Luke Durbin is a big fan of the Demario McCall Show, but the second-year North Ridgeville coach doesn’t want it to be on all the time.
While McCall put up record-breaking numbers from his tailback position — and even took over as the starting quarterback the final three games due to injuries — the Rangers were just 5-5 (2-4 in the West Shore Conference), fading after getting off to a 4-1 start.
This year, with the Rangers joining the expanded Southwestern Conference, Durbin believes they will need — and have — more weapons than just McCall.
“I think we’ve got a little better overall skill than we last year,” Durbin said. “We struggled to find someone to take pressure off Demario last season. If someone bottled him up, then we really struggled.
“Offensively, our skill is our strength. Demario speaks for himself, but we’ve got some other pretty good running backs and a couple good wide receivers that can take the pressure off him. We’ve also got (junior) Collin Sullinger back. He started our first three games at quarterback but dislocated his hip in Week 3.”
McCall, who has orally committed to Ohio State, rushed 220 times for 2,302 yards — fourth best in Lorain County history and the best county performance in a 10-game season — and 35 touchdowns. He caught 14 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown, and he scored touchdowns on a kickoff return and an interception return.
McCall totaled 2,842 all-purpose yards during his junior season, finished with zero fumbles and had seven touchdowns — four of which were 50 yards or longer — called back due to penalties. He also set the county single-game rushing record with 445 yards against Elyria Catholic in Week 9.
McCall has one goal in mind this season — playoffs. The Rangers have only been to the postseason once, in 2009.
“I want to make a run at the playoffs, I’m really motivated for that,” McCall said. “That’s all I think about at practice. That’s all I’m working for. I’m not interested in individual goals right now. Now, I’m just focused on making a run at the playoffs.
“I feel like we do have more overall talent than we did last year. This year’s team is more athletic and skilled than last year’s team. We actually have more key players with speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball, and I think that will help. It definitely should also help being in Coach Durbin’s system for another year.”
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