Meet The Mr. Football Candidates: Rio Rancho Running Back Josh Foley
Today, we start to look at the top players in the state of New Mexico and candidates for the top award - NMPreps.com Mr. Football Award.
Josh Foley, joins the first player we have on our NMPreps.com Mr. Football candidate list, looking to become the third running back to win the award. Foley, ran out the gates last season with a 3-touchdown opening game to the 2015 season on 125-yards (9.5 average). Let us not forget his season high 208-yard, 3-touchdown game against Las Cruces High School.
Past Running Back Winners
2013 - JJ Granados, Las Cruces: 2,069-yards and 40 Touchdowns for a 12-1 team State Champion Team.2009 - Ronnie Daniels, La Cueva: 2,261-yards and 38-touchdowns for a 12-1 team State Champion Team.
Those numbers will be hard to live up too, especially for Foley who had games he would carry 20 times, then 9. Touches will be important for him but consistency will also be the determining factor. Had a decent stretch of touches and going over 100-yards, including the 208-yard game.
Yes, some may say "only" 1,081-yards last season for Foley. However, this young man played for a team that had a QB that had over 2,000-yards passing. They will air it out but Foley will have the opportunity to get his. Let's be honest, he can't have those dip games of 60-yards this year if he wants to stay in consideration.
Most winners have that stat that sticks out. Getting closer to 2,000-yards will matter. 1,700-yards might be a standard stick. Now to touchdowns, this is that stat that I've talked about, in winning the award. The past two RB winners had 40 and 38.
Foley, had 15-touchdowns last season and might need a boost in this department. Over 20-touchdowns could be a must to be considered in the candidate race. Especially, with other RB's that will be on this list that could go for 30 plus.
The plus side that Foley will have over many candidates is that Foley plays for the preseason No. 1 team in the state of New Mexico in the Rio Rancho Rams.
Winning a state championship only helps the case and this could be the return for the 2014 state champs who also had a Mr. Football winner.
Here we go, an undefeated season capped with a State Title. At the least 1,700-rushing yards, 23-touchdowns and consistently over 100-yards rushing each game. The task is tall but for prospects like Foley who have high expectations he could live up to it.