For the first half of the season, Warren Central used trial and error – with a lot more emphasis on error – to fine-tune its vaunted running game.

A handful of backs came and went. Some moved, some were emphasized or de-emphasized. Finally, after a month, Joel Forbes came to the rescue.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound sophomore seized the starting tailback job with two straight 100-yard performances and one near-miss. Thursday night against Murrah, he ran for 98 yards and a touchdown, breaking his 100-yard streak but cementing his role as WC’s featured back.

&#8220I’m just having fun. Really, that’s all it is. I didn’t enjoy watching,” said Forbes, who had only 24 carries in the Vikings’ first five games.

Forbes added that beyond that, he was as baffled as anyone about the reasons behind his recent success.

&#8220I would tell you if I knew,” he said with a chuckle, &#8220but I don’t know how I did it.”

Heading into the season, Forbes was one of a handful of backs the WC coaching staff was looking at to carry the load. One by one, they all switched to other roles and cleared the way for Forbes.

Wade Carter went from splitting time between linebacker and tailback to playing full-time on the defense, and has become the team’s leading tackler. Michael Holt started the first five games at tailback, but also plays defensive back and was getting fatigued at the end of games.

Holt has continued to play tailback, but in a reduced role. Holt had 72 carries in WC’s first five games, but only 15 in the last three.

&#8220That doesn’t take Michael Holt out of the mix. It’s just that we’re using Michael on defense so much it’s difficult for him to come off the field,” WC coach Curtis Brewer said.

Fullback Vic Tyrone, who has rushed for 305 yards this season, also gets plenty of carries but is more of a complementary back in the Vikings’ scheme.

So that allowed Forbes to take the ball and, literally, run with it.

In his first start against Greenville-Weston he carried 14 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

He followed that up with a 140-yard effort against a tough Madison Central defense, then turned in another strong effort against Murrah.

Forbes actually surpassed the 100-yard mark against Murrah for a brief time in the fourth quarter, but lost five yards on his last two carries to finish with 98 on 22 carries.

While the unique situations of the other tailbacks opened the door for Forbes, Brewer was quick to say that the sophomore didn’t just luck into the starting job. Brewer said Forbes had been impressive in practice and earned his shot.

&#8220Joel earned his position. Unless somebody in practice just absolutely takes a position, then we mix it up,” Brewer said. &#8220We had backs we were rotating. The early games he got in, he did what he was expected to do, and more.”

Forbes hasn’t been flashy, just smart and effective. Brewer said the back’s best weapon is his ability to see the field and follow blockers.

&#8220He runs with his eyes, and he has the feet to go with his eyes. He follows his blockers real well,” Brewer said.

Forbes said he learned in a hurry the proper way to run. He fell out of the tailback rotation early in the season, in part, because of a fumbling problem. He worked hard in practice to correct it and believes he’s done so.

&#8220I hold on to the ball with two hands now and get in the crouch,” he said. &#8220That’s it, really. I take what I can get.”