Herrera getting the job done for Greyhounds on offense

Roy Hess
RGVSports.com
September 24, 2009 4:16 PM

SAN BENITO - You won’t hear any complaints from San Benito running back Tommy Herrera about his role in the Greyhounds’ offense this season.

Herrera, a 5-foot-8, 185-pound junior, said he is pretty content with how things are going. The first-year starter is off to a productive showing, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. During the Greyhounds’ first three games, Herrera has rushed 48 times for 325 yards. He leads District 32-5A in scoring with six touchdowns.

Actually, you probably won’t hear too much of anything from Herrera, since he’s a person who is not all that talkative, especially on the football field.

"Tommy’s just a very quiet leader who leads by his actions," said Spencer Gantt, San Benito’s first-year head coach. "He’s a great kid who does a great job."

Herrera’s services, along with those of quarterback Brandon Marquez, who has rushed for 339 yards and passed for 311 in three games, figure to be much in demand on the Greyhounds’ offense when San Benito (1-2) opens District 32-5A action against Hanna (2-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Sams Memorial Stadium in The Brownsville Herald’s Game of the Week.

"It would be good to start off with a win in district," said Herrera, who began playing football when he was in elementary school. "It’s something we need to do."

Herrera considers himself more of a power runner.

"I’m not all that quick," he said. "I just try to run hard and stay behind my blockers. My offensive line is helping me out a lot. I like Coach Gantt’s offense. I get a lot of carries."

The Greyhounds are averaging 333.3 yards per game on offense, with about two-thirds of that total coming on the ground. During the Greyhounds’ season opener against Corpus Christi Ray, Herrera rushed for 122 yards on 10 carries and scored four touchdowns to highlight San Benito’s 36-35 double-overtime victory over the Texans.

The running back position was somewhat of a question mark for the Greyhounds prior to the season’s start. Gantt said Herrera has provided a resounding answer.

"Tommy’s really the workhorse for us," Gantt said. "We’ve put a lot on his shoulders, and he’s come through in a big way. In our offense, without a (good) running back, you’re in trouble. He’s a very integral part of what we do. He’s been solid for us. Our expectations for Tommy are very high, and he’s fulfilling them."

Article taken from RGV Sports