Top South Georgia Leading Rushers To Know
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We all know that in South Georgia, you have to run the ball if you want to succeed. There just aren’t enough kids in rural areas to build high-powered passing attacks. With smaller schools, it’s important to run the ball…
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Continue ReadingWe all know that in South Georgia, you have to run the ball if you want to succeed. There just aren’t enough kids in rural areas to build high-powered passing attacks. With smaller schools, it’s important to run the ball and win in the trenches. That means plenty of quality running backs come from South Georgia each year, and we’re seeing lots of talented backs having big seasons so far this fall.
Here are some top South Georgia running backs to know for the rest of the season…
Ousmane Kromah – RB – Lee County
One of the biggest breakout running backs across the state, the big, powerful freshman already stands at 5-foot-11 180-pounds. Kromah is a tough back who is running like one of the state’s best. He’s built well, strong, and he’s becoming more and more of a true back by the week. Against North Miami Beach (FL) two weeks ago, Kromah ran wild and showed that he was one of the best players on the field. He ran hard up the middle and showed an impressive 2nd gear for someone his size and in the open field. He breaks tackles with ease already and has all the makings of a possible 5-star down the road. He’s big, strong, and has his best football ahead of him. He’s already had multiple monster games as a freshman and is expected to have a fantastic career. So far this season, Kromah has 131 carries for 1,300 yds (9.2 ypc) and has scored 17 total touchdowns.
Charlie Pace – Colquitt County
Way down towards the Georgia/Florida border is where you’ll find one of the bigger sleeper junior backs in the state. Last season, Pace showed a lot of promise, rushing 62 times for 500 yards (8.1 ypg) and seven touchdowns. The quick, shifty back at 5-foot-9 185-pounds is off to a big start this season, playing against tough defenses week after week. The South Georgia back has rushed 146 times this season for 864 yards and 9 touchdowns. His best game of the season came this past weekend against Valdosta where he rushed for 179 yards and one touchdown against Camden County. Pace looks like one of the top 2023 backs in the region at the moment.
After a dominant junior season last fall where he rushed for over 1,600 yards and 20+ touchdowns, the Brooks County star is proving once again why he’s one of the best backs in all of Georgia. Arnold is a do-it-all back who can put the offense on his back. He can beat defenses with power, speed, and with his overall athleticism. The South Georgia native runs hard for his size at 5-foot-10 190-pounds and is always tough to bring down by just one defender. He’s shown some explosiveness and has enough mass and strength to bounce off tackles. He shows great balance and patience behind the line of scrimmage and knows how to burst through when a hole opens up. So far as a senior, Arnold has rushed 102 times for1,269 yards and has already found the endzone 20 times. He’s rushed for over 100 yards six times this season and holds offers from Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, East Carolina, among others.
There’s a big-time freshman back to know about in the Savannah area, and he’s going to be a household name around the state sooner than later. His name is Donovan Johnson Donovan Johnson 5'11" | 170 lbs | DB Holy Innocents | 2022 State GA , and he’s a big, bruising back stands at 6-foot-1 195-pounds and uses his size and power to his advantage. He’s as big as a senior and breaks tackles like one too. Johnson shows good strength, balance, vision, and again, the ability to break tackles. That’s what he does. He’s a big play waiting to happen and is tough to bring down by just one defender. Even as a freshman, Johnson has made a name for himself and could be one of the state’s best over the next few years. So far this season, Johnson has rushed 128 times for 974 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Cartevious Norton – Ware County
The Gators are one of the top teams not only in South Georgia, but the entire state, and their offense is a giant reason why. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos Thomas Castellanos 5'11" | 190 lbs | QB Ware County | 2022 State GA is one of the more dynamic players in the state, and they’ve also had excellent play so far from their senior running back, Cartevious Norton. The big 5-foot-11 220-pounder breaks a lot of tackles, and thanks to Castellanos, never has defense solely focused on him. He’s been able to pound and wear defenses down in the area, and he’s lit up the stat sheet in the process. So far this season, Norton has rushed 93 times for 937 yards and 9 touchdowns. He’s rushed for over 100 yards in every game so far and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.