Rockvale football off to 2-0 start, thanks to 1-2 punch at running back
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Rockvale is benefiting from an unlikely 1-2 punch at running back during the 2026 TSSAA football season.
Romeo George and Jamarcus Brown have given the Rockets (2-0) talent and depth at the position the program has rarely seen since its inception in 2019.
The two seniors have been huge for Coach James Counce's squad in the first two weeks of the season, including a 31-30 win over visiting Station Camp on Aug. 28, a game in which the Bison failed to convert a 2-point try with 15 seconds left. Station Camp beat Rockvale 32-31 last season on a 2-point conversion at the end.
"It's a real good feeling," said Counce, of the depth he has in the backfield, which also includes Stewarts Creek transfer Kingston McQueen. "(George and Brown) both have things they can do really well, and they've embraced that role of sharing with each other. That mean a lot too."
George and Brown were on rival teams in 2025 and both missed all or the majority of the season. George missed the entire season recovering from ACL surgery and Brown, who started the season on fire while at Stewarts Creek, missed most of the final seven games with an ankle injury.
"This year I'm coming for it all this season after not getting to play last year," said George, whose 65-yard TD run with seven minutes left in the fourth gave Rockvale a 31-24 lead. He finished with 15 carries for 193 yards and three touchdowns (47, 26, 65). "(Coming back from injury) was a long process, but I kept buying in the whole time and I had faith and pushed through it."
Brown, who had over 400 yards and eight TDs in his first two games with Stewarts Creek last season before getting injured, complemented George's big day by rushing 11 times for 100 yards, giving him 170 yards and two TDs over the first two games.
He knew there would be a battle for touches in the Rocket backfield, and that was just find with him.
"First of all, there's no selfishness in this group," Brown said. "A lot of guys want to compare stats and all of that. There's no selfishness at all here. When Romeo scores, every time we get up and are jumping. And he'll do the same thing for me. That's why I love this running back room. We're all going to just keep doing the same thing."
Rockvale is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2021, the first time the Rockets made the playoffs. A strong offense led by its running game (which scored 24 in a season-opening win over Independence) could help Counce's squad keep it rolling.
"Those two are pretty good," the second-year coach said. "We've got to keep getting better up front to help them. But they both play so hard."
Station Camp (1-1) had a contrast in offensive style, going through the air most of the game behind talented quarterback Colton Overbey. He completed 22 of 36 for 310 yards and three touchdowns, including the late touchdown with 15 seconds left before a failed 2-point pass attempt, which was attempted by tailback Cayden Moore on a trick play.
Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at cjoyce@dnj.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Rockvale football off to 2-0 start, thanks to 1-2 punch at running back
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