Homan turned chance into success

No one ever wants to see a teammate go down with an injury.
But when it happens, there’s a void that needs to be filled.
In the 2015 regional semifinal Fort Recovery High School starting running back Kyle Schroer got hurt as the holder on an extra point.
Will Homan, who at the time was a sophomore, didn’t just do enough so the Indians could get by, win the game and vault to a state championship.
He took advantage of his new role, and became the most prolific runner in program history.
“Kyle went down and I didn’t want to have a drop off so I just … next man up,” he said.
Next man up, indeed.
Homan finished that game with 171 rushing yards.
A week later in the regional championship, he totaled 242 yards — the third most in school history — against Minster. He followed that with 89 and 82 yards respectively in the semifinal and state championship.
Homan finished the year with 1,174 yards, which was third all-time for yards in a season. More than half of that total (692) came in the five postseason games.
As a focal point of the offense for his junior campaign, Homan continued to run wild this year, racking up 1,128 yards in 10 regular-season games.
Once again, he saved his best for the postseason.
The junior rushed for 275 yards — a career-high and the third-highest total in program history — in a 58-21 thumping of Ada in the playoff opener. In the process, he surpassed 1997 graduate Greg Bretz’s 2,480 yards to become the school’s all-time leading rusher.
Then with a 3-yard carry against top-ranked Covington in the regional semifinal Saturday, Homan passed 2014 graduate Cole Hull for most rushing yards in a season. He now has 1,640 on the year and counting.
When the stage is the biggest, Homan is at his best.
In seven playoff games over the last two seasons, he’s totaled 1,199 yards.
“The stands are packed and it’s just an awesome environment to be at,” Homan said. “I love football and I love giving my team a chance to win.”
He’s been a key cog to the Indians winning this year.
“Will is a funny combination of a kid who has a lot of athletic ability and he also has this competitive nature … it is really fearless,” said Brent Niekamp, coach of the Indians. “He tries really hard to make a play. He really doesn’t think whether it’s going to go well or it’s not going to go well. He is just trying to make it.
“I think it’s his personality that he’s just a happy-go-lucky, worry-free kind of a kid and that’s how he plays — kind of reckless abandon and fearless.”
The stats don’t matter to Homan, but he’s put together quite a resume in just two seasons.
•Most rushing yards in a season: 1,640
•Most rushing yards in a career: 2,819
•Most points in a season: 166
•Most points in a career: 244
•Most rushing touchdowns in a season: 21
•Most rushing TDs in a career: 34
•Tied for most rushing touchdowns in a game: five
•Third and fourth respectively in single-game rushing yards: 275 and 242
The only numbers that matter to him are the ones that show up on the scoreboard.
“When you’re helping your team win that’s the more important part,” he said. “I’ve put up all the numbers but I couldn’t care less if we don’t win state last year or have a chance to win it again this year.”
What is most impressive with Homan is how quickly he’s set these records. He’s put them up in essentially two seasons — he only had five rushing yards as a freshman.
“The last two years have been fun,” he said. “The (offensive) line ahead of me … I’ve had a great o-line the last two years. I just made the most of it. I’ve hit the holes, I get to the safety, make him miss and the rest goes after that.”
Bretz’s career rushing record stood for nearly two decades.
Hull’s season record lasted less than two seasons.
With potentially three more games this year and another full season as a senior there’s no telling how much more Homan can add to his already spectacular school records.
It is only a matter of if anyone — teammate or opponent — can catch him when he touches the ball.