By Vincent Liu
Colleges pursuing Mtn. View runners Hooper and Nelson
Off the football field, one is an extrovert, the other an introvert. On the field, these two Mountain View High teammates pushed each other to improve. They have built a lasting friendship, but soon will likely part company.
Meet Trevor Hooper, running back, the extrovert, voted the SCVAL El Camino Division’s Most Valuable Player. Meet J.D. Nelson, running back, the introvert, voted the division’s Most Valuable Offensive Back.
Together, this dynamic duo put up almost unbelievable offensive numbers for the Spartans this year.
Over a span of 10 games, each racked up more than 1,100 yards rushing, with a combined average of 7.7 yards per carry. Their total running yardage accounted for 92 percent of the team’s totals; their total offensive output (running and receiving) 79 percent; and their total touchdowns 63 percent.
It’s small wonder the Spartans won this year’s El Camino Division title and led the league in total yards.
Dan Navarro, Mountain View’s head coach for 22 years, called Nelson and Hooper the most prolific running tandem he’s seen in his 28 years of football coaching experience.
Even though the two seniors have played four years of football for the school, this past season was the first time they played together. Injuries sidelined Nelson his freshman and junior years. He made varsity as a sophomore. Hooper was elevated to varsity as a junior.
“Frankly, I didn’t see this good thing coming until the spring practice,” Navarro said. “Then I noticed that both runners are really quick off the ball and can hit the holes in a hurry.”
Although he had a small-sized line and a quality quarterback, Navarro hatched a scheme to run the ball inside, betting on the quickness of these two backs to get through the holes before they close. It worked to the tune of an 8-2 regular season and a trip to the playoffs.
It was by design that both players carried the ball equally to keep them fresh and prevent opponents from keying on one of them. This strategy was not only effective but well appreciated by both runners - especially Hooper.
“Last year opponents keyed on me because J.D. was hurt and it was hard,” he said, “but this year with him healthy, we had a big one-two punch.”
Added Nelson: “Just as important is that we blocked for each other and fed off each other on the field.”
Hooper said this was just as enjoyable as all those long runs the two players made this year. Nelson had a 90-yarder against Saratoga, while Hooper ripped off an 80-yard touchdown run against Gunn. In the Saratoga game, Nelson established a school rushing record by rumbling for 200 yards.
Appointed team co-captains, these two football stars are leaders in their own way. Hooper is vocal and in your face; not surprisingly, he tends to run over his defenders. Nelson is quiet and calm; not surprisingly, he tends to run by his defenders.
What’s refreshing about these two competitors is that they seem to genuinely like each other. They’re buddies off the field, hang out together and work out together.
They also both said they admire Navarro for being “a straight shooter.”
The coach admitted he was tougher on his two stars than the rest of his squad.
“I chewed them out harder because they’re my team leaders and I wanted to show the rest of the players there’s no favoritism”, he said.
Both players’ bloodlines can be credited for at least some of their on-field success.
Hooper’s maternal grandfather, James Dockery, was a standout in football and several other sports.and has been inducted into athletic hall of fames at two colleges. Nelson’s father is none other than Darren Nelson, Stanford University’s all-time rushing leader and a former NFL player with the Minnesota Vikings.
When his father’s jersey number 20 was offered by Navarro, Nelson politely declined. As much as he is proud of his dad’s achievements on the gridiron, the soft-spoken Nelson said, “I’m my own man.”
The record-setting performances of Nelson and Hooper have not gone unnoticed by college scouts. Both are being heavily courted by NCAA Division I programs. Hooper, an honor student, is on the short list at several Pacific 10 Conference schools, and has received equally strong attention from colleges in the Ivy and Patriot leagues.
Since both also excelled as cornerbacks in high school, they’re primarily being recruited as defensive backs. In the opinion of their coach, Hooper will likely be used as a safety due to his hard-hitting style, while Nelson will be a cornerback due to his coverage skills.
Both players expressed a preference to play close to home.
With the realization that it’s a long shot they’ll wind up at the same school, there is some sadness as well as anticipation of a new beginning for these two buddies.
As they prepare for their recruiting visits to different campuses, both young men cited education as the deciding factor. This speaks volumes of their character. Both come from highly educated families raised by divorced moms who work in high technology. Nelson’s mother, Camilla, is a Stanford graduate with a law degree from the University of Minnesota. She heads a philanthropic program at HP which distributes technology to under-served communities.
Hooper’s mother, Marcy, is a public relations consultant for major high-tech companies in the Bay Area. She is an enthusiastic and vocal supporter of her son’s football program and, according to Hooper, not afraid to speak her mind. One time during a game, she hollered at the coach to run the ball inside.
As the story goes, the coach listened and, as they say, the rest is history.
