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Defenses knew what was coming and, as evidenced by the yardage logged and touchdowns scored last football season, there wasn’t much they could do to stop it.

Savannah Christian was going to hand the ball to Zo Smalls, and he was going to run into and around – and often run over – prospective tacklers.

The Raiders’ offense complemented Smalls’ power running with sweeps designed for the nimble feet of speedy Kenry Wall, also a dynamic receiver, cornerback and kick returner.

Together they helped Savannah Christian (12-3) reach the GHSA Class 3A state championship game in 2023. The Raiders are in a new classification (Class A DI) in 2024 but expect to see more of the same from seniors Smalls and Wall as the football team looks to build on the long playoff run.

Smalls (5-foot-9, 190 pounds) by now should have caught his breath from the 15-game campaign, when he rushed 265 times for 1,903 yards, a 7.2 yards-per-carry average, a 126.9 game average, nine 100-yard games and 33 of his 34 total touchdowns.

He rushed for 214 yards and three scores in the state semifinal victory over Carver-Columbus, then produced three more TDs in the championship game loss to Cedar Grove.

Wall, listed at two inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter, had 111 carries for 1,116 yards, a 10.1 yards-per-carry average, three 100-yard games and 15 of his 24 total touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 500 yards and five scores.

Another rising senior, standout linebacker Jaden Miles (5-10, 180) also contributes to the rushing attack. Last season, Miles had 18 carries for 118 yards, a rate of 6.6 yards per carry and three TDs.

They are among the returning running backs to watch in 2024 for Coastal Empire football programs.

Richmond Hill will count on rising seniors Joshua Ulrich-Troupe and Caleb Easterling, while head coach Matt LeZotte also sees promise in rising junior Amire Miller (5-9, 190) to be a “big-time back” after a “stellar offseason,” he wrote in an email to Prep Sports Report.

Ulrich-Troupe (5-11, 200) played 11 games in 2023 and rushed 156 times for 799 yards, 5.1 ypc, 72.6 ypg, three 100-yard games and four TDs. Easterling (5-9, 170) had 27 carries in 10 games for 130 yards, 4.8 ypc and three TDs.

Bethesda Academy graduated standout Noah Jenkins from the SCISA AA state champions. He had 185 carries for 1,793 yards, 9.6 ypc, 149.4 ypg, 10 100-yard games and 26 of his 27 total touchdowns in 12 games.

The Blazers’ top returning running back is rising junior Jordan Cheever (5-10, 195), who had 41 carries for 195 yards, 4.8 ypc and two TDs. They also have senior Assir Best, a transfer from Memorial Day School. Best ran 117 times for 854 yards in 11 games for the Matadors, had three 100-yard games and nine of 13 total TDs. He also caught 15 passes for 168 yards and two scores.

Bryan County has to replace two highly productive running backs due to graduation. Austin Clemons tallied 10 100-yard games en route to 1,803 yards and 21 TDs in 13 contests. Jacari Carney recorded four 100-yard games on his way to 951 yards and 10 TDs in 10 games.

Stepping up are rising junior Anddreas Mckinny and rising senior Gaige Jarvis. Mckinny had 31 carries for 189 yards, 6.1 ypc and three TDs in seven games. Jarvis rushed eight times for 47 yards, 5.9 ypc and two TDs.

Jenkins coach Tony Welch reported that he has a lot of talent and experience in the Warriors’ running back room in rising seniors Jayaun Albert, Trenton Rhodes and Coray Stafford; and rising juniors Ryan Scott and Domonique Johnson.

Scott had 111 carries for 481 yards, one 100-yard game and two TDs in 11 games. Johnson ran 27 times for 219 yards, one 100-yard game and two TDs in 13 contests.

Albert had 59 carries for 496 yards, two 100-yard games and four TDs in 13 games. Rhodes had nine carries for 55 yards and one TD in four games; and Stafford had 18 carries for 83 yards in 11 games.

Effingham County is looking to rising sophomore Jmere Doe-Davis and rising junior Mauricio “Jr” McKenzie. Last season, Doe-Davis had 13 carries in eight games and totaled 146 yards, an 11.2 ypc clip and two TDs.

McKenzie appeared in six games and rushed 16 times for 102 yards, a 6.4 average.

The Rebels’ rival South Effingham returns rising junior Kadin Ward, who in 10 games last season had 76 carries for 424 yards, 5.6 ypc and two TDs.

Brandon Roberts and Anquan Roberts are not related, but the rising senior running backs are teammates on the Liberty County squad. Brandon Roberts (5-9, 175) tallied 198 yards and one TD on 38 carries (a 5.2 ypc average) in seven games.

Anquan Roberts (6-0, 225) rushed 63 times for 258 yards, 4.1 ypc and two TDs in 10 games.

Calvary Day will be without graduated standout Trevor Strowbridge, who in 54 carries over 12 games rushed for 468 yards, an 8.7 average and 12 of his 15 total touchdowns. 

The Cavaliers can look to rising senior Edward “Doopah” Coleman (5-11, 185), who played only five full games last season because of injury. Highly recruited by several of the top college programs nationally, the versatile receiver (29 catches, 340 yards, two TDs) and kick returner also carried the ball 18 times for 147 yards, 8.2 ypc and four TDs. Rising sophomore Ca’Den Jones contributed 43 carries for 327 yards, a 7.6 ypc and four TDs.

Savannah Country Day has a solid running threat in quarterback Barton Mixon, and he’s not the only bruiser. Rising senior running back Hyers Holland (6-0, 190) had 121 carries over 11 games for 803 yards, 6.6 ypc, 73.0 yards per game, four 100-yard games and five rushing TDs. Holland also caught three passes for 49 yards and two scores.

New head coach Roc Batten said that Najee Young (nine games, four carries, 40 yards, one TD) and Aiden Frazier (four games, one carry, three yards) also are competing for playing time. 

New Hampstead has a selection of running backs returning, with talented wide receiver Kamari Maxwell also in the mix after rushing 38 times for 294 yards, 7.7 ypc, one 100-yard game and four of his 14 total touchdowns.

Rising senior Jamari Bonapart had 42 carries for 235 yards, 21.4 ypc and three TDs in 11 games. Rising junior Titus Honaker contributed 143 yards, 4.8 ypc and one TD on 30 carries over eight games.

Phoenix head coach Kyle Hockman also will be considering rising junior Khamri Smart and rising senior Kamren Blake Mazes, a standout middle linebacker, to takes some carries.

Other running backs to watch include rising senior Isaiah Scott (5-10, 210) of Johnson and Groves rising seniors Makel Brown and Rashawn More and rising sophomore Kemari Wright.

Amari Cook was a standout running back at St. Andrew’s School last season, when senior Richaard Williams rushed for 766 yards and 13 TDs to go with his 614 receiving yards and six TDs.

Cook racked up 583 yards and seven rushing TDS on 53 carries (11 ypc) over seven games. Cook also caught nine passes for 227 yards and two TDs. The rising junior is moving to quarterback in the Lions’ triple-option offense.

Benedictine has a lot of senior productivity and leadership to replace in the running game with the graduation of Na’seir Samuel (1,016 yards, 7.3 ypc, 10 TDs), Bryce Baker (633 yards, 10.4 ypc, 14 rushing TDs, three receiving TDs), Ack Edwards (three rushing, two receiving) and receiver RaSean Matthews (two rushing, five receiving). Quarterback Luke Kromenhoek had 108 carries for 558 yards and seven rushing TDs.

Coach Danny Britt is looking to rising sophomore Stanley Smart Jr., rising senior Areyion Guyton (6-0, 225) and rising sophomore Caeylin “C.J.” Menzie (5-9, 195) to step up. 

Smart, an elite sprinter, appeared in three games as a freshman in 2023 and had four carries for six yards, but the speedy 5-10, 180-pounder could break out on the football field as he has in track.

Britt said that slot receivers also get carries in the Cadets’ system, so there are opportunities for rising juniors Chris “Bubba” Frazier and Josh Washington and rising senior Jack Ganem.

Frazier already has had a big impact, playing in 14 games last season and catching 53 passes for 753 yards and four scores. He had 29 carries for 316 yards, 10.9 ypc and three TDs.

Washington, a junior transfer from Savannah Country Day, rushed 22 times for 99 yards and one TD and caught 38 passes for 445 yards and six TDs while totaling nine scores for the Hornets.

PHOTO CREDIT: Players social media pages

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