Roger Bacon's Corey Kiner has record-breaking numbers despite limited playing time

ST. BERNARD - Southwest Ohio's best candidate for Ohio's Mr. Football has yet to play a full game, but that should not be held against him. In six games thus far, senior Corey Kiner, who committed to LSU in May, has run for 1,296 yards and scored 26 touchdowns for Roger Bacon who is 6-0 and ranked No. 7 in Ohio Division V.

He's an automatic first down and then some, averaging 13.6 yards per carry and 216 yards per game. 

But, that doesn't tell half the story. Actually, some games have seen Kiner out at halftime or by the third quarter. Out of 24 possible quarters, he's watched 8.5 from the sideline.

Down

"He hasn't played into the fourth quarter but maybe one game," Roger Bacon coach Mike Blaut said. "Most of the time it's only been two or three quarters he's been playing. He makes it easy for us in terms of the offense. He's scoring about every third play, every fourth play. That makes life a lot easier."

It's not punishment. It truly is in an effort to stop Kiner from punishing the opposition. The Spartans have had a running clock in each game. 

"I always tell Coach (Blaut) I want to score 10 touchdowns, score every time I touch the ball," Kiner said. "Obviously, we can do that. We practice sportsmanship. We don't want to run the score up on everybody. I'm out the beginning of the third quarter or halfway through the third quarter."

The big leads cut down on his rushing attempts, as does the 30-point rule. By OHSAA rules, a 30-point spread in the second half results in a running clock. 

Against Purcell Marian, there was a running clock in the third quarter in a 34-0 victory. In week two against CHCA it was a running clock with a 42-7 halftime edge. In scoring 82 points against Norwood, the Spartans had a second-quarter 55-20 lead and a second-half running clock. 

Versus Summit Country Day, his 97-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter made for a 37-7 final and a running clock. Against Cincinnati College Prep Academy, the 41-8 halftime edge called for the running clock, as it did the following week against North College Hill 34-0. 

Going 95 yards on nine carries was his low mark Oct. 2 vs. North College Hill, while his 363 yards and seven scores against Norwood Sept. 11 are school records. 

For kicks, Roger Bacon Assistant AD Brandon Spaeth mathematically figures Kiner's number over all 24 quarters of the six games and it came to 2,007 yards for 40 touchdowns and an average of 334.5 yards per game.

For perspective, in 12 games last season, Kiner ran for 2,298 yards. Doubling this year's totals and assuming similar competition, he would be more than 4,000 yards. That would obliterate the current OHSAA record of 3,472 set by Ross Franklin of Johnstown-Monroe in 2011. 

"We're winning so I'm not really too worried about my stats," Kiner said. "Me scoring touchdowns takes the pressure off everybody else. Defense gets to focus on stopping the other team and getting the ball back to the offense. It's makes everything much easier."

Is he the next Ohio Mr. Football?

Well, it took 27 years for Greater Cincinnati to snare that award after Norwood's Marc Edwards won it before heading to Notre Dame. Wyoming's Evan Prater won the honor last season before heading to the University of Cincinnati. However, it was a close call among Southwest Ohio voters with then-junior Kiner right up there in the voting with Prater. 

The 5-foot-10, 210-pound frequent visitor to the end zone still remains committed to LSU, where he was recruited by former New England Patriots back Kevin Faulk, also a former Tiger. He hears from the coaches and is part of a weekly chat with other LSU commits. 

Unlike Wyoming's Prater and Princeton's Paris Johnson Jr. a year ago, Kiner has yet to earn an invite to a prep all-star bowl game, which is somewhat puzzling for an SEC recruit with his numbers. He wonders if he needs to run for 500 yards or will he get the chance to if the Spartans have another comfortable cushion.

Faulting Roger Bacon for a weak schedule is also hardly fair as COVID-19 forced schools into a six-game menu, then virus breakouts began affecting games.

"At one point we were playing Oak Hills and we were playing Northwest," Blaut said. "We were going to play Hamilton Badin and McNick, which we play every year. When the schedule came out, it was 'we've got to play who we've got to play.' We've had six nice wins in a row, now we're starting everything again going into the playoffs."

Blaut is a bit concerned that his team hasn't been tested. On the other hand, the Spartans are hungry to return after a controversial call knocked them out of the playoffs a year ago against Germantown Valley View.

This year's motto has been Unfinished Business.

"Our kids have come out and made sure one call's not going make a decision this year," Blaut said. 

Roger Bacon hosts Carlisle Saturday night at 7. Should they keep winning they have the chance to continue hosting games at Bron Bacevich Stadium all the way through the regional final as the No. 1 seed.