Efficiency Meets Endurance: AZ’s Top RB Workhorses

When it comes to running backs, it's one thing to flash big-play ability on a handful of touches. But doing it week in and week out? With 15, 20, even 25 touches a game? That's a whole different kind of impressive.   This chart looks at the top 50 rushers in Arizona high school football in 2024, stacking up their yards per carry (efficiency) against touches per game (volume). Some guys popped off on a limited workload. Others got fed every Friday night and still managed to keep those yards-per-carry numbers high.   The sweet spot? That upper right quadrant — where guys were both explosive and reliable. These are the backs who carried the load for their team all year and still made defenses pay every time they touched the ball. We're diving into the five players who stood out most in that area. These are the dudes who brought it every week, even with the full weight of the offense on their shoulders.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/YdsCarry-v-TouchG-AZ-Top-50-RBs.jpeg?w=1024" alt="Yds/Carry v Touch/G AZ Top-50 RBs" class="wp-image-1658526" /></figure>    [player_tooltip player_id='1145493' first='Elijah' last='Little'] was a problem all year long. Thunderbird leaned on him heavily, and he never let up — finishing with a state-leading 2,346 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on 21.3 carries per game and still managing to average over 9 yards a carry. That kind of combo — high volume and high efficiency — is rare. What makes Little so tough to stop is the way he mixes vision and balance with straight-up power. He's patient behind the line, waits for things to develop, and then hits the gas. And when he gets into the open field, he's gone. His 283-yard, 5-touchdown night against Bradshaw Mountain was the perfect snapshot of the kind of damage he could do — but it wasn't just a one-off. He put up numbers like that all year. Thunderbird's offense ran through him, and he answered the bell every time. One of the most complete backs in the state this season, no question.      [player_tooltip player_id='369001' first='Ayden' last='Williams'] didn't just get the ball a lot — he made every touch count. Averaging 25 carries a game and still ripping off over 8 yards per carry is no joke. He's got serious burst and doesn't need much room to get going. Even the smallest crease, and he's out the gate. He reads the field well and knows how to set defenders up, making it tough to get a clean shot on him. Once he gets into space, he's dangerous. What really stands out, though, is the workload. Four different 300-yard games, and three of those came on 30-plus carries. That kind of production with that many touches? That's a workhorse with home-run speed.      Reese Bodily didn't need to be the biggest guy on the field to make a big impact. Averaging 15.4 carries a game with over 8 yards per touch, he showed all season long that he could carve up defenses with his quickness, agility, and feel for space. There was a six-game stretch late in the year where he went over 100 yards every week, and four of those games saw him average over 9 yards a carry. That kind of consistency isn't easy to come by. Bodily's agility makes him a nightmare in the open field, and even when defenders get a hand on him, he rarely goes down clean. He's slippery, tough to track, and makes the most out of every lane he gets.      [player_tooltip player_id='1145532' first='Jayden' last='Plotkin'] came out swinging to start the year, getting 20+ carries in each of his first three games, including a wild 45-carry night where he put up over 175 yards and multiple scores. That kind of early workload can wear a guy down, but Plotkin kept bringing it week after week. He might not have the flashiest traits that jump off the screen, but he's just flat-out good at everything. He sees the field well, picks his spots with patience, and runs with control and toughness. He blocks well, runs solid routes, and works through traffic with smart footwork. He's one of those backs you can trust to do the little things right while still breaking off big chunks of yardage — 8.4 yards per carry on nearly 19 touches a game speaks for itself. Plotkin was as steady and reliable as they come.      [player_tooltip player_id='954407' first='Jeremiah' last='Martinez'] let his game do the talking — going out there and handling business week after week. He averaged over 18 carries a game and still managed to keep that YPC above 8, which tells you everything you need to know. He topped 100 yards in 12 different games and had just three games all season where he dipped below 6 yards a carry. He found the end zone in almost every game, and in seven of them, he punched in three or more touchdowns. While a lot of backs start to fade down the stretch, Martinez turned it up. From Week 11 through the playoffs, he dropped back-to-back-to-back games of 192, 204, and 148 yards with 10 total touchdowns. Just a tough, physical runner who doesn't go down easily and always keeps churning. He saved his best for when it mattered most.

When it comes to running backs, it's one thing to flash big-play ability on a handful of touches. But doing it week in and week out? With 15, 20, even 25 touches a game? That's a whole different kind of impressive.