The senior power back is having a great season in his first year with the Huskies
Watch Top Football Plays 2015, Episode 14, featuring James Douglas’ 54-yard touchdown run as the No. 7 play. (Video by Nick Plum for Synthesis/Koubaroulis LLC / The Washington Post)
Purchase a copy of this video.
November 30, 2015, 4:00 p.m. — When No. 34 enters the Tuscarora field through the oversized Husky helmet donning his blue and black attire, the casual observer is not likely to draw the conclusion of running back. However, there is more than meets the eye with James Douglas.
The 5-foot-10, 230-pound senior back may look like he should be playing on the defensive side of the ball, but he is making a statement offensively this season for the undefeated Huskies (13-0).
“I don’t go down easily, you’re not going to take me down by one man, it’s going to take a few,” Douglas said.
On the year, Douglas has 246 carries for 1,381 yards, but has seen a major bump in his workload over the past two weeks in the playoffs. While his partner in crime, Taj Malave-Neely, has been sidelined with a knee injury, Douglas has turned the one-two punch in the backfield into a single punch that can’t be stopped.
With the trust of Coach Mike Burnett, Douglas has amassed 74 carries for 442 yards the last two weeks alone. In the 63-49 win against North Stafford over the weekend in the region semi-finals, Douglas rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns, including scores from 40 and 54 yards.
“It’s been a heavy workload, but I’m mature enough and responsible enough to take it and do my thing,” Douglas said.
Douglas will continue being the workhorse this weekend as the Huskies host Stone Bridge (9-4) in the region finals.
Douglas and Malave-Neely both transferred to Tuscarora in Leesburg, Va. this season as seniors, after the Virginia Academy in Ashburn dropped their football program. Whereas Douglas is a bigger and more powerful back, the 5-foot-7, 160-pound Malave-Neely is the more elusive back.
“It makes it hard to game plan against us because it’s not just one running back you’re planning against, it’s two of us,” Douglas said.
The tandem has been together throughout their prep journeys, but has been a great addition to an already explosive Husky offense this season.
Josh Apple is a featured columnist and blogger at DMVSTREAM.COM.
You can reach josh by emailing him at [email protected].
“It’s very beneficial with the both of us being able to run inside and outside,” Malave-Neely said, “and having fresh legs every drive or for a few plays.”
Malave-Neely knows Douglas’ game as well as anyone, and says they have a unique chemistry. Yet, he has been impressed by his running mate’s improvement since he suffered the knee injury in the first quarter against Atlee on Nov. 20.
“Ever since my injury, he has stepped up,” Malave-Neely said. “Me getting injured pushed him and made him even more hungry to dominate.”
While already living in the Tuscarora district but not attending the school last season, Douglas admits he was a bit envious as the squad ran through the season undefeated all the way to the Virginia 5A state finals.
“Last year I was kind of jealous because it looked like they were having fun,” Douglas said, “but now that I’m in the program it’s even more fun, the players, the fans, it’s like one big family.”
Although he was already a good player when he entered the Husky program, Douglas says he has taken major steps forward this season, and that the change is very noticeable when he watches his old tapes.
“My game has changed a lot since I transferred,” Douglas said. “The program I’m in now, they just sculpt amazing football players and amazing students, they sculpt amazing people.”
One of the great players that Coach Burnett and the Husky program has sculpted is senior quarterback Daniel Smith.
According to Smith, the addition of Douglas this season has been a major difference-maker.
“Without him it’s easy to take away our passing game and contain our offense,” Smith said. “With him, we have an inside run presence, which opens up the perimeter.”
Smith, a dual-threat prospect under center, has been most impressed by Douglas’ quickness and agility for his size.
“You would expect a running back at 230 pounds to be stiff or a straight line type of runner,” Smith said, “but not only can he get downhill, he can also get to the edges pretty quickly.”
Douglas’ breakout season has garnered the interest of a handful of schools. At this point he is in communication with Liberty and Sacred Heart on the Division I level and Hiram College and McDaniel College at the Division III level, with the Flames being his top choice.
In order to be successful at the next level, Douglas admits he needs to improve his speed. He also hopes to work on his vision, pass blocking and route running.
“If you see a big guy with speed, that makes him even more dangerous,” Douglas said.
However, he is already fully equipped with many traits between the ears that can’t be taught.
“I bring leadership, I’m very vocal, when I come to play football it is strictly business, I have a good attitude and am very coachable,” Douglas said.
DMVSTREAM.com is a web site dedicated to broadcasting live sports in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. DMVSTREAM.com broadcasts pro, amateur, college, high school, AAU and youth games and tournaments to televisions, computers and mobile devices like iPads, iPhones and more. DMVSTREAM.com is a product of Synthesis Multimedia Productions/Koubaroulis LLC. — founded, owned and operated by longtime D.C. area sports personality B.J. Koubaroulis.