After losing the their leading passer — and 2A’s representative at this year’s CDJ awards, Brock Badding Brock Badding 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Kuemper Catholic | 2026 State IA — to graduation, Kuemper Catholic will have to revamp its offensive attack in 2026, at least to some degree.

Chances are, they’ll once again lean on their leading rusher from last season, Jarin Hoffman. Standing at just 5-foot-8, Hoffman makes up for his lack of height with a sturdy, 190-pound frame that allows him to stay low to the ground and power through tackles, while also utilizing uncommon patience and his gargantuan offensive line to wait for holes to open up before he bursts through. A speedster that can find the open field and take off to out-pace the defense in addition to his escapability from the mass of bodies from the offensive line, Hoffman is one of the more overlooked — literally and metaphorically — players in the state.

Last season, he took 260 carries for 1,671 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground, adding 20 receptions for 162 yards and three scores.

Speaking of quick feet.

Returning from the 2025 state champion squad, Kuemper Catholic running back Jarin Hoffman Jarin Hoffman 5'8" | 190 lbs | RB Kuemper Catholic | 2027 State IA is one of the more fleet-footed backs in the state. A smooth runner between the tackles that uses the size of his offensive line, his vision and agility to his advantage, Hoffman has the look of a potentially elite third down back at the next level.

Reminiscent of Danny Woodhead, a former Division 2 player at Chadron State (who would have undoubtedly transferred up to the DI level in today’s version of college football) turned NFL fixture, Hoffman has the burst, power and playmaking ability that is needed at the next level. Though he stands at just 5-foot-8, Hoffman packs a punch with his 190-pound frame and a fearlessness as a runner that would allow him to be impactful for a plethora of offenses at the next level.

It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle a bit when operating on a team with a deep roster of talent. That might be the case with Hoffman, whose Kuemper squad is flush with college prospects. He stood out to me pretty quickly when watching the Knights take on Wilton in the Class 2A state semifinals at the UNI-Dome. He followed up that performance with another impressive effort against Van Meter in the title contest. Hoffman is solidly built, running with a low center of gravity but also displaying wiggle and sharp cutting ability. His patience and vision find holes and a burst helps him jet through them. Hoffman’s legs are powerful, making him tough to tackle, while also playing a big part in finishing off runs. He’s a weapon as a receiver and does a nice job blocking, too.