Arizona RB Carey has scary moves

On a recent cameo in the Phoenix area, the Oro Valley Canyon del Oro junior running back rattled off touchdown runs of 68, 1 and 93 yards in a 30-7 win at Queen Creek. On the 93-yarder, Carey started left, saw that the play was bottled up and reversed field. That’s when things got interesting.

First he burst up the sideline, clearing the first wave of Bulldog defenders. Then he somehow sidestepped two in the second level who appeared to have him bracketed. Then he was in the deep secondary. And you know what happens when Carey gets into the secondary?

"He kind of embarrasses people," CDO coach Dustin Peace said.

With a safety to beat, Carey cut left, the safety waved at air like a pagan worshipping an idol, and Carey took it to the house.

"When I’m in the open field it’s like it’s my birthday," Carey said. "I see people coming from different directions, the cutback is open and it’s time to have fun. It’s like playing Madden."

That run against Queen Creek was memorable, but Peace said it doesn’t even rank among Carey’s top plays this year.

"To be honest, that’s probably his seventh-best run," Peace said. Which makes the strategy opposing defenses are employing to stop him all the more confounding.

"What I’ve been most surprised with is that people aren’t stacking the box to stop him," Peace said. "His burst for that first 10 yards is really unbelievable, so if you let him get going, it’s just a matter of time before somebody misses a tackle and he goes all the way."

There’s no question Carey is on his way to bigger and better things if he can take care of his academics. He received his first official college offer on Oct. 16 when Arizona State talked to him just before the Dorados’ 35-7 win at Tucson Flowing Wells.

Carey had said previously that Oregon was at the top of his list, but, perhaps realizing that the offers are about to start pouring in from a variety of big-name schools, he said this week that he won’t even think about his college choice until his senior season. Why limit your options when the sky is the limit and the NFL is the dream?

"For sure," he said. "I see myself playing in the NFL, having a big house, lots of cars and just living the life."

That dream was inspired by his mom, Tisha McKinley, a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan who made Ka’Deem watch Eagles games every week as a kid until the thought of pro ball was ingrained in his head.

"I can’t picture myself doing anything else," he said.

Carey didn’t get as much attention his first two years at CDO, although he did get called up to the varsity during his freshman season and played in the Dorados’ Class 4A-I state championship loss to Scottsdale Saguaro at University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals.

Last season, Carey shared time in the backfield and missed several games with a nagging hamstring injury. Maybe that’s why most scouting Web sites still have him ranked well down the list of Arizona’s top tailbacks. But talk to the coaches of Arizona, particularly the ones who have seen him, and there’s no question who holds down the No. 1 spot.

"You’ve got to make him run between the tackles because when he gets outside it just gets ugly," said Tucson Santa Rita coach Jeff Scurran, who lost to Carey and CDO, 27-9, on Sept. 4.

Scurran has been an Arizona prep coach longer than he cares to remember. In his tenure, he has coached against some of the greatest backs in state history, including Tucson Amphitheater legend Mario Bates, who gained 2,740 yards in 1990 and Marana Mountain View's Kevin Schmidtke, who gained 2,522 yards in 1993. Scurran also coached Nathan Wize at Tucson Sabino in 1997 when Wize rushed for 3,101 yards.

Carey has average size (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) for a high school back and while his speed seems amazing "we see kids at this level with his speed all the time," Peace said. What sets Carey apart, and what stood out at that Queen Creek game, is his initial burst and his moves in the open field.

"When he gets into the open field he’s as a good as anyone I’ve ever seen – he’s just unbelievable," said Scurran, who called Carey the best back in the state. "It’s his vision that separates him. He knows where everyone is coming from, where everyone is going and he just seems to make all the right moves."

Carey’s numbers are impressive this season. He has rushed for 1,489 yards and 20 touchdowns in eight games. But he’s only the third-leading rusher in the state. You have to look at the average yards per carry (12.21) to understand why.

"We’re trying to keep him fresh," Peace said. "He doesn’t need a lot of reps in practice, and, with a bye week and the playoffs coming up soon, we want him to be in top form."

There’s another reason Carey has only carried the ball 122 times.

"You get to a point in games where you just can’t give him the ball any more because it wouldn’t be fair," said Peace, who limited Carey to eight attempts last week against Tucson Flowing Wells. "You just start looking around the sideline saying, ‘Can anyone else score?’"

Carey has produced 12 plays of 50 or more yards this season and at least one in each of his eight games. Here are his favorite three – the cream of the crop.

1. Sept. 4 at Tucson Santa Rita: The Santa Rita defense should have had Carey in the backfield and the Eagles regretted it moments later. Instead of taking on a tackler, Carey went over him, hurdling star defensive back Ian Garlets, juking two more defenders, five yards downfield, and going 80 yards for the score. He finished with 284 yards and four TDs on 21 carries in a 27-9 win.

2. Oct. 2 vs. Scottsdale Saguaro: Carey was hemmed in by the Sabercats defense but spun away from a tackle with a full 360-degree turn, stiff-armed another tackler and went 84 yards for a score. He finished with 299 yards and four TDs on 19 carries in a 44-0 whacking of the three-time defending 4A-I champs.

3. Aug. 28 vs. Tucson Ironwood Ridge: Carey was so elated that a team actually chose to kick off to him (it has only happened five times this year) that he dropped the ball. It was just a tease. He scooped it up, burst through the wall and took it 80 yards for a TD in a 27-13 win. He finished with 25 carries for 190 yards and three TDs.