Fullback Julius Young has a way of affecting defenders. And that’s before he receives a handoff.

“It was crazy,” said Young, a recent Xenia High School graduate. “Somebody my size, there wasn’t anybody who wanted to tackle me, even in practice.”

At 6 feet, 270 pounds, Young will be easy to spot in the South backfield during today’s 28th annual White Allen Pigskin Classic high school all-star football game.

The contest features recent grads from throughout the area whose coaches are members of the Miami Valley Football Coaches Association. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Welcome Stadium.

Big fullbacks like Young are rare. Exceptionally strong, quick and agile, Young was a shutdown defensive end for the Buccaneers. That limited his time on offense.

Still, he rushed for 441 yards (5.4 average), including a long run of 71 yards.

“Those big defensive linemen make good fullbacks,” Xenia coach Bob Delong said. “The problem is, the defensive coaches need them.”

Young will play all offense in the Classic, something he promises to lobby hard to do at Urbana University this fall, too. He’ll mostly be a blocker for standout Clinton-Massie running back Jordy Scanlon, a preferred walk-on at Indiana State.

“That’s a nice little combo right there,” said South coach Dan McSurley (Clinton-Massie). “Hopefully, I can get Julius fired up and get him going and it’ll be a lot of fun.”

Xenia runs the wing-T offense, ideal for a back as big as Young. Defenses often are forced to commit an extra man close to the line of scrimmage to stop Young. But that creates an extra-man advantage elsewhere.

If teams didn’t stack the line, Young was even more effective.

“It’s kind of like adding a real good jab to a boxer,” Delong said. “There are certain things that you’re not going to be able to do, or you’re going to eat that thing. If you take that guy out of the box and worry about the pass, then Julius is going to pound you.”

Like Young, most of the North and South players will play college football this fall. Roy Thobe (Fairborn) is the north’s head coach.

The MVFCA will award four scholarships to area players and induct five area assistants into its coaches hall of fame. Major sponsors are White Allen Chevrolet and Kettering Sports Medicine.

MVFCA scholarship winners

Andrew Bush, Vandalia Butler

Darcy Householder, Miamisburg

Sean Miliner, Wayne

Robert Skidmore, Valley View

Assistant coaches hall nominees

Bill Haggy, Northeastern

Alfred Powell, Dunbar

Jerry Puckett, Chaminde Julienne

Terry Shanke, Edgewood

Larry Thoele, Milton-Union

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