Why Turbo Richard Should Win Mr. Football 2023

Brandon Stockdale October 31, 2023 @ 08:00 AM

In the last five years, Gregory Johnson and Will Mattison have represented Northwestern as finalists for what is essentially the Heisman trophy for South Carolina high school football.   [player_tooltip player_id='265222' first='Turbo' last='Richard'] is now the third one in that same span. The three-year starter at running back is currently committed to Boston College and his play and statistics will get your attention. He has run for 1,023 yards, averaging 8.4 yards a carry, scoring 15 touchdowns so far in 2023.    He ran for 2,045 yards as a junior, helping the Trojans clinch a berth in the 4A state championship game last year while breaking the school's single season rushing record, previously held by Jeff Burris in 1989. He ran for 1,054 yards as a sophomore.   When you turn on the film, Richard's ability to make people miss in space while maintaining a unique combo of speed and power is fun to watch. He will run right through arm tackles and he is also a difference maker on special teams, like when he returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown against Gaffney on September 15, 2023.    But that's just one of several attributes that came to mind when we asked Northwestern head coach Page Wofford about what makes his star running back special.   “He's not just big and strong. We've had big, strong backs. We've had fast backs but to be able to combine them both is something that he does and has been doing for a couple of years now.    He's an every down back. He can block, he can come out of the backfield and make plays whether it's catching the ball receiving wise and to go to a school like Boston College who is known for their running backs is not a surprise to me because he's good enough to play there, definitely,” Wofford said.   While Richard brings a uniqueness to the field, Wofford says his teammates would call him a quiet leader.   “He doesn't yell and scream. He does his job, he leads by example and gets the job done.”   EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a five-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 most cases have tracked them since the beginning of their varsity careers. The 2023 Mr. Football award will be announced and presented at halftime of the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl on December 9 in Myrtle Beach.    2023 MR. FOOTBALL FINALISTS   [player_tooltip player_id='239076' first='Zion' last='Dobson'] RB, Hampton County   [player_tooltip player_id='267431' first='Avery' last='McFadden'] WR, Hillcrest   [player_tooltip player_id='265222' first='Turbo' last='Richard'] RB, Northwestern   [player_tooltip player_id='139295' first='Josiah' last='Thompson'] OL, Dillon   [player_tooltip player_id='1142430' first='Watson' last='Young'] OL, Daniel

In the last five years, Gregory Johnson and Will Mattison have represented Northwestern as finalists for what is essentially the Heisman trophy for South Carolina high school football.