'10 OH RB Erick Howard (Ohio U Walk-On)

[gracelhink]

Lexington jumped out to a 20-7 first half lead, but Hoover behind Howard scored 34 unanswered points for a comeback win.
Howard was relentless in the victory, putting the team on his back and willing them to victory against a defense that was worn down attempting to limit his speed and power.

LEXINGTON - Erick Howard made the most of his heavy workload for Hoover in the second half, finishing with 278 yards on 48 carries in leading the Vikings to a 41-20 win on the road.

Game Review | FridayNightOhio.com

 

[Buckskin86]

Football: North Canton Hoover, Mr. Football too much for Lexington
By CARL HUNNELL ? News Journal ? September 12, 2009

LEXINGTON -- Erick Howard had an awful taste in his mouth after North Canton Hoover lost to rival Louisville last week.
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Ohio's reigning Mr. Football replaced that taste by taking 50 big bites out of the Lexington defense Friday night, rushing for 277 yards and three TDs in a 41-20 nonleague win before a crowd of about 3,500.

His hunger was especially noticeable in the second half when he carried the ball on 32 of Hoover's 37 offensive plays for 156 yards as the Vikings (2-1) rallied from a 20-7 deficit.

The vast majority of the runs were simple blasts between the tackles, following his fullback and an offensive line that denied the Minutemen any penetration.

"I was not happy with how I played in the first half (18 carries, 121 yards)," the 5-foot-10, 210-pound power back said. "We had to fight through it. My offensive line did a great job of opening holes ... I love those guys. They would die for me and I would die for them."

Howard, who has 4,416 rushing yards in his career, said he never got tired against the Minutemen (2-1), despite also playing middle linebacker.

"I think feeling tired is just mental weakness," said Howard, who led Hoover to the Division I state semifinals last year. "And I don't think I am a mentally weak person."

Football: North Canton Hoover, Mr. Football too much for Lexington | mansfieldnewsjournal.com | Mansfield News Journal

 

[wadc45]

Scout $ - Mr. Football Still Hoping For Buckeye Offer

9/13

By BG...talks about the atmosphere at the USC game last night...also talks about his team's win over Lexington the night before...talks about the specifics of what he needs to do to secure his OSU offer and how he is progressing.

 

[FairfaxBuckeye]

I wish Erick well and would really love to see him make it and get an offer.

 

[Buckskin86]

HOWARD GETTING BETTER

Everyone knows how good Hoover running back Erick Howard is. The 2008 Ohio Mr. Football has a very good chance to become Stark County?s all-time leading rusher this season.

What makes it tough to stop Howard is defenses have to get behind the line of scrimmage and hit Howard before he gets to the line or he?s gaining 4 or 5 yards. There are two things Howard doesn?t get enough credit for: his field vision and his balance.

On Friday night against Perry, Howard rushed for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, and he had a couple of spin moves in traffic that broke him free. Not once did he lose his balance like most high school running backs do when performing a spin move.

?No one talks about his balance,? Hoover head coach Don Hertler Jr. said. ?He has incredible balance.?

Howard has not been offered a scholarship by Ohio State, but the Buckeyes would make a mistake in not doing so. Four or five years down the road, if Howard isn?t in Columbus, he?ll be in the backfield for Illinois or Michigan State pulling off an upset.

Todd Porter's Sunday Special: Is love affair between Tressel and OSU fans over? - Canton, OH - CantonRep.com

 

[Merih]

Thank you Todd Porter, your "schwammie" skills are stupendous!

I think I'm going to be sick.

 

[FairfaxBuckeye]

Mistakes, too much Howard doom Perry - Massillon, OH - The Independent

Mistakes, too much Howard doom Perry
By David Harpster
The Independent
BEACH CITY, OH ? The Perry Panthers faced a challenging enough task with a road game at defending Federal League champion Hoover Friday night.

The Panthers made it even tougher on themselves by giving the Vikings a helping hand several times in the opening half of Hoover?s eventual 35-7 victory.

Perry committed a pair of costly turnovers and dropped a potential touchdown pass in the opening two quarters. Not one to let a good chance pass by, the Vikings capitalized fully on the Perry mistakes, usually by handing the ball to star tailback Erick Howard. The reigning Mr. Football responded by rushing for 198 of his 236 yards in the opening half, needing just 17 carries to rack up that total. Howard scored three touchdowns during the first-half blitz, at one time having accounted for all but two of Hoover?s 200 yards of offense. He finished with 23 carries on the night.

. . .

 

[Buckskin86]

North Canton Hoover 35, Lake 20 ? Senior Erick Howard rushed for 274 yards and five touchdowns and the visiting Vikings (4-1, 2-0 Federal) used a 28-point second quarter to defeat the Blue Streaks (2-3, 1-2).

Ohio.com - Copley scores early, often in Suburban win over Cloverleaf

 

[Meyer]

wow

 

[gracelhink]

Howard has the capacity to dominate any game and carry an offense even against defenses that stack the line and key to stop him.
Hoover's offensive total rushing yardage at the halfway point in the regular season --1200.
Howard has accounted for 1072 rushing yards in those five games.

Howard, Vikings feeling great in win over Lake | FridayNightOhio.com

Even the flu couldn?t slow Mr. Football. That won?t make the Lake Blue Streaks feel any better after what they went through Friday night.

Erick Howard put on a display in one half running backs not named Erick Howard only dream of. The Hoover High School senior rushed for 230 yards in the first half and scored four touchdowns in the second quarter alone in a 35-20 Federal League football victory over Lake at Blue Streak Stadium

Howard finished with 274 yards and five TDs on the night. That in itself is pretty amazing considering he had not practiced all week and was still feeling sick. The flu also kept him out of school for three days.

 

[craigblitz]

Those are some INSANE numbers!!!

 

[pnuts34]

Those are some INSANE numbers!!!

Yeah, this kid put up video game numbers, lol! Hope his offer comes soon, our backfield will be stacked, I love to see a deeper RB group if he commits(besides USC of course).

 

[BuckeyesFan0623]

Yeah, this kid put up video game numbers, lol! Hope his offer comes soon, our backfield will be stacked, I love to see a deeper RB group if he commits(besides USC of course).

I agree 100% , you can never have too much talent in the back field ( i think i said this once before , lol ) . Also you gotta love the Ohio kids that want nothing more that too play in the s&g . Go Bucks .

 

[Merih]

Howard has the capacity to dominate any game and carry an offense even against defenses that stack the line and key to stop him.

Uh I don't know about that, Louisville had him down for 45 yards on 19 carries...

Not trying to be a party pooper, just stating the facts.

 

[gracelhink]

Uh I don't know about that, Louisville had him down for 45 yards on 19 carries...

Not trying to be a party pooper, just stating the facts.

Not a party pooper, but Louisville has been an anomaly for Howard and Hoover. Howard excels at every other game each year for the last 3 years except vs. the Leopards.
Opinion of a homer here, but that is a testament to the Louisville D. . . Not an indictment on the talent of Howard, who was contained for the 3rd year in a row by Louisville.
The Louisville defensive gameplan was 8 in the box, penetrate and hit Howard in the backfield, swarm the ball, leave DB's on an island and dare Hoover to pass.
That defensive strategy has been copied and worked early with other opponents but generally teams get worn down over the course of a game due to the power and speed Howard brings.
Louisville also made Howard run on defense, covering receivers from the Mike against their spread.