Prep Report: Rycraw Closes In on School Mark at Bryant (With VIDEO)

When the talk turns to Arkansas prep running backs, it's usually all been about Little Rock Christian's Michael Dyer. And rightfully so, as the senior Warrior last week broke Vernon Hicks' mark at Elaine for career rushing yards, whish was 7,199. Dyer, who was 31 yards shy going into last week's game with Hot Springs Lakeside, appropriately got the record on the Warriors' first offensive series and broke it on a 22-yard touchdown run as Christian rolled 47-14 in a 5A-Southwest game.

With 175 yards rushing in last week's game, Dyer now stands at 7,266 yards.

After Dyer this year, the buzz has turned to White Hall's Larry Walls, who turned heads in week one with 444 yards rushing - against (who else?) Hot Springs Lakeside. Walls last week became White Hall's all-time career rushing leader, breaking a decade-old mark set by Sherman Sprinkle. White Hall is in 5A-South.

But if you're looking for the best running back in the state's highest classification, 7A, it's clearly Bryant's Chris Rycraw.

Taller than both Dyer and Walls at 5-11, but at 183 pounds carrying about 20 less pounds than Dyer, Rycraw has put his quickness at hitting the line and overall speed once he gets into the secondary in rolling to more than 1,300 yards this season. He started the season with 188 yards in one quarter of play against Benton, and his top overall game was the 243 yards he gained two weeks ago in a 31-14 win over 7A-Central rival Conway.

Still, it was what Rycraw and his teammates did last week that is most impressive. Bryant put a mercy rule blowout on previously unbeaten and No. 2 Cabot, 35-7, on a muddy track in Saline County. Rycraw scored four touchdowns and rushed for 188 yards.

After 1,588 yards gained last year and a handful of carries as a sophomore, the stats show Rycraw just 26 yards shy of becoming Bryant's all-time career rushing leader.

Rycraw, nicknamed "Booby" by his teammates, visited with ArkansasSports360.com earlier this week about last week's upset and the rushing mark:

Big 7A-Central Games This Week