Why Camden says star tailback Willis Lane ‘has earned the right to be’ Mr. Football
Willis Lane will have a lot on his mind Saturday afternoon.
Lane and his Camden teammates will be going for the school’s first state championship since 2001 when they face Daniel at Spring Valley High School. At halftime of that game, the South Carolina Mr. Football award winner for 2020 will be announced. Lane is one of five finalists for the award along with Gaffney’s Ty’rion Ingram-Dawkins, Northwestern’s Gregory Johnson, Rock Hill’s Robbie Ouzts and May River’s Ahmad Green.
Ingram-Dawkins is a Georgia commitment and the top-ranked player in the state. Ouzts is committed to play at Alabama.
The award is usually announced during the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl in Myrtle Beach, the week following the state championships. With that all-star game canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials decided to announce the award winner during championship game weekend.
Lane is the only finalist who is still playing in the playoffs.
The Camden senior running back is trying to become the school’s second Mr. Football winner. Eric McCollum won it in 2002 after throwing for more than 3,500 yards and a then-state record 43 touchdown passes. McCollum went to play at Iowa before finishing his career at Newberry.
“One thing on my mind right now is getting this ring,” Lane said Monday at practice. “If I win Mr. Football, it is a God-given gift. I would be happy if I win both, but if I don’t win Mr. Football, it is what is. That (championship) ring, I’m going for that one.
“We put our blood, sweat and tears into this. We told each other we on a mission and stick to that and keep doing us.”
Lane has etched his place in Camden’s storied history with his performance the past two years. He rushed for a school-record 2,372 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2019.
This year, Lane has 1,145 yards and 14 touchdowns in just eight games in the shortened season. For his career, Lane has 4,157 yards and 45 touchdowns. His rushing total ranks behind Marcus Brown’s school record 5,067 yards, which Lane might have had a chance to break in a full season.
But more than yards, Lane’s Camden teammates and coaches praise his toughness and leadership qualities. Leroy Bracey, Lane’s backfield mate, calls him “the commander of the offense.”
Camden offensive lineman Donovan Edwards said Lane always pushes guys to be better. Lane has been a running back primarily, but Edwards remembers him lobbying to play a little defense when the two were freshmen on the JV squad.
“Freshman year, he said, ‘Please, coach put me in at linebacker, I wanna play linebacker,’” Edwards recalled. “The play, he gets in, he blitzes and beats the offensive lineman and picks the running back up and throws him back like five to 10 yards.”
Bracey, Edwards and Camden coach Brian Rimpf made it known who they think should be named Mr. Football. Rimpf points out that Lane is the lone nominee still playing, touts his 9.4 yards a carry and the fact he hasn’t played in the fourth quarter most of the season because Camden has been blowing out their opponents.
Rimpf also praises Lane’s will to fight for extra yards and being hard to bring down despite his 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame.
“He is strong, has great vision. But his best quality is he refuses to get tackled,” Rimpf said. “He has run through tackles of Division I linemen, linebackers and safeties we played against.
“He is an emotional leader and great player. ... We think he has earned the right to be Mr. Football of South Carolina.”
SC MR. FOOTBALL RECIPIENTS
Year, Name, Position, School, College
1995 — Jermale Kelley, WR, Berea, South Carolina
1996 — Kyle Young, OL, Daniel, Clemson
1997 — Chris Hope, DB, Rock Hill, Florida State
1998 — Derek Watson, RB, Palmetto, South Carolina
1999 — Mark Logan, QB, Greenwood, Georgia Tech
2000 — Roscoe Crosby, WR, Union, Clemson
2001 — Moe Thompson, DE, Stratford, South Carolina
2002 — Eric McCollom, QB, Camden, Iowa
2003 — Trey Elder, QB, Byrnes, Appalachian State
2004 — J.D. Melton, QB, Myrtle Beach, Navy
2005 — Prince Miller, DB, Byrnes, Georgia
2006 — Malcolm Long, QB, Gaffney, South Carolina State
2007 — Richard Mounce, QB, Blythewood, Charleston Southern
2008 — Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Pointe, South Carolina
2009 — Marcus Lattimore, RB, Byrnes, South Carolina
2010 — Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Pointe, South Carolina
2011 —Shaq Roland, WR, Lexington, South Carolina
2012 —Tramel Terry, WR, Goose Creek, Georgia
2013 —Jacob Park, QB, Stratford, Georgia
2014 — Matthew Colburn, RB, Dutch Fork, Wake Forest
2015 — Tavien Feaster, RB, Spartanburg, Clemson
2016 — Gage Moloney, QB, Northwestern, James Madison
2017 — Dakereon Joyner, QB, Fort Dorchester, South Carolina
2018 — Zacch Pickens, DE, T.L. Hanna, South Carolina
2019 — Luke Doty, QB, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 11:13 AM.
