McClendon is worth weight in gold to Chiefs' offense
BY ED WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER
Deshon McClendon weighs about 170 pounds, but if you had to tackle him, you'd swear he's 270.
The tape measure says he's only 5-foot-6, but the shadow he casts on a football field is double that.
McClendon wears No. 1, but Canton football coach Tim Baechler says he runs like a famous No. 20.
"He looks like Barry Sanders out there sometimes," Baechler said, a few minutes after McClendon's three-touchdown, 144-yard performance sparked the Chiefs' 42-7 victory over Plymouth Friday night. "I can't even begin to tell you how good he is. We've had some really good running backs since I've been here, but he might be the best.
"Deshon's so strong and he has such great vision. I wish I could say my coaching has had something to do with it, but I can't."
McClendon's game-breaking effort Friday night was extra-impressive because it came against an extremely talented Plymouth defense. The Wildcats swarm to the ball like bees to honey and when they get to it, they usually bring some jolt.
3-STEP PLAN
A typical McClendon carry goes something like this:
1. He takes the ball from quarterback Shawn Little about three yards deep in the Chiefs' backfield.
2. He runs through a decent-sized hole before being met by two or three sets of accelerating shoulder pads.
3. He then either runs through the players connected to the pads or drags them another six yards.
On Friday night, McClendon churned out 144 yards on 18 carries and hauled in one pass for 37 yards. Of the 144, at least half were second-effort, after-the-initial-hit yards.
"There were a few times we had Deshon wrapped up, but then he'd break free," said Plymouth coach Jay Blaylock. "He's a great little back."
'Barry' GOOD RUN
On McClendon's 27-yard TD run late in the third quarter that put Canton ahead, 21-0, he was pinned against the sideline by a pair of Wildcats, one of whom was applying a textbook shoulder-to-the-mid-section tackle on No. 1.
The next thing you know, Canton's Little Big Man was squirting free down the sideline, outracing three other defenders across the goal line.
It was Barry Sanders-esque - right down to the handing the ball to the referee.
McClendon's as modest as he is talented. While he described his 37-yard TD on a screen pass Friday night, he politely interrupted an interview Baechler was conducting to ask his coach which three linemen paved his way to the end zone.
"That screen pass is my favorite play," McClendon admitted. "As soon as I catch the ball, I look up and see those three big linemen waiting to block for me."
Deshon McClendon may not be heavy, but he's definitely a load for defenses to contend with.
