Why Bryson James Should Win Mr. Football 2022

Jed Blackwell October 31, 2022 @ 03:04 PM

Clinton's wing-based rushing attack doesn't have a featured back.   The Red Devils have Bryson James, though. He's certainly close enough.   Splitting time with a minimum of two other backs and a QB who have plenty of rushing opportunities every game, and rarely playing very deep into the second half, James still turned in an eye-popping season, rushing for 1,075 yards on 108 carries, averaging 10 yards per carry, scoring 22 touchdowns, and rushing for more than 107 yards per game. He's also got a receiving TD.   Need more? He's got 37 solo tackles, 26 assists, 11 tackles for loss, five pressures, three sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Oh, and special teams? How about three kickoff return touchdowns and two blocked punts?   "Bryson is the epitome of Clinton Football," Red Devils head coach Corey Fountain said. "He's a hard-nosed young man who works hard and who never comes off the field. He's an even better young man in the school and in the community."   Tough and hard-nosed seem like adjectives that James was born to carry. Check out what he did in the Devils' game against Chester, which determined the Region IV-3A championship.    James led or tied for the lead for the Red Devils in rushing in seven of the team's 10 games. He was second in another. And while it's easy to try and quantify what he means to the team with numbers, his true value goes much, much deeper. Those intangibles are why he'd be a perfect candidate for Mr. Football.   "If Mr. Football is about playing football, nobody does it in all three phases like Bryson James," said Mathew Bennett, who serves as Clinton's OL coach and co-offensive coordinator. "He makes major contributions on offense, defense, and special teams. He's a team captain, and he's always a captain: on the field, in the film room, in the weight room. He IS Clinton football."   Now, James and the Red Devils roll into the playoffs as a No. 1 seed. If Clinton can get where they want to go this season, James will be a huge part of the reason why.   EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a seven-part series breaking down the finalists for South Carolina's Mr. Football award for this fall. Our scouts have seen these players this season and in some cases have tracked them from prior to their varsity playing days. The 2022 Mr. Football Award will be announced and presented at halftime of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl on December 10.   2022 Mr. Football Finalists   [player_tooltip player_id='91136' first='Jarvis' last='Green'] RB, Dutch Fork   Bryson James RB, Clinton   [player_tooltip player_id='89339' first='Raheim' last='Jeter'] QB, Spartanburg   [player_tooltip player_id='89338' first='Xzavier' last='McLeod'] DL, Camden   [player_tooltip player_id='443502' first='Jonah' last='Norris'] RB, Lexington   [player_tooltip player_id='146356' first='LaNorris' last='Sellers'] QB, South Florence   [player_tooltip player_id='262552' first='Tyler' last='J Smith'] RB, Barnwell

Clinton's wing-based rushing attack doesn't have a featured back.