Eleven to watch in 2011: Tanner Link
In our continued attempts to stave off the summer lull -- and to keep this blog something resembling fresh -- we bring you a new series: The 11 YAIAA football players you need to watch in 2011. Each day for the next week and a half, we'll feature another of the league's most promising talents. Think we missed somebody? Chime in using the comments section. Tanner Link, RB, Dover There are some embers of excitement glowing around the Dover football program this summer. The Eagles are coming off a turnaround campaign in 2010, when they finished 6-5 and qualified for the District 3-AAA playoffs. The majority of their team is back, including their soon-to-be-senior tailback. Link (at the bottom of the pile pictured above) was the driving force behind Dover's run-heavy attack last season. His 257-yard outburst in a Week 5 loss to William Penn broke the program's single-game rushing record, set by current NFL fullback John Kuhn. Link topped his own record three later, with a 301-yard performance against Northeastern. He finished the season with 1,329 rushing yards -- second most in the league -- and 18 touchdowns. Can Link -- and Dover -- repeat that success this season? It's hard to see why not. The Eagles have plenty of size, and return experienced players at almost every position on the field. Not sure I'm ready to put them above perennial Division II kingpins West York just yet, though. 2010 statsRushing 160 rushes, 1,329 yards, 8.31 avg., 18 TDs Receiving 9 catches, 89 yards, 9.89 avg., 1 TD Defense 64 tackles, 1 INT