While a lot has certainly been said about Sirchauncey Holloway, the Armwood running back who was suspended by the FHSAA for his senior season after he was found to have falsified an address to gain a transfer from Plant City, not much has been said about Sherman Jessie, a talented junior who now is entrenched as the starting tailback for the Hawks.

While it stings to lose a player as talented as Holloway, who rushed for more than 900 yards for the Raiders in 2007, the Hawks’ coaching staff seems more than happy to be relying on Jessie, who rushed for 267 yards (averaging 4.5 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in 2007 as the top backup to Eric Smith.

“Our last test day at the end of the summer, he ran one 4.3 and three 4.4s [in the 40-yard dash],” Hawks offensive coordinator Chris Taylor said. “I’m real comfortable with that. He’s special.”

While the Hawks have made some changes on offense for this season to take full advantage of the playmaking skills of senior quarterback Mywan Jackson, Jessie still figures heavily into the plans of the Hawks’ offensive scheme as the starting tailback.

“Sherman Jessie is a very fast and elusive kid. He catches the ball well. We’re expecting him to have a really big year, we really are,” Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. “We’re going to do all kinds of things to get the ball in his hands.”