HAYES

two were, he’s “fluid like a Damien (Williams), like a Greg (Bell).”

While Hayes has a long way to go before belonging in the same tier as those three former NJCAA AllAmericans, he’s at least starting to make a name for himself.

“His thing is he’s not overly fast like we’ve had in the past, but what he does is he can see things which helps him out,” Minnick said. “He’s got great vision for a running back. Reggie had the same thing; he could see it before it happened and make the move, and Jadon has got that, and that’s what makes him special.”

Hayes didn’t arrive at AWC as a nobody.

As a senior at Huntington High School in West Virginia last year, Hayes put up what Minnick termed “ungodly” stats — 296 carries for 2,321 yards and 36 touchdowns — and received the Curt Warner

Award, given to the state’s top running back by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

And they weren’t empty or easy-to-come-by stats — Hayes’ Huntington team went 12-1 in Class AAA, West Virginia’s highest division.

Yet all that apparently wasn’t enough to warrant an NCAA Division I scholarship offer.

“I honestly don’t know (why),” Hayes said. “I thought because I had good grades, I felt like I performed well in the best division in West Virginia — so I honestly don’t know.

“But I’ve just got to prove them wrong here.”

Before AWC came calling, Hayes was considering joining either West Virginia or Marshall as a preferred walk on.

“It was my best decision, honestly,” Hayes said of coming to AWC. “I had a lot of (Division II offers), but I wanted to go (Division I) and I know Arizona Western gets a lot

of players to (Division I) colleges.”

Hayes’ lack of top-level speed for a smaller back, Minnick believes, was the reason Division I programs shied away.

Despite his prep accolades, Hayes said he did not come to Arizona Western expecting to start right away — which helps explain why he didn’t get discouraged after not receiving a single carry in games against NMMI (Aug. 24) and Mesa (Sept. 22).

Oddly enough, Hayes’ quiet nature — according to Minnick — played a factor in his lack of carries early on.

“He won’t say nothing so people were jumping in front of him taking the reps,” Minnick said. “I said (to offensive coordinator), ‘Mike (Orthmann), you’ve got to get this guy in there’ (after the Mesa game). Then the Glendale game, he started.”

And he’s taken the starting job and run with it.