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The Dog House Ground Game: Rushing Leaders Are Running Wild

The Dog House Ground Game: Rushing Leaders Are Running Wild

There is something special about a football team that can line up, tell the defense what is coming and still move the football.

Running the football is about toughness. It is about patience, vision and explosion. It is also about the offensive linemen, tight ends and receivers willing to do the dirty work without always receiving the credit.

Across the Dog House Tour, several running backs are already putting up huge numbers. Some are carrying their offenses. Others are part of deep backfields that can attack a defense in several different ways.

Here are the current Dog House rushing leaders based on the statistics submitted through Week 3.

1. Jayden Nanthan — WB/ND

48 carries, 534 yards, 11.1 yards per carry and 5 touchdowns

Jayden Nanthan currently sits at the top of the Dog House.

Nanthan has rushed for 534 yards on only 48 carries. That means he is averaging more than 11 yards every time he touches the football.

Those are not ordinary numbers. That is explosive production.

Nanthan combines speed, vision and the ability to finish runs. Give him a crease and he can turn an ordinary play into six points.

College coaches looking for a humble, hungry and productive running back need to know this young man’s name.

2. Chandler Dadant — West Hancock

65 carries, 370 yards, 5.69 yards per carry and 1 touchdown

Chandler Dadant has been the workhorse for Coach Coy Dorothy’s West Hancock Titans.

Dadant leads all Dog House players with 65 carries. He has responded with 370 yards while also serving as the leading tackler on defense.

That is a lot of snaps and a lot of physical football.

Dadant’s game is built around toughness, balance and effort. He helped the Road Warriors travel to Knoxville and earn a hard-fought 22–20 victory.

He is not only one of the best running backs in the Dog House. He is one of its most complete football players.

3. Makoa Kaleponi — Centerville

56 carries, 352 yards, 6.3 yards per carry and 5 touchdowns

Makoa Kaleponi gives the Centerville Big Reds a physical presence in the backfield.

The senior has rushed for 352 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Kaleponi can run through contact, finish forward and wear down a defense as the game progresses.

With Mack Murdock leading the passing attack, defenses cannot simply load the box to stop Kaleponi.

That balance makes Centerville dangerous.

4. Moses Thacher — Fort Madison

35 carries, 328 yards, 9.4 yards per carry and 5 touchdowns

Moses Thacher is a touchdown waiting to happen.

The Fort Madison junior has produced 328 yards and five touchdowns on only 35 carries. His average of 9.4 yards per attempt is one of the best marks on the entire tour.

Thacher can run inside, bounce outside and catch the football in space. He plays with speed, toughness and a quiet confidence.

He is also one of the nicest and most humble young men I have met on the Dog House Tour.

Humble and hungry—that is Moses Thacher.

5. Drake May — Macomb

17 carries, 222 yards, 13.1 yards per carry and 6 touchdowns

Drake May continues to do a little bit of everything for the undefeated Macomb Bombers.

May has gained 222 yards on only 17 carries. That is an incredible average of 13.1 yards per attempt. He has also scored six rushing touchdowns.

When May gets the football, something big usually happens.

He has been equally impressive on defense, making him one of the most complete two-way players in the Tri-State area.

Coach Tanner Horrell’s mission is to quiet the noise and handle business one game at a time. May has certainly been handling his business.

6. Ryan Helling — Mount Pleasant

25 carries, 216 yards, 8.6 yards per carry and 3 touchdowns

Ryan Helling has emerged as another major weapon for the Mount Pleasant Panthers.

The junior is averaging 8.6 yards per carry and has scored three touchdowns. Helling runs with burst and does not need many opportunities to change a football game.

Coach John Bowlin’s Panthers continue to take things one game at a time. With Helling and Griffen Jones in the backfield, Mount Pleasant has the depth to keep its running game fresh and explosive.

7. Brett Cook — Central Lee

31 carries, 182 yards, 5.9 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns

Brett Cook really does cook.

The Central Lee senior has rushed for 182 yards and four touchdowns while also leading the Hawks with 20 tackles on defense.

Cook’s physical style helped Central Lee go on the road and defeat Albia for the first time since 2017.

He runs hard, plays downhill and brings toughness to both sides of the football.

When Central Lee needs an important yard, Cook is the type of player who wants the ball in his hands.

8. Colby Martin — Macomb

11 carries, 145 yards, 13.2 yards per carry and 2 touchdowns

Colby Martin gives Macomb another explosive option in an extremely deep backfield.

Martin has turned 11 carries into 145 yards and two touchdowns. His average of 13.2 yards per carry is the best among the current Dog House Top 10.

When May leaves the field, the Bombers do not lose much explosiveness. Martin can make defenders miss and create big plays of his own.

That depth is one reason Macomb has been able to put games away early.

9. Johnathan Seyb — Central Lee

19 carries, 99 yards, 5.2 yards per carry and 1 touchdown

Johnathan Seyb is closing in on the 100-yard mark for Central Lee.

Seyb has provided the Hawks with another dependable option alongside Cook. He is averaging 5.2 yards per attempt and has scored one touchdown.

Having two productive runners gives Central Lee the opportunity to remain physical without placing the entire workload on one player.

10. Griffen Jones — Mount Pleasant

15 carries, 93 yards, 6.2 yards per carry and 2 touchdowns

Griffen Jones rounds out the Dog House Top 10.

Jones has rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Combined with Helling, he gives Mount Pleasant one of the deepest and most balanced backfields on the tour.

Both runners can produce, and both benefit from an offensive line that has created running room.

Dog House Top 10 Rushing Leaders

  1. Jayden Nanthan, WB/ND — 534 yards
  2. Chandler Dadant, West Hancock — 370 yards
  3. Makoa Kaleponi, Centerville — 352 yards
  4. Moses Thacher, Fort Madison — 328 yards
  5. Drake May, Macomb — 222 yards
  6. Ryan Helling, Mount Pleasant — 216 yards
  7. Brett Cook, Central Lee — 182 yards
  8. Colby Martin, Macomb — 145 yards
  9. Johnathan Seyb, Central Lee — 99 yards
  10. Griffen Jones, Mount Pleasant — 93 yards

Just Outside the Top 10

  • Mack Murdock, Centerville — 90 yards and 3 touchdowns
  • Johnathan Powell, Macomb — 83 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • Owen Huffman, Fort Madison — 83 yards
  • Hunter Froman, West Hancock — 79 yards
  • Hunter Whibley, West Hancock — 66 yards
  • Kellan Porter, WB/ND — 60 yards and 2 touchdowns

Give the Big Guys Their Credit

Running backs receive the yards and touchdowns, but none of these numbers happen without the guys up front.

Every big run begins with an offensive lineman creating movement, a tight end sealing the edge or a receiver blocking downfield.

The offensive lines at WB/ND, West Hancock, Centerville, Fort Madison, Macomb, Mount Pleasant and Central Lee deserve plenty of credit for helping these runners succeed.

The statistics may place one name beside the yardage, but football remains the ultimate team sport.

The Race Is Just Beginning

The Iowa and Illinois teams have played different numbers of games, so this leaderboard will continue changing throughout the season.

Nanthan currently owns the rushing crown. Dadant and Kaleponi have carried heavy workloads. Thacher, May, Martin and Helling have been explosive nearly every time they touch the football.

Cook, Seyb and Jones continue providing their teams with dependable production.

There is still plenty of football left to play.

The Dog House ground game is loaded, and these young men are just getting started.

#DogHouseTour #DogPoundRadio #DogHouseRushingLeaders #CCARadioBroadcastNetwork #FridayNightFootball #HighSchoolFootball #IowaHighSchoolFootball #IllinoisHighSchoolFootball #GroundAndPound #HumbleAndHungry #FridayNightLights

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Published by cbanks1972

## Charles “Chuck” Banks ### Founder and Voice of Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network Charles “Chuck” Banks—known to many throughout the tri-state sports community as Coach Banks or “Chuck the Tank”—is the founder and lead broadcaster of the Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network. Built from more than two decades of coaching, teaching, leadership, and relationship-building, the network is dedicated to telling the stories of the coaches, athletes, schools, and communities that make local sports special. A native of rural Iowa, Banks has spent 20 years in education and more than 25 years coaching football. He earned his bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Graceland University in 2004 before completing a master’s degree in Secondary Education and Educational Administration and a specialist degree in Educational Leadership. Throughout his coaching career, Banks worked with programs across southeastern Iowa. His stops included Centerville, Central Lee, and Fort Madison, along with seven years coaching girls basketball and additional experience in junior-high track. At Central Lee, Banks served as an assistant defensive coach and activities director before becoming the Hawks’ head football coach from 2020 through 2022. Central Lee reached the playoffs during his final season. He was also part of multiple playoff teams and a district championship during his time with the program. At Centerville, Banks spent nine years as an assistant and helped the Big Reds capture a district championship and earn multiple playoff appearances. Most recently, he coached at Fort Madison under Head Coach Derek Doherty, helping develop younger players within the Bloodhound football program. Banks’ defensive coaching journey evolved from the traditional 5-2 defense to the 3-3-5 before he found his preferred home in the 4-2-5. However, his coaching philosophy has never been limited to schemes, formations, wins, or losses. He believes the greatest responsibility of a coach is to build relationships, develop leaders, create belonging, and prepare young people for life beyond the playing field. That belief became the foundation for Coaching Culture in Athletics. What began as an effort to create meaningful conversations about coaching and leadership grew into a full sports-media and broadcasting network. Coaching Culture in Athletics now serves as the umbrella for Dog Pound Radio, The Coach Show, the Dog House Tour, Dog Pound U, Hound Talk, the Dog House Saturday Morning Blitz, live game broadcasts, team previews, rankings, interviews, historical features, and year-round coverage of local athletics. Through the Dog House Tour, Banks visits practices, meets coaching staffs, interviews athletes, studies programs, and gives local teams the type of detailed coverage normally reserved for much larger schools. The network’s reach extends throughout southeastern Iowa, western Illinois, and northeastern Missouri, connecting communities across the tri-state region. Banks has covered and developed relationships with programs including Fort Madison, Central Lee, Centerville, West Burlington–Notre Dame, Mount Pleasant, Macomb, West Hancock, and Brown County. His work highlights more than star players and final scores. It recognizes assistant coaches, linemen, managers, scout-team players, school traditions, historic stadiums, longtime community supporters, and the people working behind the scenes. The Coach Show allows Banks to sit down with coaches from the high-school and college levels for honest conversations about leadership, program development, adversity, family, faith, and the profession of coaching. His interviews are guided by experience rather than observation alone. He understands the pressure of leading a program, the hours spent preparing, the sacrifices made by coaching families, and the responsibility that comes with mentoring young people. Dog Pound Radio brings a more energetic edge to the network. Inspired by Banks’ love for football and his beagles, Leo and Loki, Dog Pound Radio combines local sports reporting with the unmistakable “Dawg Mentality”—toughness, loyalty, preparation, perseverance, and love for the team. Loki continues to serve as a central part of the brand, while the memory of Leo remains woven into its heart. Banks’ journey has also been shaped by significant personal adversity. After suffering multiple strokes, undergoing heart surgery, and facing additional serious health concerns, he stepped away from coaching and entered what he describes as medical retirement from the sideline. He also speaks openly about depression, adult ADHD, recovery, and the importance of faith, family, purpose, and mental health. Although his health changed the way he could serve, it did not take away his calling. Broadcasting became a new sideline. Through Coaching Culture in Athletics, Banks found another way to teach, coach, encourage, and advocate. His experiences have given his work a deeper sense of urgency: appreciate the people around you, tell their stories while you can, recognize the unseen contributors, and never underestimate the impact a coach can have on a young person’s life. Faith and family remain at the center of Banks’ life. He and his wife, Stephanie, have built a life rooted in southeastern Iowa and are the proud parents of Chelsey, Peyton, and Katarina. Their growing family includes son-in-law Donald Archambault and grandchildren Orion, Owen, and Ollie. Banks often credits his family for standing beside him through the demanding seasons of coaching, education, broadcasting, illness, and recovery. Today, Chuck Banks brings together the perspective of a coach, educator, broadcaster, historian, husband, father, grandfather, and survivor. His voice is passionate, direct, knowledgeable, and deeply connected to the communities he covers. The mission of the Coaching Culture in Athletics Radio Broadcast Network is simple: promote the positive impact of athletics, strengthen coaching culture, celebrate local communities, preserve sports history, and provide athletes and coaches with a platform where their work matters. This is more than a radio network. It is a celebration of coaches, culture, athletes, families, and communities. It is local sports coverage built on relationships. It is where coaches, culture, and communities connect. It is Coaching Culture in Athletics.

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