Area Grads Competing in NCAA Football as of 11/20/2022. The Names and Numbers
Updated YTD numbers and commentary on the Kansas and Missouri grads competing in the NCAA. Check out the commentary, the leaders, and the complete list.
Each week I highlight the collegiate football exploits produced by players from Missouri and Kansas. The season is nearing its end. Those Division I and II players whose team did not qualify for the playoffs are now checking their equipment in having played the last down of this season. For some, this is the end of their football playing days. For those still playing the numbers will continue to pile up. Who will lead the statistical categories at season’s end? We will find out soon.
The spreadsheet attached below shows the rushing totals ranked by yards per game. But you can also see the YTD net rushing yards. There is one who has surpassed the 1,000 yard mark. Devin Neal (Lawrence High/Univ of Kansas) will add to that number this Saturday against Kansas State and in the bowl game the Jayhawks earned this year. Shamar Griffith (Hannibal/Truman State) will get to increase his numbers when the Bulldogs play Tiffen University on Dec. 3. The other running back most likely to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark is Isaiah Davis (Joplin/South Dakota State). He will have to wait an extra week, as the Jackrabbits earned a first round DII playoff bye with their No. 1 seed. Isaiah could add a lot of yards if South Dakota State goes deep into the playoffs.
It can be difficult getting touches when you are running behind a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award. That is where DJ Giddens (Junction City/Kansas State) finds himself, backing up Deuce Vaughn. But DJ has looked good with his 65 carries for 378 yards. That is a spiffy 5.8 yards per carry. Isaiah Childs (Manhattan/Montana) only got one touch on Saturday. And the Grizzlies were on the one yard line. And Isiah did what was asked of him. He finished the day with one carry for one yard and a touchdown. That was his fourth TD this season in 28 carries. Jay Harris (Timberland/Northwest Missouri State) carried the ball nine times for the Bearcats on Saturday, and scored on two of those carries. The freshman now has nine rushing TD’s for the season, tied for the fourth most of all running backs on the list.
Here are all of the rushing numbers:
There is a quarterback who I have not discussed much this year after a tough Game 1 against a very stiff Kansas State defense. But Brady Cook (Chaminade/Missouri) is about to complete a successful sophomore year in the always rugged SEC. Brady will wrap up his season this week against Arkansas. The Tigers paused last Saturday for a non-conference game with New Mexico State. Brady threw for 251 yards in 19 of 27 passing. He threw TD passes of 12, 32, and 14 yards. The Chaminade product also led the Tigers with 71 rushing yards in only 7 carries.
Here are all of the passing numbers:
Scroll down for the receivers!
This area has produced a lot of highly productive receivers. There are three who are over 90 receiving yards per game, two of those with over 1,000 total yards. And all three NCAA divisions are represented in that trio. Both James Letcher, Jr. (Piper/Washburn) and Darius Cooper (Hazelwood West/Tarleton State) had their seasons end last Saturday. But, not before they surpassed the 1,000 yard barrier. James leads the list’s high quality receivers with 10 receptions for a touchdown. And Darius has two more years to get down field. Myles Kee (Priory/Illinois Wesleyan) averaged over 92 receiving yards per game in the 6 games in which he competed. Myles too, will be back for two more productive years.
Arkell Smith (Carthage/Central Missouri), Tyler Kalmann (Campus/Emporia State), and Jaylen Varner (Marshall/Emporia State) each had 8 TD receptions through Saturday. Tyler and Jaylen have one more game to add to their totals.
Here are all of the receiving numbers:
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