Top Returning Running Backs In Class 4A
More and more teams have expanded and developed their offensive systems to incorporate a bigger emphasis on the passing game. However, if you need to grind out a win or finish a drive with a first down, having a workhorse…
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Continue ReadingMore and more teams have expanded and developed their offensive systems to incorporate a bigger emphasis on the passing game.
However, if you need to grind out a win or finish a drive with a first down, having a workhorse at the running back position is vital.
Here is a look at some of the top returning running backs in Class 4A this coming fall.
NIck Pearson – Cedar Rapids Prairie (2021)
The runner-up to Harrison Bey-Buie of Bettendorf last year in terms of leading 4A rushers, Nick Pearson Nick Pearson 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Prairie | 2021 IA racked up 1,654 yards and 22 touchdowns for Cedar Rapids Prairie as a junior.
He posted almost nine yards per carry and had a career-night with 37 carries for 374 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-40 win over Dubuque Senior.
Jaden Koger Jaden Koger 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Roosevelt | 2021 IA – Des Moines Roosevelt (2021)
Part of the incredible story at Des Moines Roosevelt last year was junior running back Jaden Koger Jaden Koger 5'8" | 160 lbs | RB Roosevelt | 2021 IA , as he carried the ball 160 times for 1,225 yards with 16 touchdowns.
Koger averaged 7.7 yards per carry for the Roughriders and also hauled in six passes for 35 yards. He started his season with a 20-carry, 181-yard, 2-TD showing in a win over Des Moines Hoover and scored six times in a victory vs. Sioux City West.
Ryan Ostrich Ryan Ostrich 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Cedar Falls | 2021 IA – Cedar Falls (2021)
If you attended a Cedar Falls game a year ago, you likely saw Ryan Ostrich Ryan Ostrich 5'9" | 180 lbs | RB Cedar Falls | 2021 IA find the end zone, as the talented junior did so 18 times. He finished the year with 1,185 yards on 165 attempts, averaging just over seven yards per carry.
Ostrich also flashed his dual-threat ability by catching 10 passes for 190 yards with two more scores. In a showdown with Cedar Rapids Prairie, he ran for 222 yards and picked up another 77 in the passing game with five total touchdowns.
Jayden Williams Jayden Williams 5'11" | RB Heritage Hall | 2021 OK – West Des Moines Valley (2021)
The latest in a long line of successful running backs at West Des Moines Valley, Jayden Williams Jayden Williams 5'11" | RB Heritage Hall | 2021 OK ran for 1,043 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as a junior. He also picked up five receptions for 31 more yards.
Williams averaged almost eight yards per carry, putting together a 119-yard showing in a win over Cedar Rapids Kennedy for the Tigers. He also went for 206 yards on just nine carries with two scores vs. Ames.
Cain McWilliams Cain McWilliams 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Dubuque | 2021 IA – Dubuque Senior (2021)
Listed as a wide receiver, Cain McWilliams Cain McWilliams 5'10" | 170 lbs | RB Dubuque | 2021 IA made a name for himself last year as part of an incredibly talented and gifted offense at Dubuque Senior.
McWilliams ran for 1,014 yards on 188 carries, scoring eight touchdowns. He also had 26 receptions for 147 yards while adding 35.5 tackles on defense and posting almost 22 yards per kickoff return.
Kael Kolarik – Indianola (2022)
As a sophomore, Kael Kolarik took the state by storm, surging to 1,002 yards and scoring 17 touchdowns for Indianola. He averaged just over six yards per carry, adding 24 receptions for 281 yards and another score.
Kolarik also averaged 24 yards per kickoff return and handled three punts for the Indians.
Dayson Clayton – Fort Dodge (2021)
Injuries derailed last year for Dayson Clayton of Fort Dodge, as the junior was limited to 93 carries for 579 yards and four touchdowns. He did post over six yards per carry, adding 15 receptions for 124 yards and a score.
As a sophomore, Clayton ran for 1,087 yards on 175 carries, scoring 12 touchdowns while hauling in 37 passes for 390 yards and five more scores. His talents are definitely there, and a healthy season could see him reach those sophomore-level numbers again.