Mansfield star Kennedy Brooks reigns as Super Team offensive player of the year

As a junior in 2015, Mansfield’s Kennedy Brooks was held to 31 yards rushing in a 27-17 loss to Flower Mound Marcus in the season opener.

 

Maybe it was chemistry, maybe it was jitters, but what ensued would be nothing short of spectacular.

Brooks would finish his career with 25 straight games of 100 or more yards rushing. For his efforts he was named the Star-Telegram 2016 Super Team Offensive Player of the Year.

Brooks rushed for 2,128 yards and 26 touchdowns in eight games during the 2016 regular season as the Tigers won the District 4-6A title. He sat out the final two regular-season games to heal a thumb injury.

Three playoff games later, he finished with 2,865 yards and 40 touchdowns as the Tigers lost to Cedar Hill in the regional round. His lowest rushing total of the season was 185 yards in the season opener.

“He’s a special young man,” Mansfield coach Daniel Maberry said. “It’s been a real blessing to coach him for four years.”

Committed since October to play for Oklahoma, Brooks was also named 4-6A MVP and Class 6A Associated Press first team for the second straight year. He won the 2016 Landry Award as the top high school football player in North Texas.

Brooks had 3,522 yards rushing last season, which ranked eighth all time in Texas for a single season entering this year. He finished his career with 885 carries, 7,658 yards and 96 touchdowns.

In the regular season, the 6-foot running back ran for over 300 yards twice, including a season-high 323 against Arlington Martin on Oct. 7, and added another in the area round against Amarillo Tascosa.

“Really proud of this young man and we’re going to miss him,” Maberry said.

This story was originally published December 22, 2016 at 10:37 AM with the headline "Mansfield star Kennedy Brooks reigns as Super Team offensive player of the year."