Undersized – that's a description Eupora High School graduate Edwin Herard has found himself saddled with often.
As a freshman at Holmes Community College, he's playing inside linebacker at 5–foot-9 and 190 pounds, and playing it well. In a 47-41 upset of third-ranked Northwest Community College, he had a team high eighth tackles, including a sack.
So how is he able to make plays while facing blocks from offensive lineman who outweigh him by up to 100 pounds?
“You have to play fast and play physical. To know where to be at the right time and to know your assignments,” Herard said.
He was a two-way star at Eupora prior to graduation in the spring. As a linebacker, he totaled 212 tackles as a junior and senior. As a running back his junior year, he had 98 carries for 516 yards and five touchdowns. He moved to quarterback as a senior, totaling 2,076 yards and 26 TDs running and passing.
“We moved him around, running back, quarterback, inside linebacker, outside linebacker.” said Eupora coach Stephen Edwards. “Wherever we needed him to play he was willing to do because that's the type of player he is.”
Edwards and Holmes coach Jeff Koonz both commented on Herard's toughness. “For sure, he's one of the five toughest kids I have ever coached and this is my 24th year,” Edwards said.
Edwards referenced a game against Calhoun City Herard's freshman year when he suffered an ankle injury. “He played a full quarter with a fractured ankle and we didn't know about it until halftime.”
Koonz said Herard played with a broken nose in an upset of two-time defending national champion East Mississippi. Herard said it was a freak accident.
“I was making a tackle on the first play of the game,” Herard said. “ I caught a cleat in my face mask. It was pretty tough.”
He played the entire game, was operated on six days later and cleared to play.
Holmes recruited Herard to play defense, which is fine with him. “I've always loved defense. I love playing offense too, but I knew defense I where I would have to play to go further,” Herard said.
“We thought he would be a strong safety based on his size,” Koonz said. “But he was physical enough and strong enough and we had a need to play him at inside linebacker.”
Herard hopes to move to the next level after Holmes, but he thinks it probably will be as a safety. “I'm not really sure where it will be, but I'm pretty sure I will be able to play somewhere.”
Edwards and Koonz also noted Herard's character. “He's a natural leader,” Edwards said. “It was my pleasure being around him for four years.”
Koonz said “He has all the intangibles. He's highly intelligent and he's tough. There's nothing bad I can say about him.”
Through eight games for the HCC Bulldogs this year Herard has recorded eight tackles, including a sack, and recovered a fumble.
Holmes drops heartbreaker to Miss. Delta, 46-42
From school reports
The visiting Holmes Community College Bulldogs held an 18-point lead late in the first half but couldn't hold it in the second half against the Mississippi Delta Community College Trojans as the Trojans scored with 1:18 to pull out a 46-42 win over the Bulldogs.
With the loss, the Bulldogs fall to 3-5 on the season and 3-2 in the North Division and sit in the second place position. A win over Coahoma on Thursday will determine whether or not the Bulldogs will make the playoffs.
Holmes took the opening drive and got on the scoreboard first when freshman quarterback Kyren Batey scored from seven yards out. Easton Curry's extra point put the Bulldogs up 7-0 with 11:08 left in the first quarter.
Delta answered the score on a rushing touchdown. The extra point was good, and the game was tied at seven with 8:34 left in the first.
Holmes then scored again when freshman fullback Devontaye Bankston scored form six yards out. Curry's extra point put Holmes up 14-7 with 4:52 left in the first.
Delta scored with 17 seconds left in the first quarter on a field goal to make it 14-10.
The Bulldogs then added two quick scores in the second quarter. The first touchdown came with 5:53 left in the quarter when Bankston scored from 13 yards out. Curry's extra point made it 21-10. Twelve seconds later, Holmes added another score when a Delta running back fumbled at the six, and Niageria Young picked it up and raced in for the score. Curry's extra point made it 28-10 with 5:41 left in the second.
Delta scored with 2:39 on a passing touchdown to make it 28-17 after the made extra point.
Sophomore running back Martavius Dill then took the kickoff and raced 91 yards for the touchdown. Curry's extra point made the score 35-17 at halftime.
Delta scored twice in the third quarter on two passing touchdowns to cut Holmes' lead to four at 35-31 with 3:10 left in the third.
Batey picked up his second touchdown of the day with 7:09 left in the game from a yard out to make it 42-31 after Curry's extra point was good.
Delta scored with 4:53 left in the game on a rushing touchdown. They added the two-point conversion to make it 42-39.
Delta then scored with 1:18 to pull out the win.
Holmes finished with 394 yards on the ground with sophomore Terry Bryant having 157 of those on 20 carries.
. Dylan Kelly had 110 yards on eight carries while Batey had 70 yards on 14 carries and two scores and Bankston had 39 yards on four carries and two scores.
Jha'mauri Johnson led the Bulldogs on defense with nine tackles while James Johnson and Devlin Kirklin each had eight, Niageria Young seven and Tyler Taylor, Colin Hunt and Tavian Johnson six each. James Johnson finished with 2.5 tackles for loss while Tavian Johnson had two TFLs.
