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🏈 COLLEGE COACHES: THE DOG HOUSE TOUR HAS RUNNING BACKS WHO CAN ABSOLUTELY PLAY AT YOUR LEVEL

🏈 COLLEGE COACHES: THE DOG HOUSE TOUR HAS RUNNING BACKS WHO CAN ABSOLUTELY PLAY AT YOUR LEVEL

College coaches, it is time to take a serious look inside the Dog House.

Throughout the 2026 season, the Dog House Tour has covered several outstanding running backs from Iowa and Illinois. These athletes bring power, speed, vision, toughness, versatility, and heart to their programs.

However, calling them running backs does not tell the entire story.

Every athlete on this list is a two-way football player.

They carry the football on offense, contribute defensively, play special teams, and rarely leave the field. They possess the conditioning, toughness, intelligence, and team-first mentality that college coaches should value.

These are not specialists. These are complete football players.

Drake May — Macomb

Drake May is one of the most established recruits inside the Dog House.

The Macomb senior is an elite two-way running back and linebacker who makes his presence felt on both sides of the football. He is a proven Illinois Class 4A First-Team All-State selection, and his ability has already attracted attention at the Division I level.

May holds a Division I offer from San Diego State.

He brings power and explosiveness to the Macomb backfield, then turns around and delivers the same physical presence at linebacker. He plays fast, embraces contact, and brings the versatility that gives a college coaching staff multiple options.

May represents exactly what this feature is about: a small-town, two-way football player with the talent, toughness, and mentality to compete at the next level.

College coaches better hurry if they want Drake May. His Division I recruiting process has already begun.

Jayden Nanthan — West Burlington/Notre Dame

48 carries | 534 rushing yards | 11.1 yards per carry | 5 touchdowns

Nanthan is averaging more than a first down every time he carries the football. That is elite production.

He combines vision, balance, power, and the acceleration needed to turn a small opening into a huge play. He has become the engine of the WB/ND offense and one of the most productive running backs in the area.

His value extends beyond the rushing totals. Nanthan is another two-way competitor who is willing to contribute wherever his team needs him.

College coaches, Jayden Nanthan belongs on your recruiting board right now.

Makoa Kaleponi — Centerville

In one of his biggest performances of the 2026 season, Kaleponi delivered:

15 carries | 152 rushing yards | 3 touchdowns

Kaleponi is flat-out fast.

He can run between the tackles, catch the football, create plays in open space, and use that athleticism on the defensive side of the ball. His speed forces opponents to account for him regardless of where he lines up.

One missed angle can quickly become six points.

Recruit the speed. Recruit the versatility. Recruit Makoa Kaleponi.

Chandler Dadant — West Hancock

If you enjoy physical football, turn on Chandler Dadant’s film.

Dadant runs behind his pads, finishes carries, and becomes increasingly dangerous as a defense begins to wear down. That same physical mentality carries over when he moves to the defensive side of the football.

He brings toughness, effort, and the willingness to do the dirty work required to help West Hancock win. He is the type of player who can carry the football, make a tackle, and contribute on special teams without ever asking to leave the field.

His running style may not always produce the flashiest social-media clip—but it wins football games.

College coaches looking for a physical, complete football player need to evaluate Chandler Dadant.

Moses Thacher — Fort Madison

Moses Thacher brings vision, physicality, toughness, and the ability to finish every run.

He is powerful between the tackles, sees the cutback lanes, contributes in the passing game, and competes on the defensive side of the football. He continues to improve behind a Fort Madison offensive line that is becoming more physical every week.

Thacher plays with heart and brings that unmistakable Dog Pound mentality to every phase of the game.

He is still developing, and his best football may be ahead of him.

Do not wait until everyone else discovers Moses Thacher.

Jack Sefton — Brown County

Jack Sefton is the definition of a two-way football player.

He contributes on both sides of the ball for a Brown County program that has been overwhelming its competition. The Hornets recently rolled to a 67–0 victory over Routt Catholic, and Sefton continues to demonstrate his toughness, athleticism, and versatility.

Sometimes recruiting becomes too focused on numbers and measurables. Turn on the film. Watch how a young man competes. Watch his effort and the different ways he affects a football game.

Sefton is the type of athlete who helps a team win even when the football is not in his hands.

Jack Sefton deserves serious college attention.

Griffen Jones — Mount Pleasant

Griffen Jones gives Mount Pleasant an explosive weapon who can affect all three phases of the game.

He can carry the football, create plays in space, contribute defensively, and change field position on special teams. His versatility allows the Panthers to move him around and find different ways to use his athleticism.

Jones possesses the type of explosiveness that can change field position—or the scoreboard—in one play.

College coaches need to evaluate the entire athlete. Griffen Jones is a playmaker.

Ryan Helling — Mount Pleasant

Helling delivered one of the strongest running-back performances of the 2026 season during Mount Pleasant’s 55–8 victory over Knoxville:

11 carries | 148 rushing yards | 13.5 yards per carry | 1 touchdown

That performance earned him recognition as the Dog House Player of the Game.

Helling runs with patience, vision, and the acceleration needed to explode through an opening. He does not need 25 carries to take over a game. He makes his opportunities count.

He also contributes defensively, giving Mount Pleasant another dependable two-way athlete who can remain on the field during critical situations.

Ryan Helling has shown that he deserves to be evaluated by college programs.

THE DOG HOUSE IS LOADED

🔥 Drake May brings proven Division I ability.
🔥 Jayden Nanthan brings elite production.
⚡ Makoa Kaleponi brings game-changing speed.
💪 Chandler Dadant brings power and toughness.
🐾 Moses Thacher brings vision and Dog Pound mentality.
🏈 Jack Sefton brings complete two-way versatility.
💥 Griffen Jones brings explosiveness in all three phases.
🚂 Ryan Helling brings patience, efficiency, and dependability.

Eight running backs. Seven programs. Eight two-way football players with college-level ability.

These young men are not spending half the night standing on the sideline.

They carry the football on offense. They pursue and tackle on defense. They contribute on special teams. They compete until the final whistle and do whatever their programs need them to do.

Small-school football players do not always have the luxury of specializing.

That is not a weakness. That is tremendous recruiting value.

THE MISSION OF THE DOG HOUSE TOUR

The goal of the Dog House Tour is bigger than scores, statistics, rankings, and weekly awards.

Our goal is to continue building our audience so more deserving athletes are seen.

The larger the Dog House becomes, the more opportunities we create to place these young men in front of college coaches, recruiters, fans, and communities outside their hometowns.

Many talented small-school athletes do not receive the exposure they deserve. They play offense, defense, and special teams. They rarely leave the field, do everything their programs ask, and compete every Friday night without receiving the attention given to athletes from larger schools.

We want to help change that.

Every person who follows, shares, comments, watches, and supports the Dog House Tour helps expand the platform. That growth might help another player’s film reach a college coach, introduce a deserving athlete to a new audience, or create an opportunity that otherwise may never have existed.

The more we grow, the more players we can highlight.

The more players we highlight, the more film reaches college coaches.

The more college coaches who see that film, the more opportunities these athletes may receive.

That is why we do this.

Recruiting should not be about waiting for another school to make the first offer. Study the film. Recognize the talent. Find the football players who can help your program win.

These young men come from small communities, but there is nothing small about their ability.

The Dog House Tour is building a bigger stage for small-school athletes—and we are only getting started.

College coaches, the Dog House has two-way running backs who can absolutely play at your level.

It is time to start making calls.

#CollegeCoachesBetterSignThem #RecruitTheDogHouse #DogHouseTour #DogHouseFootball #TwoWayPlayers #CCAFootball #CoachingCultureInAthletics #CollegeFootballRecruiting #RecruitingTrail #FridayNightLights #SmallTownTalent #AthleteExposure #IowaHighSchoolFootball #IllinoisHighSchoolFootball #EarnedNotGiven

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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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