Caden Calton leads the state of Utah in rushing yards and touchdowns after emerging from a three-player race for the lead job.
Photo by John Coon
Nothing symbolizes how much things have changed for the
Lehi (Utah) football program more perfectly than the emergence of
Caden Calton in the backfield.
Calton started the season as part of three running back rotation but it didn't take long for him to claim a bigger role as a featured back for the Pioneers.
The 5-foot-8, 175-pound junior redefines what it means to be a workhorse. He has had more than 30 carries in three games this season and is averaging 24.7 rushes per game.
"You get a little bit tired, but it's running the football," Calton said. "It's what I love to do. There's nothing better than having the ball in your hands, running and scoring touchdowns."
There is wisdom in putting the ball in Calton's hands so often. He leads all classifications in the state of Utah with 1,244 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns,
according to the MaxPreps leaderboards. Calton has rushed for more than 100 yards in all but one game this season.
Calton is also the team's punter.
File photo by Dave Argyle
His best performances came in back-to-back wins over Pine View and Westlake. Calton rushed for a season-high 347 yards and four touchdowns on 38 carries in a 36-33 victory over Pine View, then a week later, he piled up 315 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries in a 37-24 victory over Westlake.
Those type of dominant performances are one reason why Lehi is off to a 4-2 start – equaling the team's win total from the previous four seasons combined.
"What Caden has is what we want in a running back," Lehi coach David Hastings said. "He has power and he has speed. He may not be really tall, but he's very strong. When people come up to tackle him, they can feel that. He's always able to get that extra yard before he goes down."
An offseason of hard work has paid dividends for Calton. He put in extra hours in the weight room, building up his strength so he could take the pounding at the line of scrimmage. Getting stronger and putting on more muscle also helped him increase his foot speed and quickness.
It has also made a difference in how he approaches each running play. Calton finds ways to stay low to the ground. He uses his quickness and strength to break tackles and he has good enough field vision to recognize holes as they develop.
"I run a little bit mean and a little bit angry," Calton said. "But I also stay focused and make sure I see the cuts and the holes the offensive line are creating for me."
One thing that works to Calton's advantage is running behind a strong offensive line. The Pioneers are stout up front and it makes life much easier on the junior.
Hastings said the linemen and Calton inspire confidence in one another with how they play each game.
"He would be the first one to compliment his offensive line," Hastings said. "It's probably our best offensive line we've had since I've been here, which is the third year now. They know if they get the blocks done, he's going to make the most out of it and it helps them out a lot."
Calton admitted he felt a little surprised when he first saw just how many yards and touchdowns he was piling up in each game. When he thought about the role his offensive line played in all of it, the high numbers made sense.
The holes available to him on each play seem infinite because the line blocks so well. Now the only thing left for Calton to do is find a way to properly thank each lineman.
"A few of them said they would like me to take them out to dinner," Calton said. "I might be broke after I see the bill on that one. They do a good job of protecting me and making holes. All the credit goes to them."
John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps.com. He is a former prep sports reporter with the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports.
