By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
Making the leap from the freshman team to varsity, Ramon Espinoza had a pestering thought in his head.
“I asked myself, ‘What am I doing here?’” Espinoza remembers.
The speed of the game had become too overwhelming for a player still finding his footing. And the brute force of players two or three years his senior was, at times, too much for the 5-foot-6, 150-pound back.
But in his ear was teammate Peter Rodriguez, the district’s top back, with words of encouragement. Whether it was reinforcement that he belonged or tips on how to attack open holes, Rodriguez served as a mentor for the younger Espinoza, as Roma was ready to transition from one running back to another.
And now, following a year-long apprenticeship of sorts, Espinoza inherits the reins to one of the more run-heavy teams in district.
“I have big shoes to fill,” Espinoza acknowledges. “It’s my job to be the leader now and motivate my teammates.”
Last year, Espinoza was the second back behind Rodriguez, who led district with 1,187 yards on 239 carries. For his part, Espinoza added 507 yards on 98 carries. Together, they stabilized a rushing attack that was responsible for 85.5 percent of its offense.
No team in 31-5A relied more on the run game than Roma. What’s more, the Gladiators did it with a central figure in Rodriguez, and a player in Espinoza who provided relief. That differed from Edinburg Vela and Mission Veterans, which had as many as two to three rushing options in additional to an aerial threat.
Roma lacked in both areas, making Rodriguez’s productivity and endurance that much more impressive. Now, Espinoza is being asked to follow in that form.
“He’s shown he can carry the load,” coach Max Habecker Jr. said. “He’s learning how to be an every down back and saying, ‘Hey, I need a rotation. I need a break.’ That’s part of the learning curve: learning when to come out, understanding your body; getting rest and coming back effective. There’s no use being out there if you’re not going to be effective.”
Those moments provided Espinoza opportunities last season. When Rodriguez needed a breather, Espinoza anxiously awaited his turn, getting the type of snaps that allowed his confidence to grow.
“I remember thinking I really didn’t belong,” Espinoza said. “But (Rodriguez) as a senior, he would motivate me, for me not to be nervous, for me to remember my assignments and execute it right. I learned a lot from him.
“He would do anything for his team. And that’s what motivated me to be in the position I am right now.”
Espinoza has had an impressive showing early. During a 16-7 win over La Joya High in Week 1, the junior tallied 176 rushing yards and two touchdowns in only one half of play. (The game was suspended at halftime due to a power outage.)
The turning point, Espinoza said, came late last season, with Roma in search of additional run support. In Week 11, he scored two touchdowns to help beat Valley View and secure Roma’s first-ever playoff berth.
And the following week, Espinoza ignited a first-round upset over Mercedes by scoring on the first play of overtime on a 25-yard run. During an unlikely second-round appearance, he led the team in rushing in a 28-24 loss to Gregory-Portland.
“Toward the end of the year, it was like he was ready to take it,” running backs coach Emmanuel Rodriguez said. “The way he performed those last two games, it showed a lot. It showed he was ready to go into this year confident.”
Having that experience, Espinoza said, “really motivated” him to “want to taste that success.” He attended two camps during the summer and has come into the season a more mature player.
The coaches see a more disciplined running back, whereas in the past his impatience would prompt him not to utilize his offensive line properly. Now, Espinoza attacks the defense differently.
“He understands how to get vertical in the hole,” Habecker said. “You mix that together with his willingness to want to get better through film, and understanding when he makes mistakes, not pointing fingers, and it’s all good stuff.”
With a goal of surpassing 1,000 rushing yards and reaching similar playoff heights, Espinoza continues to practice “like he plays on Friday nights,” Habecker said. Espinoza has grown alongside the offensive line, many of whom were sophomores with him last year when he joined varsity.
Now, Espinoza’s hoping to follow in line with other standout running backs at Roma, like Orly Solis, an All-Valley honoree, and Rodriguez, an all-district selection.
“I’m just so impressed with his growth,” Habecker said. “Because from where he started as a sophomore on varsity to where he finished last year to where he is right now, it’s a complete 180. He didn’t skip a beat. There was no drop-off. He’s just continuing to get better every week.”