CattouseFan
10-12-2005, 07:36 PM
Running back huge part of Camden County's success
BUD ELLIS
The Brunswick News
KINGSLAND, Ga. - It was a simple play, really, one that most running backs could turn the corner on and maybe gain a few yards.
But when it comes to a back who contains that special knack for making the big play, the simple often turns into the spectacular.
So it is with Brandon West, the senior halfback and leading rusher for Camden County, the state's top-ranked team in Class AAAAA. So it was that West took a simple toss sweep and turned it into a 37-yard touchdown shortly before halftime in a game at Brunswick on Sept. 23.
And, that was only the second most-impressive play of West's first half.
"You can run a very low-risk play," said Camden offensive coordinator Scott Carmichael, "and it can turn into like last week, a 91-yard touchdown."
That play Carmichael referred to, on another simple play called with Camden backed up deep in its own territory, helped spring the Cats to a 47-9 victory over the rival Pirates. That play illustrates the potential the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder has every time he touches the ball, and it's his game-breaking ability that concerns opposing coaches every week.
In the Brunswick game, West carried 13 times, returned two kickoffs and caught a pass. On those 16 touches, West gained 306 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading Camden head coach Jeff Herron to joke that the coaching staff should've gotten West the ball more.
For the season, West has rushed for 732 yards and has 17 total touchdowns 15 rushing, one receiving and one kickoff return. Beyond the numbers, the 18-year-old has gained the confidence needed to become one of the top playmakers in the state, this one season after he burst onto the scene by rushing for 1,276 yards as a junior.
"I'm happy with where I'm at right now," West said, "But I want to get better. You can always get better."
West's maturation process began as a sophomore. He spent that season on the scout team, lining up each day in practice against a Camden defense that allowed just 47 points in 15 games and featured Division I signees Djay Jones (Georgia Tech) and Kevin Patterson (Wake Forest).
"Djay and them were great players, but I'd break a couple of long runs on them," West said. "Then, they'd come back and bust me in the mouth. But that really helped me. I learned not to be scared of the contact. I was nervous. They were bigger, they were stronger, but they made me better."
Two years later, West has developed to the point that Herron says West is one of the two best running backs he's ever coached. The other one is Tyson Browning, whom Herron coached at Oconee County in the late 1990s and now plays at Georgia.
"Brandon and Tyson are very similar," Herron said. "If they got into a flat-out race, Tyson might win, but Brandon is a little more physical than Tyson was."
West, who has already scored a 1,200 on the SAT, is currently being recruited hard by several mid-major teams, but hasn't received much interest from bigger schools, and Herron doesn't really understand why that is.
"I know there are a lot of great running backs, but I think he's one of them," Herron said.
West's success is due in part to the job done by his teammates this season. Camden coaches are quick to compliment the blocking done by fellow running backs and receivers on the perimeter, where West picks up much of his yardage. He's also a tough inside runner, and for that, West credits the Camden offensive line.
But even the coaching staff wonders what West's numbers would be if he were the featured running back. Camden runs the Wing-T on offense and employs several running backs. West is averaging just 11.2 carries per game, but he's averaging more than 9 yards per attempt.
What if he was the tailback in an I-formation offense, getting 25 to 30 carries each week? "He'd be pretty special," Carmichael said, laughing.
All joking aside, Carmichael said what makes West stand out is his ability to find a crease in the opposing defense and, more importantly, get to the opening in an instant.
"His vision," Carmichael said. "His cuts sometimes are just crazy. You look back at it and say, 'yeah, that was pretty good.'"
As has been West's season so far. He admits to thinking about playing in college, but helping Camden win state is first and foremost in his thoughts.
"I'm going to miss high school," he said. "There is no feeling like high school football."
BUD ELLIS
The Brunswick News
KINGSLAND, Ga. - It was a simple play, really, one that most running backs could turn the corner on and maybe gain a few yards.
But when it comes to a back who contains that special knack for making the big play, the simple often turns into the spectacular.
So it is with Brandon West, the senior halfback and leading rusher for Camden County, the state's top-ranked team in Class AAAAA. So it was that West took a simple toss sweep and turned it into a 37-yard touchdown shortly before halftime in a game at Brunswick on Sept. 23.
And, that was only the second most-impressive play of West's first half.
"You can run a very low-risk play," said Camden offensive coordinator Scott Carmichael, "and it can turn into like last week, a 91-yard touchdown."
That play Carmichael referred to, on another simple play called with Camden backed up deep in its own territory, helped spring the Cats to a 47-9 victory over the rival Pirates. That play illustrates the potential the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder has every time he touches the ball, and it's his game-breaking ability that concerns opposing coaches every week.
In the Brunswick game, West carried 13 times, returned two kickoffs and caught a pass. On those 16 touches, West gained 306 yards and scored two touchdowns, leading Camden head coach Jeff Herron to joke that the coaching staff should've gotten West the ball more.
For the season, West has rushed for 732 yards and has 17 total touchdowns 15 rushing, one receiving and one kickoff return. Beyond the numbers, the 18-year-old has gained the confidence needed to become one of the top playmakers in the state, this one season after he burst onto the scene by rushing for 1,276 yards as a junior.
"I'm happy with where I'm at right now," West said, "But I want to get better. You can always get better."
West's maturation process began as a sophomore. He spent that season on the scout team, lining up each day in practice against a Camden defense that allowed just 47 points in 15 games and featured Division I signees Djay Jones (Georgia Tech) and Kevin Patterson (Wake Forest).
"Djay and them were great players, but I'd break a couple of long runs on them," West said. "Then, they'd come back and bust me in the mouth. But that really helped me. I learned not to be scared of the contact. I was nervous. They were bigger, they were stronger, but they made me better."
Two years later, West has developed to the point that Herron says West is one of the two best running backs he's ever coached. The other one is Tyson Browning, whom Herron coached at Oconee County in the late 1990s and now plays at Georgia.
"Brandon and Tyson are very similar," Herron said. "If they got into a flat-out race, Tyson might win, but Brandon is a little more physical than Tyson was."
West, who has already scored a 1,200 on the SAT, is currently being recruited hard by several mid-major teams, but hasn't received much interest from bigger schools, and Herron doesn't really understand why that is.
"I know there are a lot of great running backs, but I think he's one of them," Herron said.
West's success is due in part to the job done by his teammates this season. Camden coaches are quick to compliment the blocking done by fellow running backs and receivers on the perimeter, where West picks up much of his yardage. He's also a tough inside runner, and for that, West credits the Camden offensive line.
But even the coaching staff wonders what West's numbers would be if he were the featured running back. Camden runs the Wing-T on offense and employs several running backs. West is averaging just 11.2 carries per game, but he's averaging more than 9 yards per attempt.
What if he was the tailback in an I-formation offense, getting 25 to 30 carries each week? "He'd be pretty special," Carmichael said, laughing.
All joking aside, Carmichael said what makes West stand out is his ability to find a crease in the opposing defense and, more importantly, get to the opening in an instant.
"His vision," Carmichael said. "His cuts sometimes are just crazy. You look back at it and say, 'yeah, that was pretty good.'"
As has been West's season so far. He admits to thinking about playing in college, but helping Camden win state is first and foremost in his thoughts.
"I'm going to miss high school," he said. "There is no feeling like high school football."