Bob Jones set to face the Roc Racean Thomas
Oxford running back Racean Thomas
(PHOTO CONTRIBUTED)
MADISON- He is the top running back in the state of Alabama. He is being compared to Carnell Williams, Bobby Humphrey, and even Bo Jackson. Five-star recruit and Auburn commitment Racean (Roc) Thomas and his Oxford Yellow Jacket teammates will face Bob Jones in the second round of the AHSAA football playoffs Friday night at Madison City Schools Stadium.
The numbers the senior have put up this year are staggering. Thomas has rushed for 2,114 yards on 194 carries, over 10 yards per carry on average. He has scored 31 touchdowns. He went off against SpainPark in the final regular season game rushing for 414 yards and five touchdowns on 34 carries yet Oxford barely won the game 56-49.
If that is not enough for a defense to worry about, the Oxford offense frequently splits him out wide and passes to him on the bubble screen.
At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Thomas has blazing speed and an ability to break tackles.
That is the assessment of Bob Jones linebacker Clay Styles who has seen plenty of film of Thomas this week.
“I’m not going to take anything away from him, he is a great player,” Styles said.
On film, his “speed and the way he breaks tackles” are what sets Thomas apart from other running backs the Patriots have faced Styles said.
“We’re ready for him. It’s not something we are scared of. Nothing we can’t stop. We have a better defense than last year. He may be the best player in 6A but I think we have three of the best defensive players in 6A.”
Bob Jones struggled in week five against another great back, Huntsville’s Deonta Moore who ran for 292 yards in a non-region game. But defensive adjustments the next week completely shut down Decatur. Two weeks later Bob Jones held Buckhorn’s Khari Blasingham to less than 100 yards in a 34-17 win.
Styles, a junior, will have plenty of help trying to control the Oxford offense. Bob Jones starts nine seniors on defense including linebacker Nick Holman, a U of South Florida commit.
Defensive end Julien Lewis has yet to commit but is holding five offers from college football teams; Western Kentucky, Furman, Austin Peay, Air Force, and Bethune Cookman.
Lewis uses the extra playoff games to showcase his ability.
“Coaches come to see how good you are. They want to see how you do against competition that is as good as you are or better,” Lewis said.
Veteran safety Dylan Haraway was selected to the 2013 Alabama High School All-Star Football team slated to take on Mississippi on Dec. 14. Roc Thomas will also be on that team.
“I’m looking forward to it, obviously it will be a big challenge for us,” Haraway said of facing Thomas. “We had a good game against Hewitt-Trussville so hopefully keep it up and shut out Oxford.”
A shutout isn’t likely. Oxford enters the game on a nine game winning streak. They have scored over 50 points three times this season.
Bob Jones coach Kevin Rose expects a high scoring affair.
“I’ve told our players don’t get discouraged if Roc goes for 50 or 60 yards for a touchdown. Play the next play with the same energy and passion. Know it may be a high scoring game. We’ve played and won high scoring games this season.”
Bob Jones will be without receiver Jonathan Rice due to a shoulder injury and corner Jarek Taylor is out after suffering a concussion last week.
