Former Richlands Star Finds Niche At Emory & Henry

EMORY, Va. – It’s an inspiring sight.
Caleb Jennings takes the handoff, bounces off a couple defenders nearly twice his size and then manufactures a big play.

Fans of Richlands High School enjoyed the sequence often. In fact, the 5-foot-7, 168-pound tailback earned hero status after guiding Richlands to the 2006 Group AA, Division 3 state title.

After a one-year apprenticeship, Jennings has found his niche at the college level.

In his typical relentless fashion, the sophomore rushed for a career-best 214 yards and two scores last Saturday as Emory & Henry stopped non-conference foe Methodist, 28-7.
Surrounded by media types and adoring E&H alumni, Jennings remained humble and hungry.

“It was just another game,” Jennings said “We’ve got to come out and do the same thing in our next game.”

That game comes Saturday as the E&H Wasps travel to defending Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion and 2008 preseason favorite Hampden-Sydney.
As usual, Jennings embraces the challenge to record a big win.

“I was a little frustrated at first last year,” Jennings said. “I was coming from a state championship team, and we were just never able to get things clicking.
“This year, we’re finally starting to make progress. And I think things are just going to get better and better.“

Jennings managed 78 yards rushing on just 15 carries as a freshman last season.  His primary duty came as an ultra-brave kick returner.
Jennings’s other college football option was the University of Richmond, where he was recruited as a walk-on.

“I almost went to Richmond, but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to play there right off the bat,” Jennings said.

Enter E&H head coach Don Montgomery, a man who shares the passion and intensity that Jennings brings on every carry.

“Coach Monty talked to me and really set my mind straight,” Jennings said. “He asked me if I was going to pro someday, and I knew that wasn’t going to happen.”

Rather than on a scholarship, Montgomery focused his recruiting pitch on education and the chance to make an immediate impact on special teams.

“I’m happy with my decision,” said Jennings, who rushed for 80 yards in the 29-28 state title win over Rockbridge County.  “For my four years in college, I want to have the chance to play and enjoy the game.”

That fun factor at E&H includes the opportunity to compete on the same offense with a pair of former Richlands teammates. Junior Cain Ringstaff starts at fullback, senior Jeremy Keene at tight end.

“I was a senior when Caleb was a sophomore at Richlands,” Keene said. “Caleb was probably the smallest guy on the field, but it didn’t matter.”

Keene is a longtime member of the Jennings fan club.

“It’s crazy the way Caleb takes big hits and bounces right back to his feet,” Keene said. “Caleb’s intensity pumps everybody up.”
The E&H head coach raved about the courage of his tailback after the victory over Methodist.

“Caleb is fearless,” Montgomery said.

Many athletes can talk or act brave, but Jennings has paid the price by preparing his body for the rigors of college football. His daily workouts include an emphasis on lower leg strength. 

“I’m very sore after games and the next morning, but that’s just part of football,” Jennings said. “I practice and play as hard as I can – all the time.”

The heroes for Jennings include undersized running backs such as Kendall Hunter of Oklahoma State and Garrett Wolfe of the Chicago Bears.
Instead of power, Jennings and his role models rely on vision and precise cuts.

“It’s hard for bigger people to get a hit on me because I’m so small,” said Jennings, who has collected 605 total yards this season. “God has blessed me with quickness instead of size, so I try to take full advantage of what I have.
“And this new field [artificial turf] field that our boosters have gotten us just unbelievable. You can make moves on this stuff a lot easier than on regular grass.”

The task Saturday will be complicated for Jennings and his teammates.

Hampden-Sydney, coming off a 37-34 win at Bridgewater, leads the ODAC in rushing defense with 109.2 yards allowed per game. The Tigers also top the ODAC in scoring offense (34.4 points per game) and total offense with 472 yards per game.

E&H sophomore offensive lineman Eric Tilson hopes the Wasps can build off their convincing win over Methodist.

“That was one of our best games,” Tilson said. “We had some vengeance coming off the loss at North Carolina Wesleyan, so we had to show up.”

Of course, it helps to have a running back who rarely goes down after just one hit.

“Oh yeah, it’s fun to watch Caleb run,” Tilson said. “He never gives up.”

Now that he has found his comfort zone, the favorite of the E&H fans hopes to keep excitement flowing.

“You’ve got to have fun with the game, and I love every second of it,” Jennings said. “It’s great to see how all the former players come back to Emory games, and it’s nice that so many of my family members can make it.”

Today’s game against Hampden-Sydney ranks as an ODAC headliner, but Jennings plans to stick to his daredevil approach.

“I just run as hard as I can, then forget what happens and move on to the next play,” Jennings said.
“It doesn’t matter if you have a 20-yard loss or 75-yard touchdown run, the next play is the most important.”

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The Matchup: Emory & Henry (2-2, 0-0) at Hampden-Sydney (5-0, 2-0)

Where: Farmville, Va.

When: Saturday at 1 p.m.

What to Watch: Hampden-Sydney relied on the record-setting tandem of quarterback Corey Sedlar and tailback Josh Simpson last season. Despite missing two games this season, Simpson has accounted for 823 total yards and set the ODAC career record for touchdowns with 45. Sedlar has throw for 1,658 yards and 14 touchdowns. Emory & Henry must somehow find enough offense to counter the Tigers.

Note: The Hampden-Sydney lineup includes a pair of former Southwest Virginia standouts in senior defensive back Kevin Morrison (Virginia High) and senior receiver Zach Miller from Lebanon.