Second in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Karson Cox, Oak Hills running back.
It’s a late March morning at a deserted Oak Hills High, where spring break has left the parking lots empty. The temperature is in the 60s, there’s a cool breeze and snow covers the nearby mountains. Hawks hover in the distance searching for prey.
Opened in 2009 as the newest school in the Hesperia Unified School District, it has an all-weather turf field, solar panels and is the epicenter of a growing high desert community two hours from Los Angeles where new homes, new businesses and improved roads are coming. One sign welcomes visitors, “Planned country living.”
Living 15 minutes from school in Victorville is Karson Cox, a three-year football starter whose accomplishments on and off the field have given him college options teenagers dream of, from Yale to USC to UCLA. He committed to the Bruins in May.
“He’s just a great kid,” coach Robert Metzger said. “His work ethic is beyond no other.”
During spring break, he could be found running up steep gravel and sand hills in Apple Valley trying to improve his leg explosiveness.
As a running back last season, he rushed for 1,349 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 10.5 yards per carry. He’s 6 feet tall and 203 pounds, up from his 170-pound freshman season.
“He’s a student of the game,” Metzger said. “He studies film. He has a good grasp of what he needs to do on the field and what the defense gives him.”
Cox had a 99-yard touchdown run against Highland when he called an audible to run the ball behind his standout right offensive tackle, Paki Finau (now at Washington), after seeing a blitz from the inside linebackers was coming. The backup quarterback took Cox’s suggestion and it resulted in the school-record run on third down when the team was trying to avoid getting called for a safety.
“They were showing all-out blitz,” he said. “I knew the right tackle is better than their defensive end. Way better. I said, ‘Let’s check the outside zone to the right.’ The quarterback told everyone and next thing you know I’m off to the races.”
Cox is a big running back who doesn’t mind sacrificing his body if it means making a block for a teammate. That kind of attitude and talent doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Your team is putting their life on the line for you, so you might as well do the same for them,” he said.
Snow-covered mountains visible last spring from Oak Hills High.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
As impressive as Cox is running the ball, his 3.8 grade-point average and willingness to welcome and help others has earned him much respect. Oak Hills has had autistic and special-needs students as part of the program, and Cox says he believes it’s important to make sure they are feeling comfortable and appreciated.
“They just want to get involved with football,” he said. “Due to their disabilities, some aren’t able to go all out, so you can always find a way to interact with them, welcome them at all times. I’m friends with a lot of them. They just need someone to talk to and I’m always there. I feel great about it. Everyone needs a friend, someone to talk to. I make it a priority to at least talk to someone new each day.”
Getting college recruiters to make the trip up Interstate 15 hasn’t been easy, but Cox has trusted the process and once his film is evaluated and people meet him, they begin to understand he’s someone who would be good for any team’s culture trying to build success.
“He’ll get more excited if a kid scores their first touchdown,” Metzger said.
There have been plenty of other high school players trying to convince Cox to leave for their program, whether via group chats or DMs. It’s not going to happen. He plans to finish his senior year at the place where he started as a third-string running back and starting linebacker his freshman year.
“I’m just loyal to where I started,” he said.
Having played football since he was 6, Cox said, “I just like the physicality and the bonds I build. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or any household you’re in, you’ll always have someone from football. That’s why I like the brotherhood.”
Wednesday: Shane Rosenthal, Newbury Park receiver.
Running backs to watch
Brian Bonner, Valencia, 6-0, 185, Jr.: Has run 4.48 40-yard dash, a 10.48 100 meters
Quaid Carr, Servite, 6-0, 190. Sr.: San Diego State commit rushed for 1,201 yards, 17 touchdowns
Karson Cox, Oak Hills, 6-0, 203, Sr.: UCLA commit is a bruising back
Jordon Davison, Mater Dei, 6-0, 215, Sr.: Has been running through tacklers since freshman season
Dane Dunn, Sierra Canyon, 5-10, 190, Sr.: Major contributor for three seasons
Brice Hawkins, Simi Valley, 5-10, 170, Sr.: Big-play threat with speed
Anthony League, Long Beach Millikan, 6-0, 200, Sr.: Cal commit has power and speed
Sean Morris, Loyola, 5-10, 190, Jr.: Has gotten bigger, stronger and faster
David Sandy, L.A. Jordan, 5-11, 185, Sr.: Rushed for 2,904 yards, 39 touchdowns
Jojo Solis, Aquinas, 6-0, 180, Sr.: Rushed for nearly 1,400 yards as a junior