Offensive Players to Know from the Class of ‘24

Now that it’s the end of the school year, it’s time to look ahead to the next wave of sophomores in the state. Sophomore year is a period when young players begin to develop and show the potential of how talented they can be in the future. It’s when players start to raise their competition level, as some begin to see increased varsity snaps. These six sophomores to be could make an impact for their teams during the ’21 season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145512" first="Derek" last="Hubbard"]</strong> – Derby, 5’7”, 150, RB Usually, a backfield consists of a back that brings the thunder, and one that is lightning quick. But for Derby, Hubbard and [player_tooltip player_id="87649" first="Dylan" last="Edwards"] are both speedy backs that can zoom past defenders. Hubbard’s carries were limited as a freshmen, but he managed to rush for 183 yards on 35 attempts and scored three touchdowns. He can find running lanes quickly, and he’s explosive once he hits the hole. This explains why he averaged over five yards a carry. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146106" first="Holden" last="Bass"]</strong> – Nemaha Central, 6’3”, 260, OL Bass already has tremendous size for his age. The first thing that jumps out from his film is his athleticism. On both sides of the ball, he explodes off the line of scrimmage; initiating contact instantly. Bass shows that he can get to the second level, and he already has some nastiness to him, which is what a lineman needs to have in the trenches at the varsity level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146150" first="Xavier" last="Strickland"]</strong> – Leavenworth, 5’9”, 160, RB Strickland is a prospect with a lot of upside and could be a dynamic playmaker over these next few years for the Pioneers. He didn’t see much time on varsity, but he proved to be one of the best players on the field at the freshmen level. Strickland showed he could affect the game in all three phases. He stood out the most as a dangerous return man, and a shifty back that could make defenders miss with quick cuts. Strickland’s future is looking bright. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146147" first="Chase" last="Schumacher"]</strong> – Victoria, 5’7”, 170, RB Victoria is a run heavy team, and they like to use a backfield by committee, so Schumacher didn’t see many carries in 2020. But when his number was called, he made the most of his opportunity. Schumacher showed he can gain extra yards after contact, which is how he managed to average over eight yards a carry. He proved to be a back they can trust at the varsity level, and he should be seeing more carriers this fall. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="145518" first="JC" last="Heim"]</strong> – Washburn Rural, 6’2”, 185, ATH The Blues have a talented group of underclassmen that could make some noise in a few years, and Heim could be a key piece to the program’s success. He already has a solid frame, which will only grow as he continues to develop, and great athleticism to go along with it. It will be interesting to see which side of the ball he’ll see more time on, because he can make plays at running back and linebacker. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="77177" first="Jay" last="Gould"]</strong> – Syracuse, 5’10”, 160, QB The Bulldogs had a roller coaster season, but Gould helped guide them to a respectable 4-4 record during his first varsity season under center. Gould accounted for nearly 1,500 yards of total offense, and he scored 17 total touchdowns. He’s most dangerous when he gets out of the pocket. This is when he hurts defenses with his legs. The young quarterback will have a full off-season to improve his accuracy and continue to learn the offense. Look for Gould and the Bulldogs to be better this year.