Redshirt junior RB Josh Sheridan is lifted in celebration by OL Gage Baldwin
after scoring a touchdown. PN photo/Trevon Knight
Redshirt junior running back Josh Sheridan has been the UNCP football team’s most explosive player thus far into the season. Not only is he the teams leading rusher with 141 yards, he has also racked up a team high three rushing touchdowns.
While his overall numbers on the ground don’t exactly jump off the stat sheet and he has yet to eclipse the century mark in rushing, he has provided some of the most impressive and electrifying plays for the team through the first month of the season.
Sheridan had one of his best plays as Brave come against the Elizabeth City State University Vikings on Sept. 8 in the team’s home opener at Grace P. Johnson Stadium, where he scored a 30-yard touchdown on an elusive run.
On what seemed like a rush for minimal gain to the left side of the line Sheridan then began to cut across the entire length of the field before outracing the whole Vikings’ defense to the right pylon.
He’s accounted for at least one score and a play of over 20 yards in each of the Braves’ games and he’s been just as dynamic coming out of the backfield as a pass catcher.
Although he has only reeled in two catches, he has a 31.5-yard per catch average as each reception has gone for at least 30 yards.
On his second catch of the season in the same game against the Vikings came on a half back screen off of a fake jet sweep to receiver Eric Price and he took it 33 yards to the one-yard line.
The Braves were successful on running the sweep with Price on a couple occasions for nice gains but this time while the defense flowed with full force to stop the sweep, Sheridan was able to slip out of the backfield.
He made the reception, followed his backside blockers and weaved his way through a few defenders before being brought down just shy of the goal line.
Sheridan is perhaps the most dynamic weapon what looks to be a loaded Black and Gold arsenal and he hasn’t provided any indication to doubt that it isn’t the case.
He has shown a consistent ability to make defenders miss in open space, evade would be tacklers at the line of scrimmage and the quick feet and natural field vision to find and hit the holes provided by his linemen.
“I just try to do whatever I can to help the team, it’s not a one man show. Whatever the coaching staff and the coaches want me to do, I just try to do it to the best of my ability,” Sheridan said.
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