After backing up 4-star recruit back Brandon Gainer (who is now at Kentucky) last season, Central (Miami, Fla.) running back Devonta Freeman has proven his worth amongst the state’s best and has elevated his game to an another level.
As a senior, Freeman, a Florida State commit, led Miami-Dade County with 1,900 yards rushing on 223 carries and 24 touchdowns.
Freeman leads the Rockets in the Class 6A state championship game as they face Dr. Phillips (Orlando) at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
Freeman (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) helped the Rockets (13-1) reach its first state final berth in the school’s history after rushing for a career-high 354 yards on 33 carries with three touchdowns in a 30-27 win over Cypress Bay in the state semifinal.
“I’m thankful for the coaching staff and the support of the school,” he added. “We had a chip on our should entering this season, after what happened last year, and now we’re one game away from winning a state championship.”
In reference to last year, Freeman was talking about the 21-14 Class 6A state semifinal loss to eventual champion Miramar. Since then, Freeman has helped the Rockets dominate while becoming one of Florida’s top team in the Class 6A this season.
A defining moments for Freeman, was when he rushed for 226 yards and two scores in a 27-25 win over rival Northwestern (Miami).
Already blessed with the county's all-time leading passer in Rakeem Cato, the emergence of Freeman has been vital. Freeman has been even more vital in the postseason, amassing 640 rushing yards and seven touchdowns (six rushing).
After acquiring some of the Sunshine State’s top prep talent this season, including highly touted running back James Wilder (Plant, Tampa, Fla.), receiver Rashad Greene and offensive lineman Bobby Hart (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), the Seminoles saw something in Freeman that none of the other top Division I programs did.
After only rushing for 545 yards and 70 carries with two scores as a junior, Freeman, who has been clocked as low as 4.5 in the 40-yard dash, impressed the Seminole coaching staff so much, at a camp they held this summer, that they offered him a scholarship before this season began. Although he still holds offers from schools such as Georgia, Auburn, UCF and Marshall, Freeman is certain that his commitment to the Seminoles is concrete.
“I love the coaching staff at Florida State,” he said. “Coach Fisher and the rest of the staff have really showed me a lot of love and I can’t wait to play for them. We have a great group of guys coming in next year and I’ll do whatever I need to help them win.”
Before he can think about playing at the next level, Freeman still has unfinished business as a Rocket.
Central, which enters the finals averaging 43 points per game, faces a tough Dr. Phillips program that includes senior running back Demetrius Hart, who has a state-record 50 touchdowns along with 2,185 yards rushing, and junior quarterback Nick Patti (2,187 yards, 30 touchdowns, two interceptions).
Dr. Phillips' defense, which has allowed just 7.9 points per game, is led by defensive back Ha’Sean Clinton Dix, a University of Alabama commit, Roderick Ryles, a University of Arkansas commit, and linebacker Darryl Monroe who has recorded 84 tackles and three sacks this season.
“This is a big game but either way it’s still just a game,” he said. “We’ve played in big games before and at the end of the day we just need to play football. We’re not going to back down from anyone. We just need to play our game and do what we’ve done all year, on offense, defense and special teams.”
