Any place you put Jeff Carlin on the field, he becomes a threat to the other team. He is the Trojans’ home-run hitter in the running game with several long TD runs under his belt this year. He led Greene in receiving as a junior last year, he is a dangerous punt returner with two TD returns in five games, and he is a menace to opposing quarterbacks defending and intercepting passes.

Carlin was the catalyst in Greene’s 35-14 romp over Oneonta last Saturday. In another impressive victory over a larger school, Carlin pulled the Trojans out of an early funk with an electrifying 40-yard punt return for a touchdown. The score put his team on the board, and the offense seemed to hit its stride from that point on. “The way we set things up on returns, (Jeff) has a chance to run it back every time he gets his hands on it,” said Greene head coach Tim Paske. “The guys on special teams believe in him, and they give that extra effort when we have an opportunity to make a return. It’s a chance for a touchdown, and big play on special teams can change the way a game is played.”

Locked in a tight game with the ‘Jackets, Carlin scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third, and his 63-yard touchdown dash in the fourth sealed the victory. Defensively, Carlin made three tackles from his safety spot, and knocked down three passes. His all-around performance has earned him our weekly honor as Smith Ford Supercenter/Evening Sun Athlete of the Week.

Carlin already has more than 100 yards rushing than all of last year. His 473 yards rushing leads a powerful Trojans offense, and he is averaging nearly nine yards per carry to go with seven rushing touchdowns. Of those seven scores, five have been longer than 25 yards. Tacking on a pair of punt return scores, Carlin rarely takes a breather, and he certainly isn’t cutting any breaks for the opposition.