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If a player’s measurement is defined in big games, Shamar Garrett aced the exam this season.
The De La Salle star doesn’t have the measurables major college programs seek — he’s 5-foot-9, 185 pounds — but the running back/safety came up big on the brightest of stages.
In the season opener against Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, which went undefeated and was named national champion by GEICO, Garrett ran for 190 yards and was a force in the defensive secondary.
In the season finale against St. John Bosco, which had 36 players with college offers and was crowned national champion by MaxPreps, Garrett not only ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns but also had 12 tackles with a forced fumble.
De La Salle lost those games but won every other in between, all by a sizable margin, and Garrett led the way in those contests, too.
For this, the San Jose State-bound senior is the Bay Area Preps HQ’s player of the year.
“He’s such a dynamic player,” DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh said. “He played corner. He played nickel. He played safety, running back, wide receiver. He threw for a couple of touchdowns. He had a pretty dynamic year.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who played as good of football as him for a while. His impact was in every game and when we needed him most, that’s when he was at his best.”
Garrett finished the season with 1,141 yards and 19 touchdowns in 136 carries. He caught 16 passes for 258 yards and two TDs and completed 3 of 5 passes for 172 yards and three TDs.
He did all of this while playing no more than a half in most of the games because of one-sided scores.
“If you look at his stats, you’ve kind of got to double them, I mean, realistically,” Alumbaugh said. “He only played in the second half four times the entire year. He was out in the second quarter quite a bit.”
In five games from Oct. 11 to Nov. 22, Garrett carried only 21 times and averaged more than 16 yards per attempt.
In the three marquee matchups on the season — Aquinas, Bosco, Folsom — Garrett reached triple figures in rushing yards in each of them.
“I am not the biggest person myself,” Garrett said. “So I have to play bigger than who I am and play as hard as I can, knowing that I am playing both ways. Just giving my team my all throughout those types of games. It all comes with preparation, a whole team effort. The coaches have to do their part, too.”
Four days after the season ended with the loss to Bosco, Garrett signed with San Jose State, saying later that he loves the school and the area.
“I’m just really comfortable with the decision of going there,” he said of playing for head coach Brent Brennan and the man who recruited Garrett, Alonzo Carter.
In addition to San Jose State, Garrett received offers from Air Force, New Mexico, Sacramento State, Howard and William & Mary, according to 247Sports.com.
If not for his measurables, Garrett certainly would have had more choices.
“His speed is undeniable, his agility,” Alumbaugh said. “In a lot of ways, it’s a little bit of a meat market. They look at the size, and it just doesn’t add up for him in some ways. He’s not a small kid. He’s just not tall.
“But we love those guys at San Jose State. They’re doing a great job. We’re very happy for coach Brennan and coach Carter and Shamar. But they got a steal. There is no doubt about it.”
Players of the year: Previous 10 years
2018
Bay Area News Group: Henry To’oto’o, De La Salle | story
2017
Bay Area News Group: TaRiq Bracy, Milpitas | story
2016
Bay Area News Group East Bay: Najee Harris, Antioch | story
Bay Area News Group South Bay/Peninsula: Leki Nunn, Serra | story
2015
East Bay: Najee Harris, Antioch | story
Mercury News: Rashaan Fontenette, Oak Grove | story
2014
East Bay: Antoine Custer, De La Salle | story
Mercury News: Ben Burr-Kirven, Sacred Heart Prep | story
2013
East Bay: Adarius Pickett, El Cerrito | story
Mercury News: Ben Burr-Kirven, Sacred Heart Prep | story
2012
East Bay: Warren Miles Long, James Logan | story
Mercury News: Kenneth Olugbode, Bellarmine | story
2011
East Bay: Olito Thompson, Concord | story
Mercury News: Travis McHugh, Bellarmine | story
2010
East Bay: Dylan Wynn, De La Salle | story
Mercury News: Christoph Bono, Palo Alto | story
2009
East Bay: Terron Ward, De La Salle | story
Mercury News: Kyle Olugbode, Bellarmine | story
