ICYMI: 'In Search of...' next crop of area running backs

In honor of the cool 1990s A&E show with the late Leonard Nimoy, “In Search of...,” Friday Game Night is asking what could be one of the more intriguing questions of the upcoming 2019 gridiron season: where are the next great batch of running backs in the northeast Georgia area hanging out this season?

 

The 2018 season saw some outstanding individual performances but many of the area’s top running backs graduated. Buford’s Derrian Brown, Banks County’s Terrance Walker, Dawson County’s Ahmad Kamara, North Hall’s Daniel Jackson, Gainesville’s Quintavious Hayes, Rabun County’s Brison Beck, just to name a few of the more high-profile ball-carriers, all had big seasons and leave behind some big cleats to fill.

 

Friday Game Night traversed the foothills of the northeast Georgia area from Buford to Dawson County to Rabun County and into Jackson County among our 24 area programs “In Search of...” just who we could find that is ready to “tote the ball” as they say.

 

With our binoculars in hand, here are some of the running backs that FGN discovered hidden away that could be poised for breakout seasons in 2019:

 

 

(2018 stats: -- 400-plus yards; no other stats available) -- Adair is a versatile back that is quick and strong. He should get the bulk of the carries for an Eagles offense that is switching to a spread attack. He also can catch the ball out of the backfield and expect him to move around in the formations, including at wide receiver at times, to get him as many touches as they can give him.

 

(2018 stats: 69 car., 382 yards, 5 TDs) -- Clouatre split time with starter Tracey Lowrey early in the 2018 season and was the second-leading rusher when he got hurt in the Gainesville game and did not return for the rest of the year. A smart, patient, slashing-type running back that also possesses enough speed to get to the outside. He has breakaway speed if he gets into the secondary. 

 

(2018 stats: 500-plus yards, 4 TD, missed final three games due to injury) -- Ellingham split time with Zarian Brawner and eventually took over the main duties when Brawner got injured midway through the season. However, Ellingham did not finish the year as he went down late in the season as well. But when Ellingham was healthy he was dynamic. He’s a big power back that can run inside but also is deceptively shifty and has the ability to find an opening quickly and get into the secondary. He is expected to get the bulk of the carries in 2019 and should be ready for a breakout season.

 

(2018 stats: 77 car, 901 yards, 11.7 ypc, 9 TD; leading returning rusher for the Trojans) -- Fair is not the biggest kid on the block but his slashing style works perfectly with the Trojans’ wing-T offense. He was the No. 2 option in 2018 behind Jackson and put together some solid numbers in an offense that likes to spread the ball around. Fair has the ability to find the hole quickly and accelerate into the secondary and enough speed to get to the end zone.

 

(2018 stats: 35 car, 254 yards, 7.3 ypc, 3 TD) -- Jarrard was mainly used as the backup to Beck in 2018 for the Wildcats and is the second-leading returning rusher, behind QB Gunner Stockton. Jarrard should be No. 1 option out of the backfield and is a very versatile back. He can run between the tackles for tough yards, get to the outside, and catch the ball out of the backfield. His versatility sets him up for perhaps a big season in 2019.

 

(2018 stats: 27 car, 216 yards, 8.0 ypc, 4 TD, played just four games due to injury) -- A big presence inside, McNally missed the final five games of 2018 but was having a solid year as one of three guys in the backfield before his season ended. He is a very strong inside runner but also possesses the ability to break into the secondary and take it to the “shack,” as Jefferson coach Gene Cathcart says. With the addition of Malaki Starks and the return of Colby Clark, McNally could be poised for a big season as part of a three-headed monster in the Dragons’ rushing attack.

 

(2018 stats: 58 car, 283 yards, 4.9 ypc, 0 TD) -- Moon is the leading returning rusher from 2018 and is one of three returning guys in the backfield that had 200-plus yards last season. But he is expected to get the bulk of the carries initially as the Leopards are expected to open up their wing-T offense more in 2019. Moon has a compact frame but is a shifty runner with great vision and balance and has the ability to take it to the house if he gets into the secondary.

 

(2018 stats: 162 car, 763 yards, 4.7 ypc, 7 TD) -- Part of a bruising triple-option attack last year for the Tigers and was one of three guys with 700-plus yards. Roach is an old-school fullback power rusher, who would just as soon run over a defender as go around them. He may not possess breakaway speed but if he breaks through the first line of defense he can pop off huge chunks of yardage.

 

(2018 stats: 36 car, 417 yards, 11.6 ypc, 8 TD; leading returning rusher for the Tigers) -- Thomas was a quality third option for the Tigers behind Kamara and SeVaughn Clark, who combined for over 2,200 yards in 2018. Thomas is not as big as either of those two but is a shifty runner that can find space and has the ability to get to the corner and enough speed to get into the secondary. If the Tigers can piece together a reworked offensive line, Thomas could be ready for a breakout season.

 

(2018 stats: 65 carries, 489 yards, 7.5 ypc, 7 touchdowns, 6 rec, 61 yards receiving, 3 punt returns for 70 yards, including a 53-yarder for a TD) -- A big back like McNally, Turner has the size to run a power game inside but he also possesses good speed to get to the corner. But his style is more of a slasher and he can find a hole quickly with excellent acceleration. With one of the better offensive lines in the area, he also could be poised to put up some big numbers in an offense that will go back to a more traditional pro-set attack.