By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Roosevelt High School’s football program has seen great success this season with the collaborative efforts of both the offensive and defensive units.
While they have talent all over the field, undoubtedly the identity of the Roughriders is their running game. The team not only averages 277 yards per game rushing, but they also average 12.2 yards per carry.
“The running game is a work of art, says Roosevelt Head Football Coach Sam Adams. “It is a lot of body movement and people think you must be a physical football team, and it is not really just that. It is understanding the different schemes and schematics of a defense that allows an offense to move the ball, and we are lucky to have some skilled guys that can move the ball with great vision.”
“We have an offensive line that plays with the defensive mentality and that allows them to be a little physical and get to the next level and understand what they’re supposed to do. I think that with the guys we have we are able to put them in situations to be successful, and that is what the run game is all about, being able to find the situations that give you an opportunity to be great,” says Adams.
One of Roosevelt’s running backs, Junior Damari King expressed that he has had a great experience being a part of Roosevelt’s football team, under the direction of Coach Adams. In just four games this season, King has amassed 528 yards and 7 touchdowns on just 23 carries.
“I like it over here, it is fun, and building chemistry with my teammates has been great,” says King. “He [Adams] is a great coach; he keeps us working hard in practice and stays on top of us to remain on top of our game. I love the way he coaches, and it is helping make each of us great players.”
While King appears to be the big playmaker of the running back group, senior running back Deon Vann is the workhorse of the group. Vann, who averages 7.8 yards per carry, is a steady presence and perfect complement to the Roosevelt offense.
“They are both great young men who work hard and have great vision,” says Adams. “The thing I am most proud of is that yes, they are having a lot of success on the ground, but they are great in pass protection, and they are both physical blockers. So, when you have a mentality that those two boys have it makes it easier for them to have success.”
While Adams is proud of the success that his team has had on the field this season, the most rewarding part of coaching is having his players buy into his emphasis on academics. For Adams, who had a very successful college and pro football career, it is very important that his players stay on track with their studies and excel in the classroom.
“The big thing that we are striving for this year is getting our grade point average to a 3.3. We want the kids to commit to their grades, and that is the foundation of the program,” says Adams. “Also, we give back to our community. So, we will be visiting the food bank towards the holiday months doing some work there, having the kids involved in giving back, and I think that we can mold these young men to be better men outside of the football field.”
“We want to make sure that these young men are better prepared for life after high school with whatever that may be,” Adams concluded.
For King, he is on board with the focus on academics of the program and says that he has been able to stay on top of his academic pursuits by going the extra mile.
“I have been able to manage my academics by dedicating any extra time I may have to study,” says King. “Sometimes, I have to skip lunch to go and study, because I don’t have much time after practice. Or I will come to school early in the morning to catch up on some work that I have to do, just to make sure that I am staying on top of my work and keeping up with my grades.”
As the current season is underway, King is proud of the way he has played this year, both personally, and his team as a whole, and is looking forward to the end of the year to take a run towards the State Championship.
However, King is quick to point out that football is a team game, and knows that his success is predicated on the hard work and execution of his teammates.
“Without the blocks from my teammates, I wouldn’t be able to do the things that I do on the field without my team and my line blocking the way that they block,” says King. “My quarterback as well has made the pass and run game more effective and has helped me out to bring more energy every game and remaining positive out there on the field.”
“For myself, I would like to stay consistent and keep building week by week to get ready to try and make it to state,” he added.
In his most recent game against Ballard High School last week, where Roosevelt defeated the Beavers 62-3, King, who had seven carries for 161 yards and five touchdowns, says that it was a breakout game for him and that he is looking forward to the remainder of the season.
“They had told me that I had broken the record for rushing touchdowns in a game because I had five touchdowns during that game against Ballard but two did get called back,” says King. “That is something I am proud of now as myself as a player, and I plan on keeping that same momentum and thriving each game.”