FOOTBALL

Top 5 returning Jackson area running backs

Brandon Shields
Jackson Sun

 

JACKSON – Running backs are important in high school football as there are more teams who have run-oriented offenses.

While that trend is changing, pass-happy offenses – or even more balanced offenses – aren’t as prevalent at the high school level as they are in college and in the pros.

So that makes the running back position that much more important. It’s not often you’ll find the likes of recent West Tennessee standouts like Johnny Jones (Crockett County) or Zak Neary (Adamsville) or Andrew Goldsmith (Trinity Christian) who will be called upon to carry the ball 30 or 40 times, but having that kind of a player on your team is always a good thing.

Here are the top five returning running backs in the Jackson area in 2017.

Trinity Christian Academy's Viktor Horton (1) tries to get away from Jackson Christian's Ethan Anderson (23) at Ronnie Fowler Field in Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Oct. 28, 2016.

Viktor Horton, TCA

He finished the season with 1,436 yards and 10 touchdowns on 226 carries and helped the Lions remain competitive in Region 6-2A. He’s listed on TCA’s MaxPreps page as being 5-feet-11-inches and 192 pounds, and he’s exhibited plenty of speed to carry the ball effectively for the Lions.

Milan's Jacquez Norman, seen here against Humboldt earlier in the season, had a productive night for the Bulldogs against University School of Jackson on Friday.

Jacquez Norman, Milan

He emerged as an effective back as a sophomore last year for the Bulldogs when he finished the season with 1,380 yards and 16 touchdowns on 143 carries. His Hudl.com page lists him at 5-feet-11-inches and 175 pounds. With another year to grow than most others on this list, he could turn out to be a special back before he graduates.

Milan's Anthony Ballard is tripped by Liberty Tech's Stephun Bush during their game. Liberty defeated Milan, 25-9.

Anthony Ballard, Jr., Milan

He’s been an effective back for the past two seasons for the Bulldogs when his number was called a year earlier than planned by the coaching staff as those ahead of him on the depth chart went down with injury. The 6-feet-1-inch, 195-pound back has four NCAA Division I offers from Army, Navy, Tennessee Tech and Southeast Missouri. He’s hoping for more this summer after attending a few more camps. He finished his junior season with 1,356 yards and 16 touchdowns on 155 carries.

South Gibson County's C.J. Sharp outruns Jackson Christians' Collin Cantrell and Hayden Love during their game last season.

 

C.J. Sharp, South Gibson

At 5-feet-5-inches (according to his Hudl.com profile), this back may be small, but he’s hard to catch. He proved that as he rushed for 1,035 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Hornets in an offense that featured at least five backs who carried the ball on a consistent basis.

Crockett County's Jordan Branch avoids a tackle by Chester County's Bryce Petty during the 2015 season.

Jordan Branch, Crockett Co.

Branch doesn’t have any stats from last season since he didn’t play after suffering a broken leg in the jamboree at Dyersburg. But the reputation he built for himself in the previous two years speaks for itself. He was the All-West Tennessee Freshman of the Year in 2014 and was a first-team selection as a sophomore at fullback. College coaches like his size at 6-feet-1-inch and 255 pounds with a 4.87 40-yard dash time according to his page on 247Sports.com. He has five NCAA FBS offers with Louisville and Illinois being the biggest two schools in the mix so far. Middle Tennessee State has reportedly offered him as well.

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at jacksonsunsports.