5 Potential Breakout Players To Watch: Offense



Yesterday we took a look at the potential breakout players for the Jackrabbit defense and today we are looking at the breakout candidates for the offense.  This group is interesting because of the losses of some outstanding seniors.  However, the cupboard is far from bare.  The Jackrabbit offense will likely be more of a balanced attack in 2018.  There are many experienced returning players (Taryn Christion, Wes Genant, Jacob Brown, Marquise Lewis, Mikey Daniel, Isaac Wallace, Tiano Pupungatoa) but there are also others who Jackrabbit fans may not be as familiar with.    

#20 Pierre Strong and #8 CJ Wilson are two freshmen running backs who have very different styles.  Strong is powerful with the ball in his hands and seems to always fall forward.  Strong seems to fit the classic mold of the powerful workhorse back that Jackrabbit fans have enjoyed over the years.  Wilson is shifty and really dynamic carrying the ball.  The Jacks have not had a running back like him in recent memory with the ability to make guys miss.  I wouldn't expect tons of carries for either one of these guys given the experience of Mikey Daniel and Isaac Wallace but I would expect them to have a small role in the offense that could contribute some explosive plays.

#24 Deyon Campbell was a very hyped recruit and that excitement only grew following a strong spring ball season.  The slot wide receiver position is loaded with Marquise Lewis and Cade Johnson returning after solid 2017 campaigns.  However, Deyon is too explosive with the ball in his hands for the coaches to not find ways to get him a handful of touches each game.

#80 Adam Anderson was on my list in 2017 and started off hot against Duquesne.  However, after that game a combination of injuries derailed his season.  This summer, Adam has again had an awesome camp.  His combination of size and speed is good but what sets him apart is his wonderful route running.  At times, he has completely fooled the cornerbacks and ran himself wide open.  Adam had a very good freshmen campaign and a subpar sophomore season but I am really expecting big things from him in 2018. 

#36 Luke Sellers replaces fan favorite Kane Louscher at fullback in 2018.  Louscher paved the way for four years and was a major contributor for a strong rushing attack over that time.  Sellers steps in to an often overlooked position and will be expected to make plays this season.  So far, he his been lauded for his athleticism and power.  The coaches think they can do some unique things with Luke because of that combination.  Last year Luke filled in and helped create some massive holes in goal line and short yardage situations.  Look for Luke to expand on that role this season.

#54 Eddie Miller will start the season at right guard for the Jackrabbit offense.  Last year he played as a true freshmen at left guard.  Eddie has added muscle and weight since getting to campus and does a good job in both the pass and run game.  He also has the ability to slide to center in a pinch. 

Like the defense, there are many others who could have been on this list. Eagan Lickiss as a swing offensive lineman, freshman Blake Kunz at tight end, and Isaiah Hill at wide receiver are all players who could make a big impact in 2018.  We will soon find out a little more about this team as September 1st is almost here. 

Go Jacks!
Matt   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jackrabbit Football All-Decade Team

Image
Yes, we are well into the new year/decade but our debate has been fierce in creating an All-Decade Jackrabbit football team.  The challenges of creating this team were what to do with the players at the beginning and the end of the decade who may only have a year or two of stats to go on or what do we do with those players who only splashed for one year?  Further complicating matters was the consistent improvement of the Jackrabbit team as a whole and the level of competition they are facing week in and week out.  So with all of those factors, the Splitting Hares Podcast team of Ben Pierson, Brendan Luedtke, Kyle Sheehan, and Dallas Clarksean created our list of who the team should be.  All are welcome to their opinions!  Special thanks to Mitchell McLain who keeps an unbelievable database of Jackrabbit football statistics and information.  Offense Quarterback Taryn Christion (2015-2018) 44 games started, 59.70% completion rate, 11,535 yar...
Read more

What's Cookin': Dessert

Image
Alright, another year of Jackrabbit football is upon us. We are celebrating at Jackrabbit Illustrated, this our 5th season covering the team.  The players who we first covered as freshmen are now redshirt seniors. We hope you are as excited as us for this upcoming season. Chef Tim, a culinary instructor at Mitchell Tech and contributing writer, has some fun recipes for you this season.  He has committed to doing one a week. I have nothing but faith that he will get them turned in! We start the season celebrating with celebrations. Here are some fun baked goods that will lead to the healthy start to the season; Cherry-Chocolate Chunk Cookies ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour ¼ Cup Quick-Cooking Oats ½ Teaspoon baking Soda Pinch of Salt 2 tbs butter, melted and cooled 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp vanilla Extract 2 oz semisweet chocolate 1/3 cup dried cherries 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. 2) Combine Flour, Oats, baking soda, and s...
Read more

Rants & Raves: LIU

Image
The Jacks won 38-3 on a cold and damp September evening.  The Jacks dominated statistically in nearly every area but it didn't feel like a fully satisfying victory.  How spoiled have we become as Jackrabbit fans? Rave: How about that defense?  The argument could be made that they have only surrendered 17 points in 2 games.  Pretty impressive.  For most of the night Saturday LIU was completely overwhelmed by the size and speed of the Jackrabbit defense.  LIU managed only 123 yards of total offense.  The performance was phenominal, even against a transitioning FCS opponent. I'll highlight some of the invidual performances later. Rant: Adult fans... enough said.  This writer is tired of the apathy and excuses. Rave: Students!  Great job showing up, being loud, and impacting the game.  That was great! Rave: The true freshmen really showed out.  Quinton Hicks impacted the game from his first snap.  Diamond Evans played w...
Read more