Holloman breaks tackles, leads Redhawks

~ Southeast's running back gained 15 pounds during the offseason.

Timmy Holloman was a good enough running back to lead Southeast Missouri State in rushing during his first two college seasons.

But by all accounts, Holloman has taken his game to another level this year.

Perhaps several levels.

Improved strength, combined with the speed he already possessed, has helped vault Holloman into the top 10 among the nation's Division I-AA rushers.

Southeast running back Timmy Holloman has rushed for 655 yards and six touchdowns this season. (AARON EISENHAUER ~aeisenhauer@semissourian.com)

"He's breaking more tackles. He's stronger, more confident in what he's doing," Southeast coach Tony Samuel said.

The 6-foot Holloman said following Tuesday's practice that he weighs 190 pounds.

That's not exactly a heavyweight's build, but it is a solid increase from the 175 pounds he carried as a freshman in 2005.

But more than the weight, Holloman said spending the entire summer in Cape Girardeau pumping iron has paid big dividends.

"I've been here all summer working out. I know I'm a lot stronger," he said. "For my size, I have to be strong. I work out and eat a lot of protein, but I have trouble putting on weight.

"I feel like I am breaking a few more tackles this year. With my size, people don't think I can break those tackles. I have to show them."

Holloman, a native of Orlando, Fla., has certainly been showing them for the Redhawks (2-3, 0-2 Ohio Valley Conference), who had an open date Saturday.

After posting his fourth straight 100-yard game last Saturday against two-time defending OVC champion Eastern Illinois, Holloman ranks second in the league and eighth nationally.

Holloman has 655 yards. Virtually all of that has come in the last four contests, after he was held to 8 yards on just six carries in the season opener at Cincinnati.

"He's having a very good season, and he's only going to get better," Samuel said. "He's going to get bigger and stronger, and he already has the great speed."

While Holloman has added weight and increased his strength, his trademark speed has not taken a hit.

Holloman, averaging 5.7 yards per carry, has scored six of the Redhawks' nine touchdowns -- all from at least 20 yards out.

Holloman has also found the end zone from 66, 52, 45, 39 and 31 yards.

"As an offensive line, when a running back does what he's been doing, we really take pride in that," said senior Francisco Perez, the leader of a relatively young Southeast line. "He's a great back and hopefully he can keep it up."

Just how fast is Holloman?

Well, he doesn't really know, but suffice it to say few people have been able to catch him when he gets a step in the open field.

Holloman said he hasn't been timed in the 40-yard dash since his junior year in high school, when he said he was clocked at 4.45 seconds, which is NFL-level speed.

Holloman smiled when asked if he might be even faster this year than during his first two college seasons, when he rushed for a total of 1,341 yards, averaged 5.1 yards per carry and scored 16 touchdowns.

"They [teammates] say I look a little faster," Holloman said. "But I feel about the same."

Holloman burst onto the scene at Southeast as a true freshman in 2005, not playing much early before some injuries helped him into the lineup. He finished with 688 yards rushing and caught 30 passes for an additional 226 yards.

Last year, Samuel's first at Southeast, Holloman rushed for 653 yards, including a career-best 212-yard outing against Murray State that featured his game-winning 76-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. He added 12 receptions for 82 yards on the season.

Holloman said his sophomore campaign might have been much better, but he was still getting used to the way the new coaching staff wanted him to run.

"I had to get accustomed to their style," he said. "I used to basically look for the home run every time. Now, it's just one cut and go. They tell me to believe my vision.

"It's helped my game out a lot. I love it now. I really thank the coaches for that."

This season began slowly for Holloman with that six-carry, eight-yard performance during a 59-3 loss at Cincinnati, which is undefeated and nationally ranked in Division I-A. He did not see much second-half action as younger backs were given an opportunity once the score got out of hand.

But Holloman has been running wild ever since.

During a win over Division II Southwest Baptist, he gained 203 yards on 19 carries and scored on runs of 66, 31 and 20 yards.

Then came a 141-yard outing on 33 carries during a victory over Indiana State.

Southeast has lost both its OVC games the last two weeks, but not through any fault of Holloman.

Against Samford, he had 170 yards on 28 carries and scored from 45 and 39 yards.

Last Saturday against nationally ranked Eastern Illinois, Holloman gained 133 yards on 28 carries, including a 52-yard touchdown.

Before Holloman's four-game run, the last time a Southeast player had gained at least 100 yards in three straight times was 1988.

What makes Holloman's performances even more impressive is that Southeast's passing attack has struggled so much.

With the Redhawks ranked 111th among 116 Division I-AA teams in passing offense (95.4 yards per game) and 113th in passing efficiency, opposing defenses know Holloman is Southeast's primary offensive threat.

"I guess I've been running pretty well," said Holloman, who credits his line and fullbacks for much of his success.

"The offensive line is doing a great job. A fantastic job, as a matter of fact. And Clint Jones [Southeast[']s fullback] ... I get on him every day to motivate him. And he seems to impress me even more every day."

Holloman has already had 114 rushing attempts -- tied for the most in the OVC entering the weekend -- which is almost as much as he carried the ball during his sophomore (121) and freshman (143) seasons.

Take away the Cincinnati game, and Holloman has averaged 27 carries per contest, which is more than any NFL back is averaging so far this year.

Despite Samuel's fears that Southeast might be wearing down Holloman -- the coach vows to get other running backs involved earlier in games to keep Holloman as fresh as possible -- the junior likes all the action.

"As a running back, you love to get the ball," said Holloman, who has just three receptions for 14 yards this year as Southeast has not incorporated him into its passing game. "Of course, I'll get a little tired and it's nice to have some breaks every once in a while.

"But I feel good, and I think about the big picture, helping the team out."

Holloman's impressive start to the season has moved him steadily up Southeast's career rushing list.

He began the season eighth, but with 1,996 yards, he is now fourth, behind Ernest Edwards (2,617), Walter Smallwood (3,006) and all-time leader Kelvin "Earthquake" Anderson (3,392).

Holloman's face lit up when he was told that, barring injury, he might have a chance to pass the brilliant Anderson, who played at Southeast from 1992 to 1994 and later had an all-star career in the Canadian Football League.

"I haven't thought about that, but it sounds real good," he said.

A milestone that certainly seems within Holloman's reach is recording the seventh 1,000-yard rushing season in Southeast history.

Only four players have accomplished that since Anderson turned the trick during all three of his college seasons, including a school-record 1,371 yards.

Holloman would need to average less than 60 yards over Southeast's final six games to pull it off.

"It's in the back of my mind," said Holloman, a criminal justice major. "But I don't think about it much. I just think about helping the team out."