It might not be a stretch to say Monte Noffke has a nose for the end zone.
The senior running back from Gillett has rushed for 17 touchdowns in the first four games he’s played in this season. Remarkably, Noffke has only carried the ball 54 times.
One out of every three times he touches the rock, he finds the promised land.
“That’s pretty crazy,” Noffke said. “The linemen are doing great and creating holes. I just do what I can to get into the end zone.”
Noffke’s not just punching in touchdowns from short distance. He’s averaging 11.6 yards per carry. He has 11 carries over 15 yards and has broken off touchdown runs of 75, 65, 63, 48 and 42 yards.
And with his team doing so well – the Tigers improved to 5-0 Friday after a 45-28 victory over Wausaukee – Noffke has only needed to play in 10 quarters all season. Noffke’s numbers could be skewed even more if he didn’t have to miss Gillett’s third game because of a concussion.
In Gillett’s 62-0 season-opening victory over Elcho/White Lake, Noffke had eight carries and found the end zone five times. On Friday night against Wausaukee, Noffke ran for six touchdowns on 24 attempts and tallied 224 yards.
“If you look at those ratios, it’s off the charts what he’s doing,” Gillett coach Rick Kamps said.
Noffke, who is in his third season as the starting tailback, scored five touchdowns as a sophomore and added 11 last season. As a junior, Noffke ran for 860 yards on 162 carries.
This season, Noffke has already rushed for 625 yards. He now has four straight 100-yard rushing games to start the season after having three all of last year.
Noffke has had a great first half of the season in large part because of his offseason dedication to football.
“Every day in the summer, every day after the football season last year, I’ve just been lifting and lifting as hard as I could,” Noffke said. “It paid off.”
Noffke is only 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, but he added significant muscle in the offseason and never missed a summer workout. He’s one of Kamps’ hardest workers in the weight room and benches around 250 pounds.
“He is one of the smaller kids on the team, but he’s probably the second strongest kid on our team,” Kamps said. “I think that has a lot to do with it. Now, when a (defender) sticks out an arm, he’s running right through it. Not that he didn’t last year, but not all the time.”
Added strength is one factor that has made Noffke nearly unstoppable against opposing defenses. Another key is Noffke’s quickness. He clocked a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash in the preseason, and that breakout speed is tough to contain.
Being a member of the Gillett track and field team certainly helps. Noffke runs in the 400-meter run and the 4x400 relay team.
“He has one of the fastest 40s on our team, and he’s so elusive and runs right through people,” Gillett quarterback Alex Zeitler said.
Noffke loves receiving a handoff from Zeitler and he has always focused on the task at hand.
“I’ve got to read the blocks, watch the second level as they come through and see what they’re going to do and try to use my speed to get around them or get through them and lower my shoulder,” Noffke said. “I just think touchdown on every single play.”
Zeitler knows when he gives the ball to Noffke, good things are going to happen.
“I know he’s going to get positive yardage every single time,” Zeitler said. “I’m pretty confident giving it to him.”
Noffke doesn’t have a problem running between the tackles or bouncing it outside to try and outrun the defenders.
“He’s not afraid to go up the middle and get the tough yards,” Kamps said. “I think because he’s so strong, that helps. Obviously outside the tackles, he’s very dynamic. When he gets a seam, he can hit the seam and he can get up the sideline.”
“I’ll always hit the hole. If the hole’s there, I’ll take it,” Noffke said. “If it’s not there inside, I’ll bounce it out. … The hole is always there. I never really worry.”
Defenses haven’t been stacking the box much this year and are playing deep coverages due to the passing threat of Zeitler, who has seven touchdowns for the season.
That balance in the run and pass game is paying dividends for Noffke and his fellow running backs, who have combined for 26 rushing touchdowns this season.
With 17 touchdowns already by himself, Noffke wants to continue his torrid pace.
“No goals really, just as many as I can,” Noffke said. “I just want to score any time I can.”
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