ROCKINGHAM — Senior football player Kellan Hood has been named the Official Richmond County Male Athlete of the Week presented by HWY 55.
The Richmond Observer will spotlight one male and one female student-athlete from Richmond Senior High School each week based on his and her respective performance to help their team.
A third-year varsity player, and second-year quarterback, Hood has been a catalyst on the Raiders’ offense to help the team to a 4-1 start.
With the aid of the defense shutting out Pinecrest in the second half on Friday, Hood captained Richmond’s offense to three unanswered touchdowns to earn a crucial 28-21 conference win.
This is his second career recognition, and first since the 2019-20 basketball season.
Athletic Profile
Age: 17
Birthday: Feb. 22, 2004
Year: Senior
Fall Sport: Football
Position: Quarterback
Years on Varsity: 3 years
Height & Weight: 5-11, 178 pounds
Experience: 12 years
RUNNING THE OFFENSE WITH KELLAN HOOD
Hood continued his successful start to the season last Friday, putting up big numbers through the air and even bigger numbers on the ground for the Raiders. The dual-threat quarterback finished as the game’s leading passer and leading rusher.
Connecting with four different receivers, Hood was 8-of-16 passing for 133 passing yards and two touchdowns. His longest pass was a 29-yard hook up with senior Javares Stanback, who also caught a 28-yard touchdown pass.
Out of the backfield, Hood rushed 24 times for 164 yards and nine first downs. His longest run of the game was a 70-yard scramble that saw him tackled at the one-yard line, setting up J.D. Lampley’s game-winning touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
With 61 seconds left in the game, Hood stripped the ball loose from a Pinecrest defender after the Raiders fumbled it in their own red zone. Teammate Taye Spencer recovered the ball and Richmond ran out the clock for the win.
Hood’s 164 rushing yards were a career-high for him and it was the fourth time this season he eclipsed the 100-yard mark in a game. Through five games, he leads the Sandhills Athletic Conference with 590 rushing yards on 91 attempts (118 yards per game), and is second with five rushing scores.
Through the air, Hood is second in the SAC with 549 passing yards and six touchdowns, both behind Lee County High School’s Will Patterson.
Kellan Hood (7) sprints toward the end zone on his 70-yard run in Richmond’s win over Pinecrest. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
RAPID RESPONSES WITH KELLAN HOOD
ROSports: The Raiders are 4-1 to start the season against some really tough opponents. What has been the key for the entire team’s success?
Hood: “We’ve been working hard and staying focused. The team has done a good job blocking out all the people who told us we weren’t going to be good this year. We knew what we could do, and we’ve gone out and shown that.
“Our resiliency is something that never leaves. When teams count us out, that’s when we come back big. We know how to regroup and bring each other up, and that’s what we did against Pinecrest.”
ROSports: You’re playing out of position to help the team — how do you continue to get better each week and put up big numbers, especially on the ground?
Hood: “I take it day by day, and I need to get better staying in the pocket and throwing the ball. That’s coming and I’m trusting my receivers more. I’m relying on them and the offensive line and the running backs.
“I just run and I seem to look at the right moment to make somebody miss. It’s a feeling I get when I’m running and it turns into big plays sometimes.”
ROSports: You currently don’t have any college offers, which is surprising to many. How do you use that as a motivator on the football field?
Hood: “I go out every day and show colleges why I should have an offer. My brother, Caleb, texted me and told me to keep going and encouraged me that my time is coming. I have a lot of friends and people who motivate me and tell me I’m well-slept on.
“Every day, I have the intention to become a better player and teammate, and hopefully schools will start to realize that.”
ROSports: Name a couple of songs or artists that you listen to during pre-game that get you hyped up.
Hood: “Last week I listened to YoungBoy because he just dropped a new album. I like to listen to DaBaby and Toosii, and I like ‘Shock Da World’ by Rod Wave because I can relate to that song a lot.
“And whatever they’re playing in the locker room is always good, especially when Cason (Douglas) is on the aux.”
ROSports: If you could line up anywhere on defense, what position would it be and why?
Hood: “It would definitely be at cornerback — something about it looks fun.”
The Richmond Observer will publish two more Official Richmond County Athletes of the Week next week.
