By Morgan Bryce
Staff Reporter
Following a record-breaking season which saw him rush for more than 3,200 yards and 47 touchdowns, Beauregard High School running back La’damian Webb added another bit of history to his resume last Wednesday, becoming the first junior ever to be named Alabama’s Mr. Football.
Webb attributed his success to having a strong, hard-working offensive line.
“They blocked hard … they go 100 percent every play and they stay working hard in the weight room,” Webb said.
Webb’s stellar season not only sparked the Hornets to the playoffs, but on a magical run to the 5A state championship game, in which they defeated Wenonah High School of Birmingham 33-13. In the game, Webb rushed 51 times for 359 yards and 5 TDs, breaking the single-season rushing-touchdown record and being named the game’s MVP.
“It felt good, and it was an amazing moment,” Webb said on winning the state championship.
The following weeks saw Webb receive numerous awards and recognitions, most notably being selected as a first-team member of Maxprep’s Junior All-American squad.
Webb was named Mr. Football during the Alabama Sports Writer’s Association Player of the Year luncheon last Wednesday, and also won the 5A Running Back of the Year award. In addition to being Mr. Football’s youngest winner, he is the first winner ever from Beaurgard, and first winner from Lee County in the award’s 35-year existence.
“It meant a lot, but it meant more for the community than it did it to me,” Webb said on receiving the award.
Beauregard Coach Rob Carter said Webb’s emergence this season even shattered his own expectations for the junior running back.
“I really thought coming in that he would have a solid year, but breaking the state record and that sort of thing was beyond my thoughts,” Carter said. “He’s a competitor. You put him in a situation where he’s got to compete against his fellow teammates, or guys from an opposing team, and you’ll get the best out of him.”
Topping his sensational junior campaign will be hard to beat, but Webb says staying healthy in his senior year will be crucial to both his and his team’s success.
“One thing is to stay healthy … but I’m going to play hard, and whatever comes, comes,” Webb said.
Schools like Indiana, Bowling Green, Iowa State and Troy have expressed interest in Webb, but Carter hinted that his star running back has the potential to play in the upper echelon of college football.
“You already got the top-five (power conference schools) with Indiana coming here, and subtle interest from other universities, which are picking up daily. I see him being successful at the collegiate level,” Carter said. “Staying well and healthful, you might even see him at the highest level, like the NFL … he’s that type of athlete.”