2011 National Football Player of the Year: Johnathan Gray

U.S. Air Force National Football Player of the Year: Johnathan Gray

ALEDO, Texas - Football, broken down to its most simple form, is about two things: Scoring touchdowns and winning.

Simply, no one in the history of high school football has done that better than University of Texas recruit Johnathan Gray.

Johnathan Gray salutes fans in closing moments of third straight state title.

Photo by Robbie Rakestraw

The shifty, speedy, rugged 5-foot-10, 202-pound running back from Aledo (Texas) scored a national-record 205 touchdowns in his illustrious career, leading the Bearcats to 55 victories (against four defeats) and three consecutive Texas 4A state championships.



With an entire nation watching, scrutinizing and gasping at his every move, to see how many national records he could set, Gray finished off his career with his best season yet, rushing for 3,906 yards (11.29 per carry) and 65 touchdowns to go along with 21 receptions for 480 yards (22.8 per catch) and another five scores.

He finished with his name sprinkled around every national Top 10 rushing and scoring record imaginable, including No. 2 in career points (1,232), career 100-yard games (51) and touchdowns in a season (70). Gray is the only player to ever record 16 100-yard rushing games in a season twice.   

Dreams of him catching the 58-year national career rushing mark set by fellow Texan Ken Hall (Sugarland) fell 224 yards shy, but it didn't detract from a senior season and career that will no doubt go down as legendary.

And building such a football legacy in the Lone Star state is no minor feat.

The last pages in his final prep chapter is being named the MaxPreps 2011 U.S. Air Force National Football Player of the Year.

The charming, charismatic, well-spoken 18-year-old beat out national career passing leader Maty Mauk (Kenton, Ohio) and national receiving leader Dorial Green-Beckham (Hillcrest HS, Springfield, Mo.), among others, for the nation's top honor.



Previous recipients of the award went to Riley Dodge (Carroll HS, Southlake, Texas, 2006), Terrelle Pryor (Jeannette, Pa., 2007), Garrett Gilbert (Lake Travis HS, Austin, Texas, 2008), Dillon Baxter (Mission Bay HS, San Diego, 2009) and Dano Graves (Folsom, Calif., 2010).

Gray is the first non-quarterback to win the award and the third from Texas. 

"In every respect, Johnathan deserves to finish on top," Aledo football coach Tim Buchanan said. "On and off the field, I've never seen anything quite like him. He's utterly unique and he's completely balanced."

Getting a good shot at him to knock him down on the field was no easy chore, said Dallas Morning News columnist Matt Wixon, who called Gray the most dominating high school running back he's ever seen.

"He's the total package," Wixon said. "He's strong, he reads blocks well, and he finishes every run. He also has an incredible burst when he takes a handoff and gets into top gear quickly. Sometimes he looks like a skier gliding down the field, zipping through gates."

Those things and his ability to catch and block is why MaxPreps/CBS Sports recruiting expert Tom Lemming ranks Gray the top running back in the Class of 2012 and No. 9 overall.



"He's a three-ring circus," Lemming said. "He can run, catch and block. He's an explosive ball player with great vision."

His vision and maturity has always been far beyond his years, Buchanan said, even while chasing all the records. None of it mattered much to him, unless it helped put Aledo on the national map, which it did.

The fact that he had seven touchdowns called back and missed out on 700 yards rushing due to penalty this season was never an issue with Gray. He had touchdown runs of 50, 60 and 78 yards called back in one game, according to Buchanan.

Because of lopsided scores, Gray played just more than a half in six of the team's 10 regular-season games.

All would have easily pushed him past Hall for career yards and T.A. McLendon of Albemarle (N.C.) for most touchdowns in a season. McLendon had 71 in 2001, one better than Gray.

"If he played four quarters in just half of our regular-season games, he would have broke every record in the book," Buchanan said. "But honestly, all he cared about was us winning another state title. If he had broken all the records and we had not won it, he would have been heartbroken." 



When a backup receiver scored his second touchdown of the season in the waning moments of Aledo's 49-28 title-game win over Manvel, Gray was on top of the dog pile. He didn't need the spotlight to shine.

He was just a natural shining star.

"For a guy who has been in the spotlight since his sophomore year and now gets almost 24/7 media scrutiny, Gray seems extremely grounded," Wixon said. "He thanks his coaches and teammates for his success and only steals the show with his amazing ability on the field."

Johnathan Gray by the numbers (nationally ranked)

National Career Rushing Yardage
11232, Ken Hall, Sugarland (Texas), 1950-53
11045, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2000-03
10908, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2008-11
10895, Kevin Parks, Jr., West Rowan (Mount Ulla, N.C.), 2006-09
10298, Traylon Shead, Cayuga, (Texas), 2006-09
10241, Toney Baker, Jamestown Ragsdale (N.C.), 2001-04
9668, Terrance Wilkes, Wadley (Ala.), 2003-06
9662, Toby Gerhart, Norco, (Calif.), 2002-05
9442, Troy Fleming, Franklin Battle Ground Academy (Tenn.), 1995-98
9426, Tyrell Sutton, Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 2001-04

Most Points in a Career
1246, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2000-03
1232, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2008-11
1076, T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 1999-2001
952, Brett Law, Sheridan (Ind.), 1986-89
924, Kevin Grady Jr., East Grand Rapids (Mich.), 2001-04
904, Nick Zachery, Sheridan (Ind.), 2006-08
899, Ken Hall, Sugarland (Texas, 1950-53 (127 TDs, 137 con.)
890, Hubert Bobo, Chauncey Dover (Chauncey, Ohio), 1949-52
884, Brad Hocker, Archie, (Mo.), 1988-91
874, Lorenzo Booker, CA, St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.), 1999-2001
866, Tyler Tonderum, Armstrong-Ringsted (Iowa), 2006-09
847, Levi Ferguson, North Mahaska (New Sharon, Iowa), 2002-05

Most Points in a Season
453, Brett Law, Sheridan (Ind.), 1988
449, Josh Smith, Attica (Ind.), 2000
441, Joseph Sadler, Devine (Texas), 2011
428, T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 2001
420, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2011
416, Levi Ferguson, North Mahaska (New Sharon, Iowa), 2005
406, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2003
395, Ken Hall, Sugar Land (Texas), 1953 (57 TDs, 53 con.)
388, Tyler Ebell, Ventura (Calif.), 2000
382, Aaron Johnson, Villa Grove (Ill.), 1992
379, Kirk Elsworth, Goodrich (Mich.), 2004
374, Jermaine Dye, Camp Kilpatrick (Malibu, Calif.), 1999

Most Carries in a Career
1370, Kevin Parks Jr., West Rowan (Mount Ulla, N.C.), 2006-09
1353, Brad Hocker, Archie (Mo.), 1988-91
1221, Robert Toomer, Worth County (Sylvester, Ga.), 1988-91
1205, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2008-11
1183, Jeff Womack, Warren County (McMinnville, Tenn.), 1979-81
1154, Kevin Grady Jr., East Grand Rapids (Mich.), 2001-04
1150, Zach Sherman, Platte County (Platte City, Mo.), 1998-2001
1135, Joe Longmire, Central (Bruceton, Tenn.), 1992-95
1132, Anthony Saunders, Greensboro Western Guilford (Asheboro, N.C.), 1993-96
1131, Robert Strait, Cuero (Texas), 1985-88



Most Touchdowns in a Career
205, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2008-11
204, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2000-03
178, T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 1999-2001
160, Terrance Wilkes, Wadley (Ala.), 2003-06
151, Kevin Grady Jr., East Grand Rapids (Mich.), 2001-04
143, Tyler Tonderum, Armstrong-Ringsted (Iowa), 2009
141, Brett Law, Sheridan (Ind.), 1986-89
138, Demetrius “Mac” Campbell, Alexandria (Ind.), 1994-97
137, Lorenzo Booker, St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.), 1999-2001
136, Ryan Beckham, Idalia (Colo.), 1990-93

Average touchdowns per game in a season
5.2, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2003 (67/13)
5.1, John Giannantonio, Netcong (N.J.), 1950 (41/8)
4.9, Levi Ferguson, North Mahaska (New Sharon, Iowa), 2005 (64/13)
4.8, Ken Hall, Sugarland (Texas), 1953 (57/12)
4.7, T.A. McLendon, Albamarle (N.C.), 2001 (71/15)
4.7, Brett Law, Sheridan (Ind.), 1988 (66/14)
4.6, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2002 (60/13)
4.5, Harold “Red” Grange, Wheaton (Ill.), 1920 (36/8)
4.4, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2008-11 (70/16)
4.2, Dave Dotson, Valley View (Moreno Valley, Calif.), 1991 (46/11)
4.1, Dick Bass, Vallejo (Calif.), 1954 (37/9)

Most Touchdowns in a season
71, T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 2001
70, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2011
67, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2003
66, Brett Law, Sheridan (Ind.), 1988
64, Levi Ferguson, North Mahaska (New Sharon, Iowa), 2005
64, Tyler Ebell, Ventura (Calif.), 2000
63, Josh Smith, Attica (Ind.), 2000
61, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2010
60, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2002
60, Sean Shafar, Bedford (Iowa), 1998
60, Joseph Sadler, Devine (Texas), 2011

Most 100-yard games in a career
55, Kevin Parks, West Rowan (Mount Ulla, N.C.), 2006-09
51, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2008-11
47, Michael Hart, Onondaga (Nedrow, N.Y.), 2000-03
46, Demetris Summers, Lexington (S.C.), 1999-2002
45, Emmitt Smith, Escambia (Pensacola, Fla.), 1983-86
44, Tommy Henry, Maiden (N.C.), 2003-06
42, Brad Hocker, Archie (Mo.), 1988-91
41, Robert Strait, Cuero (Texas), 1985-88
41, T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 1999-2001
41, Joe Longmire, Central (Bruceton, Tenn.), 1992-95

Most 100-yard games in a season
16, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas),  2009
16, Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas), 2011
16, Fred Smith, Sealy (Texas), 1994
16, Rodney Thomas, Groveton (Texas), 1990
16, Kevin Parks, West Rowan (Mount Ulla, N.C.), 2009
15, Robert Strait, Cuero (Texas), 1987
15, Anthony Barbour, Garner (Raleigh, N.C.), 1987
15, Billy Sims, Hooks (Texas), 1973
15, Jeremiah Young, Steelton-Highspire (Pa.), 2008
15, T.A. McLendon, Albemarle (N.C.), 2001