Rome Football has been making a lot of noise around the state this season. John Reid, Head Football Coach and Athletic Director for Rome City Schools, and the Wolves are now nine games into the regular season. Just this past weekend, they secured the Region 7-AAAAA title with an impressive 58-0, victory over Hiram.
One of their standout athletes has been chewing up the yardage since his freshman year in the backfield, giving sports writers a reason to keep their eyes and ears peeled for what record he will break next. Jamious Griffin, senior running back and N.C. State verbal commit, has also been recognized by the Touchdown Club of Atlanta, further adding to his list of outstanding accomplishments.
The Touchdown Club of Atlanta (TCA) is a 501(c)(3) founded in 1938 that honors the contributions of high school athletes, coaches and officials to the game of football. Each week during the regular season, TCA picks a running back, a lineman and a coach to honor during a luncheon held in Downtown Atlanta’s Buckhead. Players and coaches selected are then considered for their Metro Atlanta All-Star Team and Georgia High School Coach of the Year. The top honor, the Bobby Dodd National High Schools Players of the Year is given to the best back and lineman of the season by this prestigious organization.
Griffin, a back-to-back Georgia State Champion in Class 5A, has been a special talent since he took his first hand off in 2015. The totals are staggering, as the young Wolf has amassed 6,545 all-propose yards, and reached paydirt 103 times with another regular season game and the 2018 playoffs still on the horizon.
The Wolves are in the hunt for their third straight state championship and are riding the wave of 36 straight victories. Behind a strong defense and piles of points, most who follow high school football wouldn’t bet against them taking home the hardware again.
“Jamious will be the first one to tell you that he wouldn’t be standing here today if it weren’t for the guys blocking for him,” said Reid. “To receive this award you have to put up some really impressive stats, so you have to be an outstanding player to be in that room. But the fact that he appreciates and understands that he couldn’t achieve this without his team mates makes me proud to be his coach.”
As a key part of an offense that has been called one of the top units in the state, Griffin continues to make the going easier for his teammates. Their punishing assault often leads to a running clock in the second half and the star-studded first team getting a rest before heading to the locker room after the game.
His versatility gives his coaches the option to use his speed and power on punt returns, split out wide for a pass and between the tackles for the tough yards in the redzone. Griffin is the total package, and anyone who has watched him play knows why he is receiving this very special honor.
While this award opens the door for further accolades from the TCA, Griffin was honored for his outstanding performance against East Paulding on October 5, 2018. His numbers were nothing short of amazing as he tallied 349 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns rushing on 24 carries and completed his only pass attempt for a 31 yard touchdown. It was apparent the gentlemen in the room knew who he was and that an unreal stat line was a regular occurrence when Griffin took the field.
Griffin’s parents, Tyrone Griffin, Jr. and LaBretha Griffin, along with his grandfather, Tyrone Griffin, Sr. accompanied him to 103 West in Buckhead. The pride they took in his achievements was obvious, but both mom and dad credited his work ethic on and off the field.
We have tried to motivate and support all of our boys and have just been blessed to see them succeed like they have,” said Tyrone Griffin, Jr. “Jamious has always been willing to put in the extra work you need to be successful and that work is why he is in this room today.”
The N.C. State commit, was humbled by the experience, but his perspective on what he felt earned him the invitation was far more impressive than the explosive stat line against East Paulding.
Today must just be a good day for Jamious, because shortly after leaving the luncheon his family was informed that he was once again nominated for USA Today’s Super 25 Top Star award. This win can only be earned by votes and requires the community to vote for him online. To vote for Griffin and help him to bring this award home, see the link on the Rome City Schools’ Facebook Page.
“It’s nice to be recognized outside of Rome,” said Jamious. “It means a lot to me to get this award. You don’t get recognition without hard work and even though I’m here receiving an individual award, I couldn’t have achieved this without my teammates. We put in the work together and got to where we are together. So, the way I see it, this is something else we earned together.”