After helping lead Kapaun Mt. Carmel to a state championship, senior running back Ken Huff isn’t just focused on his own accomplishments heading into his final high school football season. He’s just as excited about the relationships he’ll build and the opportunity to help the next generation of Crusaders.
“The part I’m most excited for is the team dinners and the ability to bond not only with my teammates but coaches as well,” Huff said. “I’m also looking forward to seeing the underclassmen grow and develop throughout the season. It reminds me of my earlier high school years. The fact that not only am I playing with new teammates but having the opportunity to play one last year with my fellow senior teammates as well.”
Huff has spent the offseason preparing for what he hopes will be his best season yet. Rather than simply maintaining his strengths, he evaluated his game and built workouts around areas he believed needed improvement.
“I’ve been preparing for the season doing multiple workouts a day tailored to the things I can improve on,” Huff said. “A day, for example, would be speed training, weightlifting and drills, whether that be running routes or doing footwork drills that simulate our offensive scheme.”
His offseason also included attending college camps, where he showcased his abilities while learning from coaches and competing against some of the nation’s top prospects.
“I’ve also been attending some college camps to showcase my skills in front of coaches and have the opportunity to scout competition and learn from other coaches,” Huff said. “It most definitely improved me not only as a football player but as a man of God. These camps really showed me that I can compete with the best.”
One of Huff’s primary goals has been becoming a complete running back capable of staying on the field in every situation.
“An area I wanted to improve was being a three-down back,” he said. “I felt as though that trait alone can put you miles higher than other running backs.”
To accomplish that, Huff committed himself to daily pass protection drills and catching footballs to improve his hands and hand-eye coordination. He also competed in track during the spring, running the 100-meter dash and the 4×100 relay to increase his explosiveness and top-end speed.
“Having home-run-threat speed is another thing that I wanted, especially as a bigger running back,” Huff said.
The hard work comes after a standout junior season in which Huff rushed for 1,618 yards and 21 touchdowns despite playing just four quarters in five of Kapaun’s 13 games. His performance earned him first-team Class 4A All-State honors at running back, first-team All-Metro recognition and first-team All-Greater Wichita Athletic League honors.
Despite those accolades, Huff’s focus remains on team success.
“Some goals this season are to really make a statement to other teams that I’m the best running back, to win a state championship again and to teach the younger players to continue to be hungry and to get better and continue this dynasty at Kapaun Mt. Carmel,” Huff said. “I also want to average 10 yards per carry or higher and rush for the high 2,000s or low 3,000s.”
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