Top rushing quarterbacks to watch in 2020

For many teams, the quarterback is the best athlete for a high school football team and coaches always put the ball in their hands frequently and trust them to make the right play. Usually that happens with their arm throwing the football, but many quarterbacks utilize their legs and run the ball a steady number of times each game. From the spread to the triple option, there are many offenses that use the legs of the quarterbacks, and some of the top rushing quarterbacks from the 2019 season will return this fall and look to do more damage on the ground. Here is a look at some of the top rushing quarterbacks to watch in 2020. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Zack Rakowsky, 2021, 5’8, 135, QB/DB, Loveland</span></strong> Rakowsky leads all quarterbacks in 11-man football in terms of rushing yards that return in 2020. The senior from Loveland was asked to do it all for the Indians on offense and did not disappoint. In the spread offense, he ran the read-option and was used on sweeps and power-run packages. He led the team with 187 rushing attempts, 1,128 yards (sixth most in Colorado by a quarterback in 2019) and 20 rushing touchdowns. Add in 873 passing yards and Rakowsky compiled 54 percent of the team’s total yards of offense. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="22596" first="Cale" last="Cormaney"], 2021, 6’3, 205, QB/DB, Rampart</span></strong> A two-year starting quarterback for the Rams, Cormaney has been a key rusher in the offense. After rushing for 812 yards on 86 rushing attempts as a sophomore, he carried the ball 141 times for 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns in his junior season. He shows a willingness to make the read at the last possible second before committing to it and a natural ability to run with the ball. His ability to make the read in both the spread and I-formation offenses gives Rampart the ability to put multiple sets on the field and different looks to opposing defenses. And with an improved completion percentage in the passing game, Cormaney will look to have the Rampart offense moving the ball consistently. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">[player_tooltip player_id="22656" first="Jordan" last="Woolverton"], 2021, 6’2, 185, QB/DB, Durango</span></strong> We already mentioned Woolverton as one of the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/06/top-two-way-returning-players-in-class-3a-for-2020-season/">top two-way players in his classification</a>. Woolverton was one of the top passing quarterbacks in 2019 and also rushed for 1,005 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, making him one of top quarterback prospects in the state. He had five games where he rushed for more than 100 yards, and in three of these games he needed fewer than 10 rushing attempts to reach that mark. His arm makes the Durango offense flourish, but if you leave a running lane open, he will not be afraid to tuck the football and run with it. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Erick Covington, 2021, 6’1, 175, QB, Gateway</span></strong> Covington stepped into the starting quarterback role last season and produced for Gateway. The junior hit a number of big passes which led him to 1,311 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, but he also did it with his legs. He was second on the team with 86 rushing attempts but led the team with 869 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. Covington was dangerous in space and a bright spot for a Gateway team that went 2-8 last season. If he can produce some more on offense like he did last fall, look for the team to improve in the win column this fall. <strong><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Briggs Wheatley, 2022, QB/DB, Fort Morgan</span></strong> Fort Morgan needed a new starting quarterback last fall and found their man in Briggs Wheatley. In his first season as a starter, the sophomore showed plenty of versatility in the spread offense for the Mustangs and flourished under head coach Ty Davies. He led the team with 734 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns while throwing for another 781 yards and 9 touchdowns in the air. His ability to make plays in the running and passing game allowed Fort Morgan to find mismatches and attack them. With a year under his belt as a starter, the stock for Wheatley should rise the next couple of seasons.