FREMONT – It’s been a while since the Little Giant football team could legitimately claim to have a significant threat running the football out of the backfield.
Teammates congratulate Ethan Chumley (28) following one of his fourth quarter touchdowns against Southview. Photos by Michelle White
A year ago the Little Giants totaled just 712 yards on the ground, a number that 52 individuals in the program’s history have surpassed by themselves in a single season. The last time Ross had a 1,000-yard rusher dates back to Jabree Lather’s 2011 season when the then-junior rushed for 1,082 yards.
But the 2018 Little Giants don’t have one capable running back. They have two.
Through two games, seniors Deryante Hardin and Ethan Chumley have given Ross the dimension they’ve been sorely lacking in recent years: A reliable rushing attack allowing the Little Giant offense to be a balanced attack, rather than relying solely on the pass.
“We’re not used to having so many good running backs since I’ve been here, six years,” said Ross head coach Chad Long following the Little Giants’ 49-21 win over Southview last Friday. “We have two.”
Hardin, a first-year varsity back, has been the dynamic play-maker the Little Giants’ backfield has been missing.
In his first two games, Hardin has rushed the ball 28 times for 208 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He’s also been a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield, getting him into open space where his agility and elusiveness are on display. Last week he took a screen pass, cut back to the middle of the field and took off 72 yards for a touchdown only to have the score negated due to an ineligible receiver downfield.
Deryante Hardin
Ethan Chumley
Though the touchdown didn’t count, it showed exactly why the Little Giants are excited about the explosive potential in their running game.
“He brings elusiveness, he has a whole bag of tricks and I really love playing with him and beside him,” Chumley said of his partner in the backfield.
As for Chumley, though he began 2018 as Ross’ most experienced runner, the 6-foot, 220-pounder is not the same player he was in 2017 when he totaled 109 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries.
He’s noticeably faster and more aggressive, charging into the defense and regularly breaking tackles, requiring multiple defenders to bring him down.
Chumley has 14 carries thus far for 89 yards and two touchdowns. The bulk of Chumley’s work this season came in the win against Southview, with the Little Giants wanting to run the ball and keep the clock ticking.
Early in the fourth quarter, leading 35-21, Chumley carried the ball seven times in 13 plays drive, picking up 62 yards, including the one-yard touchdown. He later scored a second on a 15-yard run.
Chumley owes his new-found combination of speed and power to an offseason devoted to making himself a better back.
“I wanted to be a more balanced back and help out the team any way I could,” Chumley said. “I lost a lot of weight. I was in the weight room a lot, I was watching what I was eating and that made me (add) a lot more strengths to my game. I lost 20 to 25 pounds but I gained some of that back from weight lifting and staying healthy.”
While they duo’s skill sets complement one another’s nicely, Long said their temperaments are just as big an asset.
“What’s so great about these two is they’re just as excited for the other person,” Long said. “When they are doing something really good, their jumping, hooting and hollering about what Chumley or Deryante did. They’re a great team.”
Long expects to see even more of them as the season continues.
“We do have some sets where we put them both in there together,” Long hinted. “And it’ll be interesting to see how defenses align to that.”