1000 yards and back for more – part II
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Check out part two of my two-part series on the 1000-yard rushers who will be back running wild on a football field near you for at least one more season. Logan Bunker MN #162 LB #24 HEIGHT 6'1" WEIGHT 205…
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Continue ReadingCheck out part two of my two-part series on the 1000-yard rushers who will be back running wild on a football field near you for at least one more season.
With nearly 1100 yards rushing, Bunker ripped off an astounding 12.1 yards per carry. The only players better had less than twenty total carries. One of the things that stands out with Bunker’s game is his patience in the backfield. Because the Elks’ offense has the running backs so close to the line of scrimmage, Bunker needs to keep moving forward while still holding back to let the Elks’ lethal trap game do its work. Once the hole forms, Bunker explodes through the hole. His balance and jump cuts in traffic make him tough to square up. Once in the open field, he has excellent straight-line speed. He is not allowed much rest after ripping off a long touchdown run – he is a two-way player. He is dangerous coming off the edge – both against the run and pass as an outside linebacker.
Another runner with nearly 1100 yards rushing last season, Patzer does a little bit of everything for the Rangers’ offense out of the backfield. He shows all the tools. He has quick feet in the hole and can dance through traffic at the line of scrimmage. He has the speed to run away from most defenders who think they might have an angle on him. His jump cuts in the open field are up there with the best in the state, but he is just as likely to run over a defender as he is likely to run around them. Patzer is a weapon in the passing game too. The coaching staff had no problem throwing the ball to him out of the backfield. Down near the goal line, the soon-to-be senior is tough to keep out of the end zone when he lines up at quarterback and takes the shotgun snap.
Trevino totaled just under 1100 yards on the ground while finding the end zone sixteen times last season. He is built low to the ground and – like most of the guys on this list – has excellent feet. He is tough to bring down because of his low pad level and strong frame. Arm tackles are rarely going to get the job done. With his agility and balance, he will bounce and spin off arm tackles all day long. Once he is at the second level, one tackler rarely brings him down. His speed is impressive as a running back and in the passing game. Trevino is not involved in the passing game just to catch screens and passes in the flat. He will split out wide and make plays running routes like a receiver.
I like Kuehl’s vision coming out of the backfield. In the Dragons’ offense, he is lined up deep in the backfield – giving him plenty of time to scan the line of scrimmage and find a crease. He uses his good footwork to do a great job setting up his blockers – especially in the open field. He has good speed, especially when getting the corner on a sweep. He is not the biggest back, but his pad level is low, and his leg drive allows him to power through more tackles than you would think. He just crept over the 1000-yard milestone as a junior with eight touchdowns.
Cooper Crandall
Cooper Crandall
Just a sophomore, Crandall led the Broncos last season with 1115 yards rushing. The smallest back in this two-part running back series of stories, Crandall is a nightmare for defenses in the open field. Not only is he hard for defenders to find behind his offensive line, he is almost impossible to square up and hit. His quick feet and low center of gravity allow him to make multiple moves in a two or three-yard span. He has good straight-line speed, and because he doesn’t give defenders anything to hit, he can power through or bounce off tacklers who need to reach to catch the scat back and can’t get a shoulder into him.