Dyllan Redmon showed glimpses of the kind of running back he could be last season while backing up The Republic co-Football Player of the Year Blake Huffman.
With Huffman, a three-year starter, having moved on to Hanover, Redmon figures to carry the load in the Columbus North backfield this football season, and he is ready for the increased workload.
“It’s Dyllan’s turn,” North coach Tim Bless said. “We have every confidence that he’s ready to pick up where we left off. Obviously, the rushing attack is very important to Columbus North football, and that continues this year.”
At 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, Redmon doesn’t have the size of the prototypical 20-carry-per-game bell cow, but the senior has the athleticism to run around and over defenders.
“He’s cut in the mold of a lot of running backs that we’ve had at Columbus North, most recently with Blake Huffman,” Bless said. “He’s undersized, but he’s weight room-strong. He’s a powerful kid. He’s one of our faster football players, and he’s durable. He gets good cuts, he has good vision. So we’re not worried at all about his size.”
Redmon made his first start last season in place of an injured Huffman in Week 4. Redmon carried 18 times for 113 yards and a touchdown in a close loss to eventual Class 4A state champion Roncalli.
In his next game, Redmon carried 15 times for 124 yards and a score in a win against Terre Haute North. He finished with 66 carries for 423 yards and four touchdowns for the season.
“I got a good amount of playing time, and I got the feel of a varsity game because it’s a lot different than JV,” Redmon said. “So I feel like I come into the season already prepared for what is coming. I worked a lot last season and all during the offseason and now that I’m finally the main guy this year, it feels pretty good. We practice hard every day in practice and then go hard in conditioning. So I’m conditioned for it, and I’m ready.”
Redmon got a handful of carries in Friday’s scrimmage at Greenwood. He scored two of the Bull Dogs’ nine touchdowns.
“It wasn’t my best,” Redmon said. “I know I can do better. There are a couple of things I can do better. I feel like overall, it was a good scrimmage, but we have more to improve.”
That improvement will have to come before Friday night’s regular-season opener at Class 3A No. 4 Gibson Southern.
“I feel like we’re strong right now,” Redmon said. “We feel like we have some things we have to work on and get ready for Gibson Southern. We feel like if we have a good week of practice, we’ll be fine for Friday.”
This spring, Redmon was the starting third baseman on North’s baseball team that was ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 4A for most of the season and won a sectional title. He wants to play baseball in college.
Football is Redmon’s main focus for now, however. He hopes to rush for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns this fall.
“Each game kind of calls itself based on what the defense gives you,” Bless said. “But if it’s a game where the defense gives what we feel is good open lanes in the rushing attack, he’s going to get a lot of carries. He proved to us last year on the field in a couple games in particular that he’s the man for the job.”
