Football: Twice is nice for Sherando's running backs (10-06-06)
Hoopengarner, Brisco split load, try to replace the record-setting Oher -- By Craig Juer (Daily Staff Writer)
STEPHENS CITY — It's not easy to rush for a thousand yards and fill clown-sized cleats at the same time.
That's what running back David Hoopengarner has learned quickly, as the junior earns carries in Sherando's backfield the year after Joe Oher's senior season.
"Joe pretty much had the whole package," said Sherando running backs coach Russ Sumner, understating the dominance Oher provided. "He was a heck of a back."
Oher, now a freshman at Morehead State, rushed 306 times for a school single-season record 2,264 yards and 29 touchdowns last year. This season, it's up to Hoopengarner and fellow junior Markeith Brisco to give the Warriors a ground game that at least somewhat resembles last year's backfield in terms of production.
"It's real big shoes to fill with Joe," Brisco said. "He was like a complete tailback. Outside, inside, run you over, shake you — he was just complete. It's a difficult job, replacing him."
The Warriors don't rely purely on the running game. Sophomore quarterback Ross Metheny set school records in four passing categories last year, and he has thrown for 668 yards and five touchdowns this year. Receiver Derek Crosen has 10 receptions for 248 yards with three touchdowns, making him a constant threat.
But Sherando coach Bill Hall wants to keep the offense balanced, which is why Metheny passed for almost 2,000 yards last year even with Oher averaging more than 7 yards per carry.
"If you look at us the past couple years, we're about 50-50 in terms of yards passing and running," he said. "It's critical that [the running backs] do their part just so you don't become predictable. We like to be able to attack the whole field, and to do that we've got to have both of our phases working."
It has been a long time since the thunder-and-lightning approach to staffing a backfield has been a novelty, and that's how Sherando is trying to replace Oher's various skills. Just like Warren County has used powerful Brandon Baker and elusive Nate Jackson to replace H.B. Banjoman, the only runner in the area with more yards than Oher last year, strong Hoopengarner and speedy Brisco are keeping the Warriors' backfield potent.
"David can bring a little more of a load," Sumner said. "Markeith is a little more of a scat kind of back. He's kind of shake-and-bake, and he can break it out and beat you in the open field."
Hoopengarner receives about two-thirds of the handoffs, having carried 68 times for 340 yards and four scores thus far. He's fourth in the area in yards, behind Richard Long of Stonewall Jackson, J.J. Casagranda of Millbrook and Jackson. He is on pace for about 850 yards in the regular season.
Brisco, meanwhile, has 44 carries for 158 yards. Metheny, who has 4.7 speed in the 40-yard-dash and added 20 pounds in the offseason, is carrying some of the load as well, averaging 5.3 yards a carry on 26 rushes.
Metheny said the tailbacks have pulled their weight.
"They're doing a fantastic job," he said. "I don't think our running attack has taken much of a fall since last year."
Crosen said the pressure of replacing Oher is not lost on Hoopengarner and Brisco, but it doesn't affect their ability to do their jobs.
"We're run-first, basically," he said. "The run opens up the pass for us. Everybody's asking, 'Can you replace him?' And they do a good job of not letting that get to them."
Besides keeping the defense honest, running backs have to be able to pick up blitzers and protect their quarterback on passing plays. Sumner said that's the most important aspect of breaking in a new back.
"There's a lot of intricacies to blitz pickup and the blocking, and really I think that's what makes a back," he said. "The little things — the extra things besides being able to run hard or fast — they've got to be able to do all those little things right. They've done a really good job with it."
Hoopengarner said replacing Oher's blocking ability took him the longest to learn.
"We do a lot of picking up protection," he said. "That's what I had to work on a lot. I guess I'm getting better at it."
But football fans don't care much about blocking; they see the rushing stats and reminisce about what Oher could do when he was the Warriors' go-to guy.
Brisco said he and Hoopengarner have learned to ignore the comparisons.
"People are going to talk," he said. "People will say what they want to say.
"We just can't listen to it, and we go out there and do our job on Friday."
