Rankin Running Rampant
April 28, 2022 - Indoor Football League (IFL)
Frisco Fighters News Release
Change really doesn't seem to faze Justin Rankin.
After playing for the Bismarck Bucks a season ago, he joined Frisco and hasn't looked back.
To this point, he paces the Indoor Football League in rushing with 415 yards on 70 totes. He also leads all players with 15 touchdowns - five more than anyone else.
The success doesn't come as too much of a surprise to the second-year tailback.
"I know that I'm going to work hard and give it everything I've got," Rankin said. "Most of the time when I've done that, I've always ended up being a starter and ended up producing."
He originally planned on dedicating his time to working out and training in preparation for an outdoor season rather than taking part in the indoor game this year. That was before the Fighters got in touch and he changed course.
With the Spokane Shock last season, Frisco head coach Billy Back took note of Rankin, who was among the league's top rushers while in North Dakota. He played a sizable part in the Bucks' attack, lining up at tailback and receiver, too, at times.
"Being here, I don't have to play that role as much, which is kind of nice," Rankin said. "It was my first year, so I was just getting my feet wet in the IFL, trying to understand the game."
As long as Rankin showed that he could be, Back told him, he would be the Fighters' guy.
"I actually told him no the first time that he called me," Rankin said. "Then, with jobs and the way things played out, I decided I wasn't really done yet.
"You can't really pass up Frisco, Texas."
The switch didn't affect him. It helped that a good deal of Frisco's players were new, either to Back's system or to the club as a whole. Unfortunately, that showed in the Fighters' opener, against the defending league-champion Massachusetts Pirates.
"We were a brand-new team, first time ever playing together," Rankin said. "Obviously, you're going to have those little hiccups. But, with the win streak, we're feeling good."
Thanks in large part to Rankin's tear on the ground, Frisco has ripped off five consecutive victories, including a come-from-behind effort against Duke City last Saturday.
With the success he's having on the ground, it's almost a requirement for Rankin to show his blockers some love. Darius James, Noah Johnson, and JR Hensley have paved the way for him to chew up yardage.
"I tell them all the time, 'Half the time, I'm not even doing anything. You guys push guys ten yards and then I'm already ten yards (downfield) by the time you guys get off your blocks,'" Rankin said. "I don't have to do anything but just run."
With another solid showing against the Arizona Rattlers, Rankin could top his rushing and scoring totals from last season. Kickoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. CT.
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Indoor Football League Stories from April 28, 2022
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