Fans of the Stafford High School football team and its opponents over the past two seasons could hardly be blamed for wondering if they’ve seen the second coming of Jonathan Taylor.
While Indians head coach Jeff Drugatz and his staff have not subverted Virginia High School League eligibility rules by finding a way to slip the Indianapolis Colts running back into a blue and gold jersey, they’ve reaped the benefits of handing the ball off to Michael Creamer.
Creamer, a senior who’s committed to play his college football at the University of Richmond, draws frequent comparisons to Taylor, a former All-Pro. While not quite as compact in frame as the 5-foot-10, 226-pound Taylor, the 6-foot, 210-pound Creamer is a physical runner with deceptive speed.
“I would say [Taylor] is definitely one of the players I try to model my game after,” Creamer said. “Like him, I’m a one-cut-and-go type of guy.”
Creamer’s north-south style is a big reason why Stafford is off to a 4-0 start this fall—it’s best start since beginning 5-0 in 2017. He’s rushed for 578 yards and scored 14 touchdowns despite seeing action in just 11 of a possible 16 quarters due to the Indians posting multiple blowout wins in nondistrict play. They defeated James Monroe 50-28, Chancellor 41-6 and Colgan 35-0, prompting Drugatz to rest Creamer and several other starters in the second half of each of those contests.
“Midway through last season, he really began to understand his running style,” Drugatz said of Creamer. “Like [Taylor], it’s one cut and downhill. This year, he is working each day to master his craft. He’s also added about 15 pounds of muscle, and he’s stronger and faster than he was as a [junior].”
As a junior, Creamer rushed for 1,191 yards and 15 TDs, earning first-team all-Commonwealth District honors as a result. His torrid start this season has him on pace to shatter both of those numbers, and he’s also averaging a videogame-esque 9.5 yards per carry.
Creamer isn’t taking much credit for his eye-popping numbers or Stafford’s unblemished record.
“The key factors are, first and foremost, my offensive line and the experience and chemistry we have as a team,” he said. “And I definitely have to give props to my defensive guys for making big plays and getting stops.”
Drugatz isn’t downplaying his star RB’s ability to change a game, however.
“In addition to everything I already said, he also has the talent and football IQ to make plays work even when they are defended well,” Drugatz said. “That’s not something that your average player can do.”
Colonial Forge head coach John Brown, whose Eagles (4-0) pay a visit to the Indians in the district opener for both squads on Friday night, doesn’t believe Creamer can be stopped.
“Their offense hasn’t been stopped yet, so I think the correct approach is trying to slow [Creamer] down,” Brown said. “He’s a big, physical runner. But more than that, he demonstrates good patience waiting for a play to develop and has the speed to exploit the defense once he sees an opening.”
If Creamer and Stafford are to match the 5-0 start from 2017, a year when the Indians advanced all the way to the state semifinals, they’ll have to figure out a way to topple Forge for the first time since 2011.
“We need to come out strong, and everyone needs to execute and do their jobs every play,” Creamer said. “We need to play fast and physical, and our playmakers need to make big plays.”
Drugatz expanded on Creamer’s take.
“I have instilled a belief in this program that we respect all but fear nobody,” he said. “That said, to compete with [Forge], we have to match their sound technique and toughness.”
