian Kring says Slaughter is the right fit for the Tigers’ offense. He values his work ethic and admired his leadership after taking over the starting job last season. 

“He has built a relationship with all of our guys, so he fits in well and has a good attitude about it,” Kring said. “He just wants to keep grinding and make everyone else better. “

Slaughter is firmly on the radar of Division I colleges. He holds offers from Akron and Bowling Green. He had a productive offseason attending different camps and 7-on-7 tournaments.

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Moore is thrilled to develop Slaughter for the next three years and see his growth as a quarterback. All he wants from Slaughter is to simply do his job. 

“He's just got to do his role, and that’s what it really boils down to,” Moore said. “He's just got to be a quarterback. Everybody else is working their tails off to get as good as they can in their positions.“

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