The Syracuse Strong is still undefeated after 6 weeks of play thanks to their star running back Rashad Burns. Here’s why he won Player of the Game again.
Before the game started I walked down to the field level of the Valley Sports Complex and walked past Syracuse Strong running back Rashad Burns and half-joked that he should try to rack up some more Player of the Game awards, I didn’t think he’d cash in so quickly.
"“I don’t even know what to say right now, man. I’m just going to stay humble and I’m out here playing the game I love and having fun with the fellas.”"
This is the third time that Rashad has earned Player of the Game honors, he previously won the honor last week (Week 5) and all the way back in Week 1.
Rashad is the only player on the Syracuse Strong this season to win the award multiple times.
The gameplan for the Strong was run Rashad Burns early and often in a 64-0 drubbing of the Broome Country Stallions.
Only counting yards that were accumulated during touchdown runs Burns finished with 252 yards rushing. That does not include all the other yardage he gathered in the game which would put him north of 300 rushing yards. Rashad also finished with six touchdown runs.
This was a historic rushing day, the best effort from Rashad in his entire football career and he’s had a ton of highlights.
During the game, quarterback Jason Boltus was heard saying if Rashad is running right, why call anything else? I’m sure Strong offensive coordinator James Tyler agrees.
"“It feels good that my teammates and the coaches can trust me. I don’t mind taking on that load. (teammates jumped in during the interview to chant M-V-P).”"
During Rashad’s record-breaking performance he displayed a lot of different skills:
- “Toe drag swag”
- On one of his longest runs of the day, he escaped outside and tip-toed balanced down the right hash, stayed in bounds and scored the big time touchdown.
- “That was just me making a play out there. I thought I was going to fall out of bounds but I was able to tight rope it.”
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- “One-handed catch”
- It says he’s a running back on the roster sheet, but this play could’ve fooled me.
- “I just told (Jason) Boltus to throw it out there for me and I’ll go get it.”
The last time Rashad Burns ran a 40-yard dash (about five years ago) he clocked in at a 4.4. If you watch the tape, his game speed looks even faster.
"“Absolutely when the adrenaline takes over that’s all she wrote.”"Some of that is God-given talent, but when the team is doing practice together you can find Rashad running hills with the weight vest on running steps.
Six games into the Syracuse Strong season, Rashad has put a lot of tread on the tires, but he says he’s feeling great physically.
"“I’m feeling really good man, I feel fresh and I’m not taking too many hits. This bye week comes at a really good time.”"As long as Rashad Burns isn’t getting 20-30 carries during his bye week, he should be fine. The entire league will administer a bye week in honor of the fourth of July and then Syracuse will return the following week for
- It says he’s a running back on the roster sheet, but this play could’ve fooled me.
- On one of his longest runs of the day, he escaped outside and tip-toed balanced down the right hash, stayed in bounds and scored the big time touchdown.