UM commit Thad Franklin leads Chaminade past Champagnat in clash of state champions
Nine months after he set state championship records in Tallahassee with 47 carries and 333 yards to lead Chaminade-Madonna to a third consecutive state title, Thad Franklin picked up right where he left off on Friday.
After six months of nothing in the way of high school athletics in South Florida, things kicked off in style when defending Class 3A state champion Chaminade hosted reigning Class 2A champion Champagnat Catholic before a crowd of “nobody” at Chaminade’s Vince Zappone Field.
Even though only media was allowed in to the game, Franklin didn’t mind one bit that there were no fans in the stands to watch him as he carved through the Champagnat defense for 164 yards on 28 carries and scored all four touchdowns to lead Chaminade to a 27-14 victory.
How heavily did the Chaminade coaching staff lean on their star running back? Other than Franklin’s 28 rushing attempts, the Chaminade offense only ran 19 other plays from scrimmage totaling 23 yards — 18 rushing and 5 passing — as Franklin had to leave the game at one point late in the game dropping to his knees in total exhaustion.
“If that’s what it comes down to, then that’s what it is and I’ll do whatever it takes,” said Franklin, who Miami Hurricanes fans can only hope will follow through on his oral commitment to run for UM in 2021. “Honestly, it just felt good to get out there and play. Yeah, I’m pretty tired and a little sore, for sure.”
With Chaminade clinging to a 20-14 lead with just over seven minutes left, the Lions got their biggest defensive play of the night when Michael Edwards picked off Tyous Taylor at midfield and returned it 20 yards to Champagnat’s 30-yard line. Franklin took over from there, grinding out 4 and 5 yards a pop, dragging Champagnat defenders with him, before eventually plunging into the end zone from a yard out with 1:32 left to clinch.
“He’s a special kid for sure,” Chaminade coach Dameon Jones said. “That’s our horse and we definitely rode him out there tonight.”
But Jones acknowledged his offense will need to figure out other ways to move the ball this season so as to not run its “horse” into the ground. With Hialeah transfer Jaylon Tolbert and Brady Kelly splitting time at quarterback, Chaminade completed just 4 of 8 passes for 5 yards.
“We know we’re going to have to find other ways to move on offense because we just need more time to jell,” said Jones. “The passing game definitely struggled, but Champagnat is a good team. They’re a state champion just like us, so playing a team like this early on is great for us and can only make us better down the road.”
Champagnat actually jumped in front early when the offense put together an eight-play, 52-yard drive to open the game, with Taylor finding running back Donovan Jones for a 5-yard scoring toss.
Thanks to a short field when the Chaminade defense stopped Champagnat on fourth-and-1 at its own 33, Chaminade tied the game when Franklin scored the first of his four touchdowns from a yard out after he scooped up his own fumble and dove into the end zone.
Chaminade put together a marathon 13-play, 71-yard drive just before halftime to take the lead for good, Franklin going in from 3 yards out just 28 seconds before halftime.
When Taylor was picked off by junior Auburn commit Brian Dilworth midway through the third quarter, Chaminade was in business at the Champagnat 34. That’s when you-know-who took over and carried the ball on all six plays on the drive, going over from 5 yards out to make it 20-7.
Thanks to a 35-yard screen pass from Taylor to star wide receiver Malik Rutherford on fourth-and-15, which brought the ball to the Chaminade 5, Champagnat cut the deficit to 20-14 when Jones scored from 5 yards out on the final play of the third quarter.
“[Thad’s] my boy, and it’s a lot of fun for us as defenders to watch him do that because that means we’re sitting on the bench and resting,” said Chaminade defensive end Kenyatta Jackson, who had one of six Chaminade sacks and is only a junior entertaining multiple FBS offers. “Champagnat a very good team. A few bumps and bruises but a great team win and just great to get out there and play.”
This story was originally published September 11, 2020 at 11:18 PM.
