By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Brandent Englemon was a highly recruited college football prospect going into his senior season at Holmes High School in 2002. In addition to being an outstanding athlete, he had a 4.9 grade-point average in advanced classes and was selected for the Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program.
Englemon’s sudden death on Thursday at the age of 36, was devastating news to Mike Farley, who was head football coach at Holmes during Englemon’s impressive high school career.
Brandent Englemon was named top student-athlete on Michigan’s 2007 football team.
“Tough day today,” Farley said on Twitter. “The loss of Brandent Englemon is heartbreaking and devastating. He was an outstanding young man and influenced so many. I am hurting. He will be missed by so many.”
Englemon continued his football and academic career at the University of Michigan. In three seasons as a defensive back and safety for the Wolverines, he made 103 solo and 53 assisted tackles in 35 games. After his senior season in 2007, he received awards for being the best defensive back and top student-athlete on the Michigan roster.
When Englemon graduated from college, Farley was head football coach at Grand Haven High School in Michigan and tried to convince his former player to join the coaching staff there.
“I just think his family ties were so tight he wanted to stay in the (Northern Kentucky) area, but I’ve been trying for years to get him to come and coach with me,” said Farley, who coached high school football in Georgia before returning to Grand Haven last year.
Englemon was the starting quarterback and defensive back for Holmes. He passed for a school-record 4,039 yards and rushed for 1,845 during his varsity career. After his senior season, he received the “That’s My Boy” Award for being the top student-athlete in Northern Kentucky high school football.
Former Holmes coach Mike Farley
Englemon was also a starting guard on the Holmes boys basketball that made it to the semifinals of the 2003 9th Region Tournament. He was named to the region all-tournament team for being a team leader, just like he was in football.
“He was a great role model for his teammates and for younger kids,” Farley said. “He was the kind of guy who would do anything for you and went out of his way to help people as much as he could.”
Farley remembers when Englemon injured his shoulder during the 2002 season and had to sit out a few games. The coach said his son took over the quarterback position and Englemon was “his biggest cheerleader.”
“He was just such a giving person,” Farley said. “It’s just one of those things where God got a great angel in this young man.”
Farley said he often exchanged texts with Englemon and talked to him last summer. He considered the young man a member of his extended family.
“He spent numerous hours at our house (in high school) and when he was at Michigan I used to take trips to go see him and make sure he was OK,” Farley said. “I’m going to miss him tremendously. I love him. He’s one of our own, for sure.”
No cause of death has been announced for Englemon, who lived in Erlanger. Visitation is from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday August 12 at the Walker Funeral Home in Cincinnati. Funeral service will immediately follow the visitation. Internment will be at Mary E. Smith Cemetery, 1120 Martin Luther King Blvd., Elsmere.
Featured image from YouTube, Engelmon as a Wolverine
