When Richardton-Taylor-Hebron football coach Travis Olson looked at his team's rushing statistics, he was amazed at the similarities between his top three running backs.
"We've got three guys that have almost the exact same carries and yards," Olson said.
Senior Brandon Myran and juniors Jadon Messer and Scott Remington all have different rushing styles. However, in eight games this season, the three have eerily comparable numbers.
Messer, an elusive and quick runner, leads the way with 481 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Remington, a slasher back who also works as a receiver, has 467 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. Myran, a power back who makes his way running through tackles, has rushed for 431 yards and four touchdowns.
Messer has 60 carries, Myran 52 and Remington 51.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It's really nice to know that you've got three or four guys, when you hand them the ball, they're capable of doing something," Olson said.
The rushing attack will need to be effective if RTH, the No. 3 seed from Region 6, hopes to get past Towner-Granville-Upham in the first round of the nine-man playoffs tonight. The teams play at 7 p.m. in Richardton.
"They're aggressive on defense," Olson said. "They'll send seven guys at you at times."
Messer believes having running backs with divergent styles has helped the Raiders (6-2) confuse defenses and should be helpful against TGU (5-3).
"Each one of us has a different style of running the ball," Messer said. "When you mix that up, a defense doesn't know what's going to come."
Messer missed one game and played in only one quarter of two other games this season.
"If Jadon wouldn't have been sidelined, he'd have had more carries than the other guys," Olson said.
Myran admitted he cannot do some of the things Messer and Remington can do, but that isn't for a lack of trying.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Remington, he's one of the fastest dudes on the team," Myran said. "He can get around and cut better and then me, I just do all the little things and make plays."
However, when the running game isn't taking shape, RTH has also been able to put the ball in the air.
Senior quarterback Garrett Zent has thrown for 742 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has completed 50 percent of his passes and has thrown seven interceptions, five of which came against Central McLean early in the season.
"He's getting better and better all the time," Olson said. "He throws well on the move and I think that's something that's real important against a team like TGU that stunts so many guys. You can't just sit in the pocket, you have to be able to move."
