South Texas Rushers to Watch In Week 8

<p>As the Texas high school football season enters its crucial stretch, the running game continues to define success for many programs across South Texas. From established upperclassmen carrying heavy workloads to underclassmen emerging as breakout stars, this region is home to a deep pool of backfield talent. These rushers combine speed, vision, and toughness, leading their teams toward playoff contention and proving themselves as some of the most productive playmakers in the state. Each brings a unique style to the field, whether it's power between the tackles, elusiveness in space, or game-changing acceleration  and their Week 8 performances will play a major role in shaping district races.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Goliad's offense runs through [player_tooltip player_id='1954867' first='Lamont' last='Franklin'], a dynamic back known for his quickness and ability to create space in traffic. Franklin combines sharp cuts with excellent acceleration, allowing him to turn small creases into big gains. His shiftiness and strong lower body make him tough to bring down on first contact. At 5-1, the Tigers are in prime position for a playoff push, and Franklin's consistent production has been a driving force behind their success.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Lamont5845/status/1864448350386364764 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Dickinson's ground game is built around the powerful running of [player_tooltip player_id='1954874' first='Malachi' last='Gamble']. With a stout, compact frame and elite quickness, Gamble thrives between the tackles but also has the burst to break runs outside. His trademark move is a devastating jump cut that leaves defenders off balance. When he hits the hole, he does so with speed and authority. Gamble's balance and strength make him one of the toughest runners to slow down in the region, and his impact continues to grow each week.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Only a sophomore, [player_tooltip player_id='1576270' first='Sean' last='Simon'] has quickly become a key offensive weapon for La Porte. His combination of speed, vision, and decisiveness makes him one of the most exciting young backs in South Texas. Simon has a low center of gravity and uses it to his advantage, maintaining great balance through contact. He's an elusive one-cut runner who gets north in a hurry, and his ability to read blocks shows maturity beyond his age. As La Porte pushes for a district title, Simon's growth and production have been critical to their success.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/HTownHSS/status/1974212502779994428 </div></figure>   <p class="text-gray-700"><br></p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Magnolia's undefeated start has been fueled in large part by the consistent play of 2027 standout [player_tooltip player_id='1866533' first='Cash' last='Ferrell']. Through six games, Ferrell has rushed for 609 yards and totaled 12 touchdowns, showing excellent vision and contact balance. He runs with patience, allowing blocks to develop, and his cutback ability keeps defenders guessing. Ferrell's powerful frame allows him to finish runs strong and pick up extra yards after contact. His football IQ and field awareness are advanced, and he's quickly becoming one of the most reliable young backs in Texas.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/ferrell_cash/status/1977837855042117732 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Bridgeland's offense has a versatile weapon in sophomore running back [player_tooltip player_id='1609196' first='Kash' last='Schwab']. Known for his elite athleticism and quickness, Schwab brings a shifty, dynamic style to the backfield. He's equally dangerous as a runner and as a receiver, capable of creating mismatches in open space. Schwab's acceleration through the second level makes him a threat to score on any play, and his lateral agility allows him to make defenders miss with ease. As a young player with tremendous upside, Schwab is quickly earning attention as one of the top dual-threat backs in the 2027 class.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Kashandrew918/status/1975305711740658041 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Beaumont United features one of the more balanced backs in the region with 2026 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1692560' first='Derrian' last='Anderson']. He blends speed, power, and vision to create an all-around skill set that translates well at the next level. Anderson is explosive through the hole and has a strong ability to shift gears once he hits open space. His running style is physical, he's not afraid to initiate contact, but he also has the finesse to bounce runs outside when needed. Anderson's growth this season has made him a consistent offensive threat and a name to watch moving forward.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Derrian2008/status/1973215021829112070 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">Cinco Ranch relies heavily on the playmaking of running back [player_tooltip player_id='1352363' first='Marcus' last='Gadlin'], who has already racked up 570 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns. Gadlin is a powerful runner with excellent lower-body strength and impressive short-area quickness. Once he reaches the second level, he shows great separation speed, often turning routine carries into explosive plays. His ability to read defenses, make sharp cuts, and maintain balance through traffic makes him one of the most complete backs in South Texas.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/GadlinMarcus3/status/1977764321309405489 </div></figure>

As the Texas high school football season enters its crucial stretch, the running game continues to define success for many programs across South Texas. From established upperclassmen carrying heavy workloads to underclassmen emerging as breakout stars, this region is home to a deep pool of backfield talent. These rushers combine speed, vision, and toughness, leading their teams toward playoff contention and proving themselves as some of the most productive playmakers in the state. Each brings a unique style to the field, whether it's power between the tackles, elusiveness in space, or game-changing acceleration and their Week 8 performances will play a major role in shaping district races.